This has got beyond a joke! I've just read another interview with a secretary who boasts that she could do her boss's job! I'm so tired of this!

 

Very few support staff could do their manager's job, day in, day out. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever met one! We don't have the qualifications, the experience or the commitment!

 

Why does this patronising view still exist, that the boss is a bit of an idiot, really, and if it weren't for us the whole department would collapse? Why do we call him or her “Bossie” and roll our eyes heavenward when they can’t use the photocopier, or forget whether we have sugar in coffee?

 

Why does being able to run administrative tasks supposedly make us some kind of office super-hero – and one who smugly NEVER puts a foot wrong?

 

My boss is a fully trained engineer with 16 years' experience. I could not do his job!

 

I do my job really well, and I support him so that he can do his job. But my job is to enable him to do his job, not to do it myself! If he walked out one day and left me to it, I would be totally sunk.

 

Please tell me you don’t think you can do your manager’s job!

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This is a very interesting topic and I don't believe that you can generalise. It all seems very relative to the industry in which you work. I have also worked for an engineer with many years experience and there is absolutely no way that I could have done his job. However, I have also worked for the manager of a small training company. I have experience of working as a trainer/assessor and frequently 'stepped in' in the absence of my manager. I can't say that I could have done this job on a day-to-day basis as I was not challenged to that extent. I can quite honestly say however, that I would not want to!

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There certainly are aspects of my bosses job that I could do and once he's realised that has relinquished control to me. My title is Personal Assistant, that means doing parts of his job to free his time up. Granted I wouldn't be able to do all his job, but the nature of my role means that I should be able to know/do that job. But then my boss doesn't just see the title PA as a glorified Secretary, he does treat me as an assistant!

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Hear, hear! I've waited a long time for someone to have the courage to say this! Well done outraged PA!! I too get really tired of the implication that we could do the boss's job. No way! (Woudln't want to, ta!) But you do hear quite a few sec/PAs who like to imply that they are really the ones running the joint. We may be important, we may be terrific support staff, but I know what would have more impact on the firm - him leaving or me!!!

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I could not nor would I want to do my bosses job. The schedule he maintains, the travel schedule he has, the knowledge of so many different topics all crammed into one day, Yikes!!! Meetings, public speaking engagements........ I admire him and have the utmost respect for him. I enjoy helping him to do what he needs to each day to accomplish goals and objectives and run the business. If I can make his life easier on the job by making sure he has what he needs to do his job, that's great! If traveling, and he needs a car service because he's flying into a strange city at 11PM for an 8AM meeting next day, so be it. It is my job to be his right arm, and I love it. He thrives on the schedule, I enjoy keeping the day running smoothly behind the scenes, by being a couple steps ahead.

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I work for a lawyer and respect his knowledge and expertise and NO I COULD NOT DO HIS JOB, nor would I want the responsibility, but I can assist him to make his job easier. Once my boss realizes that I can do certain aspects of his job he readily lets me take that over to free him up to do other things. As a PA I do run the administrative side of things in the office and my boss relies on me for that, but the reason he is my boss is he has the education, training and background to do his job and does it very well.

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