Take Control of your Career

“PAs need to have a clear idea of what they want from their careers – they won’t just happen,” Phil Sheridan stresses. “As a PA, you need to define set goals to achieve which include an appreciation and understanding of how and what you need to do to get there; and the sort of organisation you want to work for and the relationship you want to have with your boss. You need to be more pro-active in making your career goals happen.

“Top people have got to where they are because they have managed their careers” Phil Sheridan continues. “The majority meander through; things happen to them which are good and bad, and they tend to complain and moan without taking personal responsibility and accountability for making things happen.”

So how can you start taking control of your career once you’ve got your career goals in mind?

“It’s important to have a degree of honesty and openness with your boss,” Phil Sheridan advises. “Those who enjoy the best careers have the best relationships, which are born out of two-way communication with mutual respect and trust. You need to be candid about what you need – that’s an extension of taking responsibility and being accountable.”

Phil Sheridan stresses that the modern PA is not just someone who reacts to the requirements of their boss. “PAs need to understand how the business works, what makes it tick, and position themselves in such a way that they are more proactive in making the boss more efficient and effective. They need to engage more in the business, which makes the role more inspiring and challenging.”

“The more in tune you are with the business, the better, so make it your business to understand it, and look at ways to improve.”

Phil Sheridan stresses the importance of continually developing and pushing yourself. “Most people who are unhappy in their works in any discipline are bored, unchallenged and not pushed,” he says.

He explains that his PA, Pippa, sits in on senior management meetings. “At first, she listened but now she gives her opinions about the way we should do things as a business. She gives a new perspective which is insightful. Bosses need a confidante, someone they can genuinely trust. It is a lonely place being the boss with no-one to talk to or bounce ideas off. Bosses need someone to come back to them with ideas, thoughts, and a different dimension they wouldn’t have thought of.”

PAs need to have a platform on which to build their career goals, but they need the guts and the gumption to make that difference.

“PAs need to communicate with their bosses and be open about their needs,” Phil Sheridan stresses. “I need to learn this, and that, and to be exposed to this and that.” There is a skills and an ability shortage – bosses are under more pressure than ever before so there is a greater demand for good PAs. And the more the demand, the more the balance swings in favour of the PA.”

Phil Sheridan recognises that respect and trust is part of the relationship between boss and PA, and accountability. “Just as there are good bosses, there are some awful ones around too, and so there is a need to re-educate them,” he remarks.

So if you’re not getting recognition or appreciation from your boss, what can you do?

“Discuss it with him and address the root of the problem,” Phil Sheridan advises. It could be because your objectives are not clear enough, not specific and measurable enough so that it is hard to define what you have done. You need to ensure that the targets you set are specific and measurable. But if the symptoms persist, for the sake of your career find a boss who does appreciate and recognise you.

So what should you do next?

The opportunities ahead for good PAs are very good as changes in the workplace have a positive impact. So when taking control of your career, Phil Sheridan suggests you:

• Identify role models
• Be sure of your training needs
• Find out what excites you, what sort of people you like to work with, what sort of organisation you like to work for; ask yourself lots of questions. As you consider the answers, the process of reflecting on them will point you in the right direction.