Gee – on the whole, I so sympathise with everything you’re saying here.  I now work in an Oxford College, where I am one of two – I’m going to use the word “professional” - PAs.  The other one works for just one person.  As do I.  Except that that person runs the College.  The saying here is (and my lovely boss was the one who first said it!) “Well, I run the College of course but Gem (me!) runs me”. 

We also have with the College a number of other departments, each with their own administrator.  And I pull my hair out on a regular basis because of what those administrators do and do not do.  Can and cannot do.  One particular administrator here was forever getting the same thing wrong again and again.  In the end, I made a vow to just accept that she’s never going to change and try and not let it bother me - even though, some of those mistakes had a big impact on me when I have to clear up her mess. 

As the “senior” PA here, I think it behoves me to try and teach or at least guide the others when they get things wrong and my door is always open if someone needs to talk, or ask advice.  Accepting that they “fell into” their jobs by accident – say by temping - helps.  A bit.  And I have a huge amount of respect for temps – I’ve done a lot of it in the past.

The other PA couldn’t organise a social occasion in a brewery, if you get my drift.

As for other PAs around the University – well, some of them are exceptional, but some have, as you say, fallen into the position.  Oxford – and a lot of other places, I know – has a tendency to promote from within.  I was recruited into the role here from outside so I know it was for my skillset.  (And I know that I constantly surprise both my boss and others by the things that I can do that they might not necessarily associate with the job.  Thirty-odd years of experience will out!)

It is incredibly frustrating to have to repeat the same things to other people because they just don’t – or won’t – get it.  So, of your most recent post, I SO agree with all three points to a varying degree.

1.  I think that a lot of PAs have fallen into the job by default.  Also a strong believer in that a lot call themselves PA just to “big themselves” up – or their bosses do it.  I used to hate it – still do, actually – when people would say, oh I’m not a secretary, I’m a PA… thinking it was just word games!  It’s not, always, but a lot of people can’t differentiate.

2. Is common sense a thing of the past.  Oh yes.  Yes.  And YES.

3. Do Management accept there is a limited level of expertise?  Some yes, not all.  Some really believe that it takes no expertise to do what we do.  And others recognise that it’s a job needing a huge and varied skillset.

I think if you take one step back and one (or a hundred) deep breaths when you next come across a mistake that someone else has made – I always think, there but for the grace of God …

Oh, as for your rude Post Boy.  I came across one years ago.  Whilst I was temping.  But the PA I was working with never took any stick from him and she showed me that I had to do the same.  Bite back a little bit.  After a little while, he was as good as gold.  Even sent up wine and chocolates at Christmas… I’m not sure that would work in your case, but might it be worth a try?

Phew!  I’ve not posted for absolutely ages, and now this is virtually an essay!