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Original poster

PA boundaries and 'admin support'

205 replies

stressedoutpa · 20/02/2018 21:31

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?

OP posts:
ItLooksABitOff · 26/02/2018 22:54

jawdropping Polar. What a pack of entitled gits.

Polarbearflavour · 27/02/2018 18:15

Hi Stressed, did you resign?!

Another thing I hate is how PAs are meant to be psychic. For example - you aren’t sure when a meeting or event goes in boss’s diary. If you accept on their behalf they get annoyed as they have something else to go to in their head which they haven’t told you or whatever.

If you wait for them to accept / decline or query it, you aren’t using initiative!

ItLooksABitOff · 27/02/2018 20:13

hi stressed! waves

Original poster
stressedoutpa · 27/02/2018 20:38

No! Blush

Line manager was in meetings all day.... May actually do it on Thursday then it will take me up to Easter.

OP posts:
Original poster
stressedoutpa · 27/02/2018 20:39

Spent most of the afternoon printing and binding again!!!

Could always get a job in Kall Kwik....

OP posts:
ItLooksABitOff · 27/02/2018 22:32

AWW stressed Cake

Original poster
stressedoutpa · 28/02/2018 19:54

Still here and very grumpy... Sad

OP posts:
ItLooksABitOff · 28/02/2018 22:39

you'll feel so much better once you hand in your notice. has nice boss said anything at all?

Polarbearflavour · 05/03/2018 11:56

OP - how are you?!

Openup41 · 05/03/2018 12:27

This reply has been deleted

Withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
stressedoutpa · 05/03/2018 18:04

I handed my notice in on Thursday. Takes bow.... Grin

OP posts:
JeezeLouise · 05/03/2018 20:13

Good going OP!

LoveProsecco · 06/03/2018 01:57

Well done OPSmileWineCakeGin

Polarbearflavour · 06/03/2018 14:38

Tell us more OP - how did they react? Wine

heron98 · 07/03/2018 09:29

I left my previous PA role exactly for this reason. I basically became a dogsbody. I worked in a university, ostensibly as PA to the Dean, but ended up doing all the crappy admin work for most of the academics in the office.

The last straw was when someone I didn't work for sent me an Excel file and asked me to format it and print it out for them.

Original poster
stressedoutpa · 07/03/2018 19:30

Well, I think it was a bolt out of the blue. I don't even think nice boss was expecting it.

They made all the right noises but I'm sticking to my guns and will be leaving with the aim of doing something different. I've actually got a job interview lined up for Friday. Grin

OP posts:
LoveProsecco · 07/03/2018 21:17

Fast worker! Good luck for Friday 🍀

ItLooksABitOff · 07/03/2018 22:28

Stressed, that's brilliant! I am so damn happy for you. What is the role if it's not too confidential?

Original poster
stressedoutpa · 08/03/2018 00:01

Oh err.... don't want to out myself.

It's a step in the direction of new career path - not project management the other one....

OP posts:
MsMalcontent · 08/03/2018 00:16

I'm a PA and also have lots of admin pushed at me by other members of the department. I've learnt the hard way after getting super stressed and overloaded that if you push the admin back at them by telling them with a head tilt and a twinkly laugh that this is what they need to do then they generally do go off and do it themselves. So, can you order this stationery - here's the link to our supplier, link to the item and budget code. They generally don't know how to do this sort of thing so give them the tools and they get on with it. Not saying it's always the answer but it's sure as hell made my job easier.

Polarbearflavour · 08/03/2018 13:29

I think a lot of the time people do know what to do - they just don’t want to do it themselves!

In my old job, almost all of assistants disliked it. One EA did a load of work for her manager. Manager took all the credit and got a bonus. EA got nothing. It was well known assistants were treated as dogsbodies. At the time of my departure they had 12 vacancies they couldn’t fill. People either moved to “better” job roles such as project management or finance or left completely. I would avoid the Civil Service especially Defence. It’s crap.

expatinscotland · 08/03/2018 13:55

Great news, stressed. Hope you get the job!

Original poster
stressedoutpa · 08/03/2018 19:14

Thanks expat Grin

Admin is such a weird thing. People don't want to do it themselves because it is tedious and is time consuming. When a PA has to do admin, it takes no time whatsoever and, of course, it's so interesting you're expected to skip around the office with glee! Angry

OP posts:
ItLooksABitOff · 08/03/2018 19:24

HAHAH too true Stressed.

My office is looking for a new office manager right now. No one internal will apply for it because the job sucks. It's a weird mix of duties and responsibilities (with no actual power) including managing staff, but not that well paid. And - shocker - they've only had 1 person interview for it.

I just find it amusing that people complain about admins who aren't good at their job but at the same time the pay is crap, the work is shite, the respect is low and you somehow expect people with nous to want to stay in these jobs? Guess what smart people aren't going to. They are going to move on. shrugs

expatinscotland · 08/03/2018 19:36

Exactly, Polar and stressed. Plenty know exactly how to do certain things or can easily find out, but won't because they feel doing any sort of admin is beneath them. I got a lot of 'But I'm not a secretary!' 'Well, neither am I.' The worst are people you do not even report to forwarding their phones to you and getting someone on the line saying 'X said you can help me as you're his secretary.' In his fucking dreams he has a secretary! So much of it is sexist, too. On another thread, one woman said a man she sat next to at work kept making rasping noises and stroking his throat. She asked him if something was wrong and he replied his throat was dry as he needed a cuppa and he looked at her. She pointed him in the direction of the kitchen. There have been several other threads featuring a female OP being expected to take minutes if the admin staff can't be there - even though she had no idea how or even was coming to the meeting from another department!