One of the PAs in the office is on the chopping block. Every day, he’s working to keep his job – fighting to keep his spot on “the team.” He doesn’t know it, but I hope he senses it. Over the last few weeks, I hope he’s noticed that the office has grown more frustrated with him. His jokes are greeted with less and less laughter. His innocent mistakes are met with more eye-rolls and less helpful assistance.
But it’s not the mistakes or jokes that have put his job in jeopardy; it’s his lack of focus. Chopping Block PA sits at his desk with his eyes glued to the latest internet meme or his Facebook timeline, tunnel-visioned to the goings-on in the office.
A good PA (like a good boyfriend) should be a great listener. No matter what’s going on in the office, a PA should perk up his ears like Desperaux. Every time a call is announced or a request is made, all the PAs should know. Sometime soon, the Coordinator is going to ask about that call, and it’ll be up to the PA to remember who called and whom it was for.
Let’s be honest. PA-work isn’t difficult. We’re not brain surgeons or rocket scientists. The tasks we perform are pretty simple. But they need to be performed at a preternaturally fast pace. PAs need to predict the needs of their bosses, the office, and the movie as a whole. And if you have to repeatedly ask to have directions clarified and re-iterated because you’re too busy chatting on Facebook or dancing at the copier, then maybe you should consider another career path.
