PA boundaries and 'admin support'

[stressedoutpa]

I started a new job before Christmas as PA to three directors. It's early days and I am still finding my feet but since starting I have found out that I am also expected to provide admin support to the three teams.

Without going into much detail, I am already busy with the three and various events/exhibitions and I am also being asked to complete random unrelated tasks for the teams which are often last minute; flights, hotels, car hire, taxis, po requests, couriers, post, etc. etc.

I could honestly scream..... I feel so frustrated. I left a 1:2 PA role for this job but this is more 1:25.

Clearly, I need to discuss this with my line manager but having spoken to one of the other directors and one of the PAs, the expectation is that you need to do what ever is asked.

At which point did five people's jobs become one PA job?

Needed? Yes

Valued? Possibly not

After 20 years on the job, I have seen some PA colleagues treated very badly. Sometimes it has been warranted and other times not.

I've made quite a few PA friends along the way. Most of them are degree educated really hard working ladies and excellent at what they do. Have any of them ever been promoted? No, they've all been doing the same job for years.

Other than the sheer delight of feeling needed, you do need to consider where all the out of hours emailing is taking you. IME the general opinion is that it's a job anyone can do and candidates are ten a penny.

Most PAs seem to end up being PAs forever. If you can, I would move sideways to project management, HR, finance etc.

PAs really aren’t valued and I don’t think it’s ever warranted to treat a PA badly.

I’ve been a PA for decent bosses and been included as part of the team, invited to away days and team dinners, got to travel with my bosses - business class and nice hotels

Civil Service is the worst for PAs/EAs! Really not valued, lots of “grey men” empire building and no perks whatsoever. Old workplace was short of around 15 assistants, they couldn’t recruit or retain experienced staff when there were plenty more employers around paying a higher salary in more dynamic work environments.

This is a good warning to me as I am looking for PA work now after being made redundant late last year. I know what to be wary of!

Been there.

I want to liberate women from PA/admin work completely. It's needed, yet not valued. It's not valued imo because it's dominated by women and thus the work is devalued.

Stressedoutpa, have you thought about getting some more quals/skills so you can move on from PA work? IMO you deserve better than this and you sound very capable. Accounting? project management? HR?

I agree with whoever said PAs really get promoted - and that's not a reflection of what they are capable of. It's a reflection of sexism and also when people are competent in their role, often it works to management's advantage to keep them there. You are making their lives easier, why would they want to promote you?

Get out while you can Stressed!

*rarely

Thank you ItLooksABitOff

I caught up with my old boss today and explained it wasn't working for me and why (with examples of all the admin type tasks). He totally got it and told me to hang in there and try to keep smile/suck it up in the short term. An agenda item at the next management meeting is going to be a what's working/what's not type subject so I am going to write a paper for him for that from my perspective (as a new employee).

I totally agree that I need to maneouvre myself out of PA work. That had been my intention but this role came up out of the blue and as I had such a great working relationship with old boss I thought I could cope with the other directors for however long until I hatch a plan to manoeuvre myself more into his team.

I have considered project management (potential to earn much more money and possibly even get promoted!) and retraining in a completely unrelated field. All I know is, I certainly can't do this job until retirement or I will die a bitter old hag!

hang in there smile if I had a dollar for every time someone's said that to me...do you think they'd say that if you were a man?

I'm glad you see that you are better than this, cos you are. Good luck!

it's so bizarre how it isn't valued. I mean, why are PAs hired at all if there's no need for them? It just doesn't make sense.

I'm currently on leave for five days and the boss is asking the project manager to do some of my PA work as it all needs doing. Project manager (female) is pissed off with him and rightly so. PM is leaving soon for another post in same organisation and it she thinks some of her stuff will land in me to do. She's 3 grades above me!

I am very capable and my boss loves me but it's never going to make me rich. Just out of interest what's the going rate for an exec level PA or EA these days?

This thread has really opened my eyes. I’ve always just enjoyed being the yes person and someone everyone can rely on.

I work better under pressure and the more I have to do the more motivated I feel.

But, when I think about it I am undervalued with no where else to go, I’m studying my AAT but struggling to fit it in with work and family life.

I’m wondering where I will be in 5 years time. Sorry for the me, me, me post. I’ve really enjoyed reading this thread.

Yes, you are totally right ItLooks. He said it because it suits him because I will keep 'doing everything for everyone' for the next month. I am assured it will calm down shortly so there is every possibility that I may change my tune if everyone backs off and normal office life resumes.

I made it crystal clear that I won't stay if this is the deal. He knows me well enough to know that is not an idle threat.

Arkengarthdale - going rate outside of London seems to be 16k-28k in my experience depending on location and industry.

In London - £25k for a more junior role up to £50k for a senior EA in a demanding role. I was on around £35k. Plus pension, bonus and healthcare.

£40k London

DailyMail don't apologize. You sound like another very capable woman and able to do so much more. I know it's hard to juggle work, family life and study (I've done it) but keep at it and please don't let yourself get stuck in admin! (unless you want to, obs)

Definitely agreeing with some of the posts here and I've only been a PA for the last ten years or so. I got made redundant before maternity leave and so I'm rethinking what I want to do. I loved my first PA job, and felt like part of a team but at the last one I felt like a bit of a dogsbody and only stuck it out because it was so flexible around DC. I'm thinking of moving into project management...has anyone done similar and if so, do you have any advice?

Salary-wise I was working in London on £40k fte (only did 3 days). The money was good, but the work was mindnumbing and I can't face going back to similar. I think good PA jobs are like gold dust these days!

Thanks ItLooks looking at salary and bonus on here I’m just wondering how PA earns a bonus? I honestly thought everything was the right way round until now.

I moved into project controls/scheduling but not sure they have many of those jobs in the real world? Or if it’s just a silly civil service job? Anyway, I hated it more than I disliked being an EA. I think PM is the way to go.

I’m in a programme co-ordinator role now. That seems the next natural step apart from moving into office management. I did APMP and PRINCE2 whilst in the Civil Service as they paid for it! Also got an NVQ3 in Business Admin out of them!

DailyMailDontStealMyThread - I worked in banking and everyone who wasn’t awful got some kind of bonus. Think mine was only 5% but better than nothing!

This is quite a depressing thread and just reconfirms all the reasons I wanted out. Slightly annoyed that I convinced myself this would be okay. The alarm bells were ringing at the interview...

Is there anything that you can do to teach the team how to fish?

Eg set up everyone with profiles on the travel booking website, write a simple step-by-step guide to making the booking and then passing it on to everyone other than your direct folk so that they can make their own travel bookings?

There are far, far worse jobs out there than being a PA/EA. But also - many jobs that are much better!

It’s easy to get pigeonholed into it. The comment about a PM being asked to take on PA tasks is awful. A male PM wouldn’t be asked that!

I would have no problem about pushing back on the crap but at the moment old boss has told me to do those things until we have time to properly decide what those tasks should be.

They all have travel profiles but flights come via me otherwise they would be flying their preferred airline and costing the company £££. It happens a lot. Everyone will do whatever suits them if they are not 'policed'.

I think the pp who is being asked to take on the PM stuff should seize it with both hands. Ask for a pay rise and new job title and use it as a route out of the admin ghetto.

I’m hiring a 1:1 PA with bonus and no evening working expectation.

I massively value a good PA to run my life for me - a hugely important role IMO. I loved a PA who said she ‘needed to be needed’.

I need someone lol 😂