A day that I knew was coming is upon me, I have to go back to work after having my first baby. It is going hard to be so hard to be away from my baby, but an element in me is also looking forward to the time out of the house. My previous job was in IT at a large company. The job was pressured and involved long hours, so this lifestyle is not going to be possible for me with my childcare duties.

What job would pay me enough money and offer more flexible hours?

My husband makes good money, but I have to be able to earn as much as him in order to maintain our lifestyle. I needed also to find a new career fast, as we needed the money sooner rather than later.

One sector that had lots of posts at the recruitment agent was PA work. I possess good administration skills, interpersonal skills and of course IT skills. Many agents pointed me in the direction of PA jobs because the pay is decent and the hours are more flexible.

They tested my IT skills on various MS Office Programmes, which I felt was my strength. Unfortunately, I failed on MS Word, which I have used a lot in my old job. They also gave me a typing speed of 30wpm, which they said needed a little bit of improvement to around 50wpm.

I had underestimated the skills required to do this job, but all the same, the requirements were attainable.

Finding a PA Course

I looked for a Secretary Training Course or PA Courses that would give me a quick qualification and enable me to improve in key areas. I found one and signed up. The course covered a lot of things that I did not expect. My business letter writing was poor and I now know how to communicate effectively in a business format. We also covered soft skills, delegation and lots of practical exercises. I also got MS Word training, which I passed easily and got certified. Finally, typing came to me quite quickly, as I had learnt touch typing in the past. The key was that I passed the first time and got certified.  My qualification persuaded the recruiters to put me forward for more jobs.

I have my first Job now as a Personal Assistant to a Senior University Lecturer. I work flexible hours with two days at home. The pay is a little lower than I aimed, but it was a trade for more time with my family.