Asia vs Australia
offices, tidy their desks and check for any follow-up work they may have for me. Before starting on the action checklist I prepared for
myself the previous work day, I read my emails and, where possible, reply immediately. The action checklist for each day varies and can include multiple phone calls, running errands to the bank or for the bosses, conducting job interviews or using the internet to collect data or pure investigative work.
What is your biggest challenge? I think the biggest challenge is self-imposed. For every significant decision I have to make independently, I am very conscientious and make sure that I can justify it before putting it to the management for approval. Where it could breach integrity onmypart, I make sure to put it inwriting and share the information on a need-to-know basis. For example, if I were to work on an exhibition, I would go to great lengths to maximise in-house resources before outsourcing anything. I do not subscribe to taking the easy way out at first go.
SIM SIEWGEK
Singapore-based executive administrator in the satellite communications industry.
How did you get into the office support industry? Freshout of secretarial school in 1979, Iwas naïve to believe itwas glamorous toholdadeskjob
inanair-conditionedoffice.Mycareer path seemed easy as I was promoted several times, fromadmin clerk to confidential secretary, duringmysevenyears in themarine industry. In an economic recession in 1986myemployer closed thebusiness,butI foundanother secretarial job almostimmediately with a multinational company in the electronics industry – after accepting a pay cut. Over the next 12 years I supported my manager as he climbed the corporate ladder. As his job portfolio grew, so didmine. I’ve beeninmycurrent role since 1999, supporting the same boss for whom I have worked for 27 years.
Do you have any industry-relevant qualifications? I enrol in personal development courses andtechnical workshops to learn crucial skills. I have a diploma in counselling psycho- logy, have studied business management, and taken software- related courses and systems training. These skills have helped me tremendously in setting up a human resource department as well as an administrative support group to take care of non- defined job scope including travel arrangements, advertising, safety, security, equipment andofficemaintenance, and leasing.
What does a typical day involve? I read the local newspapers before arriving at the office. I am careful to be there beforemytwo bosses. I unlock their personal
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WWW.EXECUTIVEPA.ASIA
What do you love about your role? The trust and autonomy given to me as an executive administrator. There have been manyoccasions where my bosses would neither have understood nor agreed to certain courses of action. But rather than runmedown in front of other employees, they givemethe benefit of the doubt at first instance and offer me a chance to explain my actions.
Does your job have a downside? Ourmanagement culture subscribes to a thin and lean support group. I shoulder toomany responsibilities. Though Iamopen to have someone else in the company share some of the work- load, delegation is difficult.
How do you think working as a PA in Asia compares to working as a PA in other parts of the world? Throughmyregular networking sessions withmycounterparts in the Singapore Association of Administrative Professionals, I learn that in generalweare a very hardworkinglot.Whensome of themshare work experiences, I findmyown experiences pale in
comparison.Generally it is industry
related.Those in thefinan- cial sector seem to have the hardest roles. I have heard horror stories of the sacrifices they have tomake or the types of bosses they have to contend with, but I believe the remuneration and compensatory factors are relative towhat is expected fromthem.
If you could pick any other country in which to work, what would be your choice and why? I havemany opportunities to comeinto contact with counterparts in China, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, butmy knowledge ofwhat secretaries or administrators do inAustralia, theUS or theUKcomes fromthemagazines andjournals. If I have a choice, it would be
Canada.Myoffice has had somedealings in various parts of Canada for several years, and I have observed the
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