Let’s jump straight in and get to know you a little better. To everyone who hasn’t had the pleasure of meeting you before, tell us about yourself….
I am a PA for Legal and General and absolutely love my job. Organising, lists and making plans are some of my favourite things, so I feel I am in the perfect role! Outside of work, I am an avid reader and part of a fabulous Book Club comprised of other PA/EAs called The PAge Turners. I am also a published writer and part of a wonderful writing group called Roath Writers – right now I am working on my first novel. I recently got engaged so am revelling in all the delights of wedding planning!
Tell us more about how you became an Assistant and your journey to where you are now?
Having always loved organising, I felt my passions and natural skills leant themselves perfectly to a PA role, so six years ago I decided to self-fund an Executive PA Diploma which I completed in the evenings alongside my role as a Pensions Service Specialist at Legal & General. An internal vacancy for PA maternity cover came up a couple of months into my course, and despite having no PA qualifications or experience, I decided to apply and was successful in securing the role! Five years on, I have been promoted three times and now PA for my original boss, an additional boss, my bosses’ boss and five non-executive directors so am kept busy but absolutely love it!
What do you love most about being an Assistant?
I love the day-to-day level of organisation and planning involved, as well as the bigger events such as Strategy or Volunteering Days, Summer and Christmas Parties or private Board Dinners. I love being able to advocate for my team to my directors, whether that be organising something small like Christmas Chocolates for everyone or something with a big impact like improving Wellbeing and Work/Life Balance.
What do you wish you could change about the business support industry?
I’d love for others to have a greater understanding of what our roles entail.
Sometimes our work can be invisible, and I wish there were more local and internal, in-person PA/EA networks so we could connect with each other, share knowledge, tips, advice, and experience, and form a supportive and open group to aid in our development. Others may not realise that assistants take on a lot and often go unrecognised for their efforts.
What do you believe is the real key to success as an Assistant?
I believe frequent and honest communication, knowing your boss inside out and being passionate about doing the best job you can to help them succeed is the key to success – whether that be blocking their Monday mornings out because you know they hate starting their week diving straight in to back-to-back meetings or having the confidence to challenge them on a decision that you know might not be 100% right for the team.
What has been the biggest challenge of your career as an Assistant and how did you overcome it?
The biggest challenge I have overcome as a PA is my lack of confidence speaking up in groups. To overcome this, I have set myself goals each year to help push myself out of my comfort zone. This has included joining the Bristol PA Network and attending in-person events, volunteering to regularly present at our Town Halls and creating and chairing several committees within L&G, including a Social Committee, Book Club and Employee Survey Focus Group.
If you met yourself on day one of your career as an Assistant, what would the one piece of advice you would give yourself?
Always trust your instincts and don’t be afraid to speak up – your opinion is just as important as the senior executives in the rooms and you can offer a different and valuable perspective.
– If you are unsure of what has been asked of you – make sure you ask clarifying questions.
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