CareerSuccess talks to Debbie de Jager - PA of the Year 2010
Q What does the title “South Africa’s PA of the Year” mean to
you?
A When I was nominated for this award, not in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I would be honoured with the title. Being recognised throughout South Africa for what I did at FNB has surpassed all my expectations. This award is something I will always treasure and encourage others to strive for. It has definitely been the highlight of my PA career and I would like to thank Naomi Ramafoko for nominating me.
Q Who was the first person to congratulate you?
A My husband’s smile said it all, but Judy van der Merwe was the first one to shake
my hand.
Q Who was the first person you phoned from the function or after the function to tell them you had won?
A My parents. They were looking after my children and told me that they would
be waiting for my phone call.
Q Has life changed since you won the title?
A Wow! Definitely! I’ve been
invited to speak at conferences and was contacted by a PA in Namibia to assist her with implementing a PA Forum. The response for the PA Forum idea has been overwhelming. When I visited Wesbank for a meeting, I was welcomed to their offices by announcements on their flat screen TVs throughout the building! Every day has been special so far.
Q Would you encourage other PAs to enter the
competition?
A I already have! If I can win this, any PA has the potential to win! When I started out as a PA, I was absolutely clueless. It has taken me 14 years, lots of help from Above and from mentor PAs, to get to a point where I could actually win this award. But whether you are nominated for this award or not, always strive to be a better PA.
Whether you are a Girl-
Friday, a PA or an Executive PA, you are special and can make a difference!
Q How do you see yourself enhancing the secretarial
profession in S.A?
A I would really like to motivate PAs to become better at what they do, to use technology to their advantage, to network with other PAs and companies and to make their position count in the company by adding value. I would also like to stress to PAs that sharing information and teaching others new skills, doesn’t put your job at risk - it makes you a better PA.
Q Do you think the title “PA” should be changed to Executive
PA? Why? A We all have to start somewhere in
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life. I started at the Bank as a Girl-Friday. Although titles should not influence our performance, it can motivate us to achieve. I don’t think that the title “PA“ should be changed to “Executive PA. It should be something you work towards in your career. In the words of John Maxwell: Success is not a destination (or in this case a title), it’s a journey.”
Q Describe a typical day in your office.
A I’m privileged to have a half-day job! (I’m sure all the PAs reading this - especially
the mothers - would rather have this than any title!)
When I get to the office, the first thing I do is greet my boss and switch on my laptop. I normally check my emails at home in the mornings on my cellphone, so once I get to the office, I already have my priorities straight for the day. But as we all know, our priorities don’t always matchup with our boss’ or even our colleagues’ priorities “ which makes for interesting days! I answer emails, setup meetings, do assist PAs with adhoc
presentations,
requests, assist other departments with the creation of electronic forms, format reports, pay invoices and I leave for home any time from 1pm onwards. I spend my afternoons with my two little ones, Arno and Chloé. Once I’ve taken care of my family and my children are asleep, I quickly finish any work that was not on my priority list for the day or reply to emails received during the afternoon. And that is pretty much my day!
Q Where to from here?
A I would like to do the ICAP training, which was a prize I received. I also want to be more involved in uplifting the PA profession in our country. To me the biggest reward would be seeing someone else achieve greatness, because I was willing or able to help.
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