Networking

[tracyevans]

Hi

I am considering trying to set up a PA network in Northern Ireland.  Has anyone any suggestions on how to do this and how I would ascertain if there would be any interest.

Any suggestions welcome.

[Jackie G]

Tracey

Purely online or face to face?

If purely online then the DeskDemon TOCs would not permit advertising here.

Face to face:  You will no doubt be aware that IQPS Northern Ireland's branch folded due to lack of interest in turning out for meetings.  This would probably suggest that there is no real interest.  I think the distance between towns and the difficulty in finding a suitable 'central' venue was probably the factor there.

That is not to say, however, that something else wouldn't work.  If you are employed by a large company, or have several contacts in several large companies, it may be worthwhile starting that way - establishing interest there and then spreading it.

Jackie, Peer Moderator
www.iqps.org

[tracyevans]

Jackie

Thanks for your info.  I was thinking along the lines of organising events such as talks and training etc, most events are held in London or surrounding areas and I was thinking of trying to organise events for Northern Ireland.  If anyone has any ideas let me know.

Thanks.

[Jackie G]

Have you researched the market to establish a demand?

Jackie, Peer Moderator
www.iqps.org

[adrie]

With all respect to IQPS, I have spoken at PA events at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast organised by - I believe - a local recruitment agency. They organised regular networking events for around 60-80 PAs from Northern Ireland. With the current economic growth in the region, I imagine there is even more scope for professional networking events.

Not sure if the same network is still going, but there could be all sorts of reasons why the IQPS events never took off, e.g. the nature and timings of the event, the speakers, the organisers or rival events. It would be premature to reject professional networking for PAs in Northern Ireland altogether on that basis (and I note that EUMA doesn't have a group there either, nor in the Republic of Ireland for that matter).

Why not write an short article for DeskDemon on your experiences as a PA in Northern Ireland or, if you prefer, do an interview or a Day in the Life profile in which you can include an appeal to other PAs in the region to get together for networking?

Adrie van der Luijt
Executive Producer, DeskDemon.com

[tracyevans]

Adrie

Thanks for your information, sounds like there might be an opportunity to organise something for PA & EA in Northern Ireland.  Any suggestions would be welcome.

[tracyevans]

Jackie

Have just started by asking on DD.  Have got some interest but gauging whether this would be enough to run events etc.  Hopefull it will and events will be able to be organised for NI.

Thanks again.

[Jackie G]

Adrie

If these were events held in April, I think you will find that they were actually IQPS NI events, but with heavy sponsorship from hotels, recruitment companies and the like and were extremely well attended.  I myself, when National Chairman of IQPS, was invited to go over and speak at one event and I was very heartened by the good attendance.

The closure of the NI branch was due to lack of interest in attending the regular monthly smaller-type meetings that most branches hold, and that is sad.

If Tracy is looking to organise the larger one-day, one-off, events, then it is likely she could have a good uptake on these, but regular monthly smaller meeting types are possibly unlikely to succeed - finding a suitable location that everyone will be happy to come to is always the bugbear!

Jackie, Peer Moderator
www.iqps.org