SecsintheCity recently announced that Tay Associates will be sponsoring their PA of the Year Awards 2022. Ahead of the awards, SecsintheCity caught up with Tay Associates to find out what their top tips are for this year’s candidates, what makes the awards so successful and why Tay Associates are sponsoring the PA of the Year awards again this year.
Who are Tay Associates?
Tay Associates are industry experts in PA, admin and support staff recruitment, placing the very best talent into their best-matched jobs.
Why did Tay Associates decide to sponsor the SecsintheCity PA of the Year Awards?
Championing brilliant PAs has always been part of our culture at Tay so sponsoring an award that highlights the value of the role and celebrates the many talents within this profession has always felt like a really organic partnership.
What do the PA of the Year Awards mean to Tay Associates?
We put a lot of effort into getting to know our assistants, exploring their skills and talents and understanding what motivates them. That has made us passionate about acknowledging the profession and the hard work that goes into supporting businesses to make them successful, and these Awards give us the opportunity to do that.
Why are the awards so successful?
The awards are such a success because they hone in on what makes someone a standout assistant. They celebrate the profession and give PAs a platform to showcase their personal journey, career highlights and achievements rather than the focus of their nomination being on where they work or who they support.
As a judge, what do you find most enjoyable about taking part in the awards?
It’s an absolute pleasure to interview the finalists and witness year-on-year just how quickly and constantly the role of the assistant evolves. PAs who want to remain at the top of their game need to be constantly learning, growing and helping to facilitate change within a huge range of varying scenarios, companies and industries and I really enjoy learning about the ways in which nominees have achieved that.
What are you looking for when judging the shortlisted nominees?
No two assistants' experiences are the same so we’re not measuring success on who organised the biggest event or supported the most well-known executive. For me, winners should be passionate, positive and be able to give examples of where they have shown great initiative.
Do you have any tips for this year’s candidates?
The entire nomination and selection process is about you and your personal achievements so don’t be afraid to blow your own trumpet - you’ve earned this. But most importantly, be yourself and enjoy the experience.
Why do you think people should nominate themselves or a colleague for the award?
It’s still common for personal assistants to be unsung heroes within a business - it’s not a role that can be measured in terms of sales, targets or consumer or industry recognition. When a PA is good at their job - taking care of everything in the background and keeping challenges and tasks away from everyone else’s doors - they often make it look easy, when in fact they are working incredibly hard and utilising their amazing talent. The awards recognise the significant impact they make on a daily basis.
Don't miss out on your opportunity to be crowned a winner at the 2022 PA of the Year Awards. Nominate yourself or a colleague today.