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Company fun or facilitating change?

May 12, 2011 By admin

Corporate Training is something that smaller businesses can take advantage of, but it’s the larger firms that have really embraced it. In the busy 21st century, where work and the keeping of one’s job are uppermost in the minds of workers, it’s often thought that outsourced corporate training is best.

Experts will either arrive at your place of business or a selected number of employees will take anything up to a week away from their desks to attend. Courses include Minute Taking, Presentation Skills, certificates in Staff Development or Occupational learning and the handling of tricky people. Time Management is something that concerns many businesses these days, so a course in how to best manage the time you have and the work you need to accomplish, can be a boon. Also, to help Senior Management recruit Managers of the future, special Development Workshops are commonplace. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Featured Articles Tagged With: corporate training, minute taking training, presentation skills, staff development

Lifestyle Assistant

March 31, 2011 By admin

A lifestyle assistant is someone who helps you with your daily work. Every day will be different, as the routines will change. The lifestyle assistant will help with any work

This helps his or her manager day run smoothly. They can work for managers in a company or even for busy mothers who have to stay at home and look after their children. The lifestyle assistant should be able to be multitasked, as they need to do a lot of tasks.

You will be trusted to manage someone’s daily personal needs. You may have to use machinery whether in the house or outside the house. This could be anything from using the dishwasher or even the printer. You may also have to answer any emails for your boss take incoming phone calls and maybe take notes. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Assistant, Concierge, Event planning, Jobs Tagged With: domestic, emails, machinery

How to organise your Boss

March 28, 2011 By admin

Arrange a time every week that you sit down with your boss and discuss important issues. You could advise him of all-important meetings for the week and give him a copy.Check his email and monitor and respond to all his email. You could set up meeting s and this will save time for your boss. Make sure that you make your boss aware of the meeting or any changes, so he is in the picture.

Make sure all files are marked in order of importance, and the important files colour coded so the boss is aware what is important. Keep an urgent file separate so it does not get misplaced.

When booking meetings try to keep them short to 30 minutes so your boss will have some time to focus on the most important points. When booking one-hour meetings allow 10 minutes for the boss to have a breath. The clients will still be able to deal with matters in those 50 minutes.

You can arrange meetings in the morning at breakfast, so he can have breakfast at a local hotel, this will make him relaxed and will set him for the rest of the day. This will also allow more meetings to be done in the day when he starts early. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Assistant, Concierge, Event planning, Jobs Tagged With: Boss, database, meetings

How to do Event Planning

March 24, 2011 By admin

Being a personal assistant or a lifestyle assistant can be very hectic and you may have to plan a small or a large event in the year. These are some things that you need to remember and consider.

If you are booking a live band you would need to consider what kind of music you need and is the band appropriate enough? You would also need to consider the space enough for the band. Will there be enough space for the dance floor and will all the wires be out of the away so they don’t cause a safety hazard.

You need to consider that the event you will be holding it does not clash with any other event on the same day. It could cause guests arriving late due to traffic jams and guests may have problems getting taxis. You also need to consider that if the venue is going to happen at the weekend you need to check the nearby hotels if some guests want to stay overnight. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Event planning Tagged With: band, caterers, Event Planning

A Personal Assistant’s Characteristics

March 22, 2011 By admin

Organisation is most important for the personal assistant, as you have to make sure that everything runs smoothly. This can involve many things such as, making any kind of travel plans, scheduling and organising all meetings. In addition the personal assistant has to handle a lot of responsibilities therefore, must be able to deal with a very hectic day and be able to expect the unexpected.

As you will be expected to keep up with the busy day and you may not get a chance to have a break or even lunch for that matter. Your boss will want to have their personal assistants to keep up with the high demands of a fast environment and not crack up. This could be anything from working long hours and dealing with any unexpected work. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Assistant, Concierge, Jobs Tagged With: Characteristics, Organisation

How to be an excellent Personal Assistant

March 17, 2011 By admin

Although personal assistants do provide services in different industries the duties may differ from one company to the other. However there are certain traits, which a personal assistant should have. You need to have excellent organisational skills, strong communication skills, as well as hundred percent commitments to your objectives. In the future this may lead to other employment opportunities within your profession.

You need to always keep your boss in the picture about his schedules. Take clear concise messages and keep everyone informed without being asked. If there are any clashes in appointments inform your boss as soon as possible so alternative arrangements can be made. Remember to remind your boss of any important events or meetings just in case he has not forgotten.Make sure that you know the likes and dislikes of your boss and how he likes things done. This will show you have the ability to think on your toes. It also shows that you can think independently and can work under pressure. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Assistant, Concierge, Jobs Tagged With: communication, industries, profession

How to be a Personal Assistant

March 14, 2011 By admin

To become a personal assistant you need to be strong willed and hundred percent committed, as this is one of the most challenging jobs in the world. First of all, you need to get yourself mentally prepared, as you will be under a lot of pressure. You will be an organiser, a secretary, a travel agent, a maid, a receptionist, and a confidant. The most important part of being a personal assistant is that you are prepared for anything and ready for any challenge.

Then, you need to ask more questions; the more that you know the better you can be at your job. You need to ask specific questions, for example, if your manager asks you to get a cheese sandwich, find out if he likes multigrain or white bread, does he like mayonnaise or salad on his sandwich. By asking these questions it will make your job easier in the long run. You don’t want your manager angry with you because you brought the wrong item for him. If your boss is busy and you can’t ask him, try to ask a co- worker or even the former assistant. It will do wonders for your job prospects at the company.

After that, your whole day is worked around organisation and scheduling. You need to prepare your manager’s calendar on a daily, weekly, monthly and yearly basis. You need to remind him/her of upcoming meetings and events. If any anniversaries travel, crucial meetings or VIP events are coming up then you need to be there at every second.

Try to avoid any arguments in the office, as this could be bad in the long run. You may want to speak your mind, however would advise you to keep quiet and vent your anger outside. You will save yourself a lot of pressure and stress.

If you think there is something wrong then speak up! It is not good to keep quiet if there are any issues. Your manager is human too, and you may be pleasantly surprised at his or her response or advice.

In addition, try to anticipate the needs and requirements of your boss. If you know your boss has a hectic day and he has no time to have lunch. If you know he has lunch around 1pm. You could order a sandwich in for him or his special lunch, which he likes with his special tea or coffee. You could get his favourite book or magazine if you know he is flying out on business trip, this will show your boss that you have thought about him and going that extra milestone will make your manager happy and pleased with your efforts.

If you make any mistake in your work, try to learn from it, but don’t make the same mistake again. Sometimes its good to make mistakes, but not to repeat them. By learning by these mistakes, it makes us better people and a better personal assistant.

Filed Under: Assistant, Concierge, Jobs Tagged With: receptionist, secretary, travel agent, VIP

Personal Assistant’s job description

March 9, 2011 By admin

You will help prepare reports, memos and do presentations. You may have to do research and supervise other staff. Any new staff you may have to train them. The administration duties may be meeting clients outside the company and ordering any supplies, which are needed in the office.

Personal assistants will perform the clerical duties such as, arranging meetings, answering the phone and receiving and sending emails. You will be expected to do filing and setting up schedules for any travelling employers, or arranging tickets and visas for any clients coming to the country. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Assistant, Concierge, Jobs Tagged With: computers, employers, job description, technology

Entry routes

March 3, 2011 By admin

To become a personal assistant there are no set rules and no specific qualifications that you need to become a PA. However, having GCSEs in English and Maths are desirable, in addition employers may accept employees who have a business qualification. If you can speak one or move languages this is also very helpful. What is as more important that the applicant is able to work under pressure. Have great organisational skills and have a wonderful personality.

A lot of students leave school and study a business related subject or a Diploma such as, Business, Administration or Finance. This enables them to enter the career of personal assistant quickly and on a higher salary, than someone who enters the field leaving school and getting a lower salary.

To apply for the Higher National Diploma which is (HND) you need a minimum of five GCSEs or two A levels. However the entry requirements may be different at each college. It is better that you contact the relevant course provider to check what are the criteria to do the HND course. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Assistant, Concierge, Jobs Tagged With: Diploma, employees, employers, NVQ

Personal Assistant and Lifestyle Assistant.

March 1, 2011 By admin

A Personal assistant is someone who helps in daily business and personal errands. The word PA also stands for Personal Aide as the person who works as either is assisting someone. They are also known as senior or executive secretaries. They provide all the main administration help to superior members of staff. This could be a Manager or even a Director. Their main job is to help minimise their manager’s work and to ensure all procedures are done efficiently. They have to take their own initiative and deal with all enquiries on their manager’s behalf.

A company manager may employ a personal assistant to help with scheduling meetings, note taking, time and weekly diary management. Personal assistants also work for people who are disabled. Sometimes their salaries are paid by them or through social services. Due to the demands of both parents working they employ personal assistant which you can say are household manages. The role of a personal assistant can be very different and is similar to a secretary.

Some people cannot afford to hire personal assistants. You can hire a part time assistant or a personal concierge. This could be anything from doing research, scheduling appointments, buying flowers or travel arrangements. Smaller companies may need someone initially to manage the office or set up new appointments. You may get great experience as you develop new skills with the new company as the company grows you may get promotion. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Assistant Tagged With: Director, Lifestyle Assistant, Manager, Personal Assistant