WELCOME TO THE HAYS / APA BREAKFAST SEMINAR

The Association of Personal Assistants

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AGENDA

Introduction

Geoff Sims, Managing Director, Hays PA & Secretarial

Laura Richardson, 2010 PA of the Year

Gareth Osborne, Director General, APA

Questions

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Geoff Sims

Managing DirectorHays PA & Secretarial

HAYS/APA BREAKFAST SEMINARCAREERS BEST PRACTICE

Geoff SimsTuesday 16th November 2010

Winner of the PA Employer of the Year 2010

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AGENDA

Introduction

Essential skills

Career Development

Your CV

The local market

PA of the Year Award

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A CAREER AS A PA TODAY

The challenges PAs often lack someone to look out for their career development and may not get regular appraisals PAs have to juggle many tasks at once PAs don’t challenge their boss sufficiently because they see how busy they are Many PAs don’t realise their worth

The advantages More respect for PAs as a profession Increased opportunities and salaries for PAs Professional networks and specialist advisers can provide assistance Variety of training courses exist Strong networking within an exclusive community

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“ PAS JUGGLE MANY ROLES, PROJECTS, BUDGETS AND PEOPLEAND MANAGE THE MANAGER “Nikki Mason – PA to Geoff Sims

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ESSENTIAL SKILLS

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ESSENTIAL SKILLS FOR THE MODERN WORKPLACE

Technical Advanced level of Microsoft packages inc Word, Excel and PowerPoint Language skills more desirable than ever as companies globalise PAs with degree level or equivalent qualifications are in demand as profile rises

Soft skills Multi-tasking Communication skills Negotiating Influencing Organisational skills Diplomacy and discretion Self motivation Demonstrating initiative Attention to detail Networking

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THE IMPORTANCE OF SOFT SKILLS

The modern PA must have excellent interpersonal skills as they often liaise with many different parties

The ability to deal with people in a clear and firm manner but also display empathy is vital

Good relationships depend on awareness, diplomacy and clear communication

Your manager having confidence in your abilities to deliver will determine your career success

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CAREER DEVELOPMENT

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CAREER PATH

Continue as a PA Increase existing responsibilities Manage and train other staff – admin, executive assistants Become PA for a more senior director Move to a different organisation Follow the boss!

Move into other areas Human Resources Marketing PR Company Secretary Training Procurement

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YOUR CV

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KEEP YOUR CV UP-TO-DATE

Keeping your CV up-to-date ensures that you are ready to pounce should an internal (or external) opportunity become available

An up-to-date CV means that you will not have to produce one in a hurry and compromise on content and presentation

An accurate CV helps focus you on your responsibilities and achievements, which can also help with appraisals and career discussions

An aid to CPD

Reminds you of your achievements

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GET YOUR CV RIGHT

Do Keep it to three pages or less. Your CV must look clean and well laid out, with an abundance of white space to enhance readability

Use a simple font like Arial, 10-12pt, and keep formatting like italics and underlining to a minimum.

Bullets are extremely useful in CVs as they allow you to highlight key points succinctly and keep the document looking tidy. Start each one with an action verb if you can ('created', 'managed', 'increased', 'improved' etc), rather than 'I‘

Spelling and punctuation must be perfect

The reader of your CV may not have more than a few seconds to spend scanning applications, so including a skills section can capture their attention by making it immediately clear what you can offer. Use real examples of responsibilities and achievements.

Make it clear which packages you can use and your level of proficiency

Don’t Send a photograph, include your age or feel you have to include your marital status

Exaggerate your abilities as you may be tested at interview

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THE IMPORTANCE OF KEYWORDS

Multi-tasking Communication skills Negotiating Influencing Organisational skills Budget management Diplomacy Self motivation Initiative Attention to detail Problem-solving Diary management

Provide examples of how you have demonstrated these skills and show it has benefited your employer

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THE LOCAL MARKET

BIRMINGHAMMANCHESTERLEEDS

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BIRMINGHAM / MIDLANDS SNAPSHOT

Downturn leading to PAs supporting multiple individuals

Redundancies have impacted salary expectations

EA salaries range from £25-30k depending on experience and PA salaries range from £18-25k

Employers expect strong IT and typing skills

Public sector demand limited to temporary opportunities

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MANCHESTER SNAPSHOT

Economic downturn has impacted salary expectations. £25K opportunities are rare at the moment. £20-25K is a good bracket that will offer more opportunities

EA salaries up to £28K. Entrepreneurial/owner managed businesses tend to pay a little more however expect a higher calibre PA and the role will also include organising personal affairs

Strong IT skills, especially powerpoint are required

Commercial Sector is picking up and Public Sector opportunities are becoming limited

Clients now often recruit on a temporary to permanent basis which is a great way for the Director and PA to see if the working relationship works

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LEEDS SNAPSHOT

Economic downturn has impacted salary expectations. £25K opportunities are rare at the moment. £20-25K is a good bracket that will offer more opportunities

Employers are keen to see typing speeds of 60+ wpm

Shorthand is being requested more frequently so doing a course in this will help you stand out from the crowd

Strong IT skills, especially PowerPoint are required

Commercial Sector is picking up and Public Sector opportunities are becoming limited

Clients are often recruiting on a temporary basis initially

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HAYS PA OF THE YEAR AWARD IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE TIMES

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THE 2010 AWARD

Record number of applications

Impressive quality of PAs in the UK

Winner – Laura Richardson

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2011 HAYS PA OF THE YEAR AWARD

Applications open from January 10th – March 13th 2011

Judging panel: - Geoff Sims, Managing Director, Hays PA & Secretarial - Laura Richardson, 2010 PA of the Year - Gareth Osborne, Director General, APA - Susie Barron-Stubley, Managing Director, Castalia Coaching & Training - Michelle Mone OBE, Founder, MJM International

The process: - Shortlist, telephone interview, face-to-face interview - Awards ceremony

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STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD

Demonstrate the impact you have had on your organisation

Highlight any additional responsibilities you’ve taken on

Show how you have been pro-active

Show your passion and enthusiasm for the role

RAISE PAs PROFILE IN YOUR ORGANISATION

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THANK YOU