Psychological Tricks to Help You Get a New Job

You are finally there sitting in front of the interviewer and now you want to talk about all you have achieved so far. But wait! You must not forget that no matter how much skills and experience you have, your future job does also depend on impression, gut feelings and instinctual reactions. So, let us talk psychology!   Get hired using the fruits of psychological research on interview technique.   The most important predictor of who will be offered the job was a magical and mysterious quality: the pleasantness and likability of the candidate!   What were the behaviors that communicated ...

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Minute taking tips

As any PA knows, taking minutes is a challenging and essential skill. This guide provides some handy tips on getting it right, every time.   Do your research Our PAs have suggested that the toughest aspect of taking minutes is understanding what is being discussed – summarising information you don’t understand is particularly tough when you’re having to summarise it rapidly. As is often the case, the key is doing your research. Find out as much as you can beforehand, and try to familiarise yourself with the terminology that will be used. And if you haven’t got time to prepare, ...

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13 Steps to Find your Perfect Job

 Throughout the course of our lives we spend a lot of time working (some may say too much!) However this will seem like no time at all if you are doing something you love. All should aim to discover their ideal occupation; life is too short to spend nine hours a day doing something you hate.    8 Questions that will help you to find out what jobs you should try These questions are all about defining your ideal job, not letting your job define your career. Write your answers down to identify what you’d like to do, what you’d ...

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The 20 Most effective Presentation Tips

Public speaking can be terrifying for many people simply because they’re not accustomed to having a room full of people paying attention to their every word and action. Developing the confidence and capability to give good presentations, and to stand up in front of an audience and speak well, are also extremely helpful competencies for self-development and social situations. Presentation skills and public speaking abilities are not limited to certain special people – anyone can give a good presentation, or perform public speaking to a professional and impressive standard. Like most specialisms, this requires preparation and practice.     What ...

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15 Tips to Stick To Your New Year Resolutions 2015

New Year’s Eve has always been a time for looking back to the past, and more importantly, forward to the coming year. It’s a time to reflect on the changes we want (or need) to make and resolve to follow through on those changes. However, New Year’s resolutions are tricky. When they are too specific or too unachievable, we inevitably abandon them.    Popular New Year’s resolutions around the world •Lose weight •Manage debt/save money •Get a better job •Get fit •Eat right •Get a better education •Drink less alcohol •Quit smoking •Reduce stress overall and/or at work •Take a trip ...

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Prepare for The New Year: How to Resign, Plan Job Search and Know Your Value.

After the festive period, employees tend to take new resolutions which often involve changing job. Here are a few tips on how to resign in a calm, calculated and diplomatic manner.    Be clear about why you’re leaving What you need to focus on is being clear about why you’re leaving. If your employers are surprised, angry or emotional, don’t panic; calmly and logically explain your reasons.    Be positive As a PA or EA, you know the importance of maintaining good relationships with everyone you meet, and especially everyone you work for. So, when you resign, emphasise the things ...

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10 Practical Tips To Simplify Your Life

There are a few certain habits that can really simplify your life. I believe simpler is better, and that’s why I’m doing my best to get rid of excess stuff in my life. Happiness lies in small, little things, so why make life so complicated? Simplicity reduces heaviness in your life and makes it happier and lighter. Here are ten incredible habits to adopt to make your life simpler and happier.    Live in the present Forget about the past and don’t think about the future. Live in the present! Learn how to enjoy the present moment and be thankful ...

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12 Quick Tips for Obtaining Your Next Promotion at Work

Have you ever been promoted? If so, congratulations. If not, there might be something you can do about that.   Follow these simple workplace tips to help you gain a promotion and impress at work.   Go the extra mile Giving up just five or 10 minutes at the start and end of your day will barely impact on your schedule, but will definitely be noticed by your superiors who may just be looking at who is deserving of promotion.    Create an action plan The next step is to create an action plan.  You should plan to close any gap ...

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Organising the Office Christmas Party

A task that strikes fear into the heart of the most unflappable PA. So many factors to consider – and then that all important question: How can you please everyone? The answer is simple; you can’t. But don’t give up just yet. There are some things I have learned over the years to assist you in making your arrangements for a fun and entertaining Christmas party.    Make sure you are given a budget upfront This makes the job of hunting for a venue much easier. There is no point contacting a Michelin starred celebrity-frequented restaurant if you only have ...

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The Ultimate 14 Email Etiquette Tips

Email is one of the most common forms of communication. How you compose an email can reveal a lot about you – your professionalism, your communication skills, your personal image, and your attention to detail. It’s time for a more mindful approach, one that fully embraces a “less is more” strategy. To help you get started, we’ve assembled a cheat sheet of our email best practices. And, trust us, it’s not just about being more polite, it’s about being more efficient and getting the responses you need.   There are three styles of email: Informal, e.g. emails between friends. Standard, ...

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