No use being a one trick pony

We all know the saying ìIf you canít stand the heat get out of the kitchenî. And we also know that it doesnít just apply to chefs. In todayís increasingly hectic workplace managers are placing more and more responsibility on the shoulders of those they manage.

These days for example, the secretary is anything but ëthe humble secretaryí. Gone are the days of typing, filing, and answering the phone. No, these days the secretary is the crux of the office who is still expected to do all the above, not to mention managing the bossís diary, creating databases, calculating the monthly time sheets, perhaps taking a keen role in the companyís marketing and promotional work, and even taking control of the companyís website. Thereís no longer any room for a one trick pony in this industry.

All this said, weíre currently living in a candidate driven market. Companies across the UK are struggling to fill positions in various sectors, simply because there arenít enough properly skilled candidates in the job market. A skills gap exists in every industry and an efficient, highly skilled PA or administrative support is increasingly hard to come by.

However while employers might be struggling to find the right person for the job, they are still bombarded with hundreds of CVs and application letters. So what do you do to make yours stand out and help a potential new employer realise that you are head and shoulders above the rest? Whatís more, if you plan on staying in your current job, maybe now is the time to thinkÖare you really indispensable, or could you do with brushing up on your skills a little? After all, thereís always someone younger and more eager to jump into your shoes.

One of our students Lydia Marquer knows only too well that you canít afford to sit on your laurels

She had gone for an interview for the position of Executive PA to the Chairman of an international telecoms company.

At the interview she was told the job had already gone, so when she saw the Chairman walking by, she collared him and quizzed him about his knowledge of computers. He admitted he knew little about them so she explained everything she had learned on a recent Pitman Training course and he was really impressed. Then, when Lydia explained what she could do for the companyís intranet, that was the killer punch. By the end of the day, she was appointed his PA and the person who had been appointed is now her secretary!

Lydia had spent several years in the hotel industry before settling into a pattern of temp jobs as a secretary and office manager in the construction industry. When she wanted to get a permanent job, her long spell of temping made her CV look a little unappealing. Lydia knew she wanted to be a permanent Executive PA to a Chairman but realised she needed to do something to make herself more marketable.

Hundreds of Executive PAs like Lydia are increasingly realising that most other PAs have the same skill set, so to be able to offer something a little different is vital. While nationally recognised PA qualifications will do wonders for your CV, itís certainly worth thinking outside the box. Diplomas in web design, marketing or even Microsoft Office courses can give you that extra string to your bow, that might not be expected, but your employer ñ present or future ñ will comprehend the benefits of having someone with added skills on their team. Being able to provide evidence of a broad skill plus a specialism is a sure fire way of ensuring you stand head and shoulders above the rest.

Itís a common misconception that finding and keeping hold of a job in administration and office management is easy. On the contrary, itís getting more difficult. With more school leavers going on to further education than ever before, administrative roles are becoming dominated by graduates who once may not have considered the secretarial route to start their careers. Employers are increasingly keen to offer secretarial roles to graduates where before they might have considered these candidates as being over qualified. In return, the roles have become more varied and can offer more responsibility to those that look for it.

So these days the PAís role is coming under threat from all sides; from the younger, ambitious secretary to the graduate with a host of letters after his name. Itís a cut throat world ñ the survival of the fittest ñ and those who arm themselves with a unique skill set, above and beyond the call of duty are the ones who will thrive.

By Michael Graham, managing director, Pitman Training.