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PA v PA Jan-Feb 2015
- 1. 47JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 |www.ExEcUtivEPA.cOM46 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 | www.ExEcUtivEPA.cOM Do you have any industry related qualifications and how important are they for PAs? No. My first foray into this area was a touch typing course at evening college. I nailed it, but to my shame, at a speed of 23 WPM. I do think formal qualifications are to be encouraged in conjunction with hands-on experience. The difficulty is that we are often too afraid of asking our employers for support in this area, and we shouldn’t be. What are the positives and negatives of working in the not-for-profit sector? There is great personal satisfaction knowing you have helped turn the wheel for change, and assisted those in greater need. The downside is the frustration of not being able to stretch resources further to help more. What have you done today? Emails are first for any urgent actions and then on to the day’s priorities. So far I have compiled my meeting and events diary for 2015, backdating any actions and deadlines. I’ve also issued invitations to our Audit dinner, compiled the summons for the quarterly members’ meeting and cleared correspondence in respect of successful funding applications. What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced as a PA and how did you handle it? My biggest challenge came during my second year in this role when I had two high profile events to organise less than two weeks apart; one being a Royal visit at the Hall with meticulous precision timing, the other being our annual event for our mem- bers and schools with a service at the Bristol Cathedral followed by a meeting and lunch at the Hall. In summary it sounds so easy, but the attention to detail and fine tuning required was extensive. Do you get an opportunity to travel or attend company events? For our larger events, I am present to receive guests and smooth out any last minute changes to proceedings. As a team we have away days, which are good fun. This year I was honoured to receive an invitation to a Garden Party at the Palace. Which skills have you relied upon the most throughout your career? Anticipating, reacting and adapting quickly to the changes of a busy workload. Wanting to help and really caring about the difference you can make, however small, helps you go that extra mile and shows conviction in what you do. What advice would you give PAs seeking employment in the not-for-profit sector? PA skills are transferrable from one sector to another, so find an area that you are passionate about and go for it. Do your research, get some voluntary experience and take a leap of faith. What does Devon Air Ambulance actually do? Devon Air Ambulance Trust (DAAT) is an independent char- ity providing helicopter emergency medical services and crit- ical transfers by provision of an air ambulance service in and around Devon. How did you land your current role? My original role was Receptionist and PA to the Chief Execu- tive, which I applied for five years ago. We were inundated with applications – 250 of them! I was absolutely thrilled to be the lucky candidate they chose. Since then I have developed and expanded the role and I am now Executive Assistant to the Chief Executive, Heléna Holt. What do you love most about your job? The diversity of the position – I am the CEO’s EA, and I sup- port other members of our Senior Leadership Team as well as our board of trustees. I am the training coordinator and I report to the board on staff training and development. I oversee HR duties for the charity, and I line manage a full-time Receptionist. I wear many hats, and I love all of them! What is the approx. number of employees in your organisation, and how many are PAs? The charity employs 58 members of staff in our Head Office, our retail outlets and our airbases. I am the only EA at the moment! Describe your journey into the PA profession. I began my career as a typist, staying in the private sector for many years as a secretary. I made the move from legal secre- tary into recruitment admin, which I loved but I wasn’t a fan of the sales industry... thereafter I worked in the NHS as a PA to the Director of Finance plus a team of Senior Commission- ers, and then I made the transition into the charity sector. Devon Air Ambulance is the first, and only charity I have worked for! Do you have any industry related qualifications and how important are they for PAs? I have CLAIT, RSA III in word processing and NVQ II in Admin- istration. However since leaving college 16 years ago (eek!!) I have undertaken development courses in a wide range of top- ics such as ECDL, appraisals and performance management, NLP, train the trainer and management and leadership. What are the positives and negatives of working in the not-for-profit sector? I absolutely love working for a charity. You get an enormous sense of satisfaction knowing your work helps keep a lifesav- ing operation in the air. The people whose lives we have saved and prolonged are so very grateful for the service we provide, it makes me feel immensely proud to be a part of it. What have you done today? This morning was our staff meeting where I gave a presentation to the staff on our achievements as a charity over the past 12 months. I then attended an operations meeting in order to take minutes, then I travelled to one of our Airbases to minute some safety committee meetings. This afternoon I was busy prepar- ing papers for an interview that we are holding tomorrow for a vacancy we have in our retail team. What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced as a PA and how did you handle it? Proving myself when I joined DAAT, particularly as I had beat 250 people to get the job! Do you get an opportunity to travel or attend company events? I am fortunate that in my position I get to travel all over Devon to attend charity events, fundraisers and networking meetings. In the summer it’s extremely busy at the charity and most of us get involved in promotional activities outside the office like agricultural shows, festivals and our own events such as our bike ride-out and dragon boat festival. What advice would you give to PAs seeking employment in the not-for-profit sector? When I joined DAAT, I had no previous charity experience, but a wealth of experience from the private sector. Assure any prospective employers you know it will be a culture change, but explain your reasons for wanting to work for them. E To kick off the new year we speak to two Executive Assistants – both working within the not-for-profit sector – to find out more about their working lives by Maria Fuller INTERVIEW HELEN PARKER Executive Assistant, The Society of Merchant Venturers, Bristol MELANIE STEVENS Executive Assistant, Devon Air Ambulance Trust, Exeter What does the Society of Merchant Venturers actually do? The Society has a membership dedicated to contributing their time and expertise to the prosperity and well-being of the greater Bristol area. How did you land your current role? After one sleepless Sunday night too many I knew it was time for a change. By the Friday I had successfully interviewed, secured the role and handed in my notice. What do you enjoy most about your job? The variety. As admin staff we are used to being pulled in sev- eral directions at once and this role really does demand different hats to be worn, juggled and even re-sized. I thrive on being the go-to person and the first point of contact at the Hall. What is the approx. number of employees in your organisation, and how many are PAs? We are a small team of only 10 staff and I am the sole EA. Describe your journey into the PA profession. Admin support was only ever a stop-gap whilst deciding how best to utilise my Psychology degree. But a decade or two on and I’ve realised that not only do I love it, but I’m good at it too. The degree didn’t completely go to waste; there have been a few characters!