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Sez & Amber
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Location: North Yorkshire, UK
Joined: Oct 2007
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06-06-2008, 11:10 AM

"I look like Mr Lister when he's forced to eat fruit..."

Or a dog with a caramel toffee... whichever description of Kryten's attempts at ambivalence that you prefer!

I have found a job advertised internally at work for an Executive Assistant. The money is better than I am currently on, and it sounds like I have 9/10 of the requirements.

An opportunity has arisen for 3 x Executive Assistants to join the Democratic Services Team.

Democratic Services is responsible for the effective organisation, management and administration of Elected Member activities. The Executive Assistants will provide a full and highly effective secretarial and administrative support service to the Cabinet.

The successful candidates must have excellent administrative and Microsoft ‘Office’ skills, be able to organise and prioritise workload and deal with day-to-day and unexpected internal and external demands associated with meetings of the Cabinet.
Although I have no formal secretarial qualifications, I am currently an administrator for a small team of School Improvement Advisers, and for two and a half years I was a Personal Assistant to an Assistant Director of Education. I can minute take, type like a demon (if I do say so myself ), audio type, copy type, have excellent computer skills, can run multiple diaries, organise meetings and I have the reputation of the office go-to-gal for information. The only thing that I have no experience whatsoever with is Cabinet. The Assistant Director I used to work for attended Cabinet meetings, and I used to organise and minute take for other large multi-agency meetings, but not something as important as Cabinet.

On the one hand, it would be a payrise (which we desperately need), a step up the career ladder, and an excellent and exciting opportunity. On the other hand, I'm very comfortable in my current job, have great working relationships with my team, and Education is what I know best. My dream is to eventually take a psychology degree and become an Education Psychologist, so an Education background is very beneficial. Applying for this job seems like admitting that I'm going to spend the rest of my life as an Administrator or as someone else's Assistant.

My other concern is my health - here everyone knows about my disability and does everything they can to make my life a little easier. The service have just bought me a load of new up-to-date equipment. There is not a lot of stress in this post, and for the first time in my life, I haven't taken my work home with me, or woken up panicking in the middle of the night because I forgot to do something. I'm scared that if I apply and get the new post, then find it too much for my health to cope with, I won't be able to come back to this job and may ultimately end up without a job at all.

I really don't know what to do. Surely sitting on my backside here is just as much of an admission that I'm planning to spend forever doing admin work? But the prospect of learning a new job, moving to a different building and being outside of "education" and into "dem services) scares me silly! I know there's probably a very good chance I wouldn't get this job anyway, but not applying guarantees that I get to stay here in safety!
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Ramble
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06-06-2008, 11:38 AM
Go for it. They can only say no can't they? If it's meant to be it will happen, if not it won't.but it can't hurt trying can it? If you don't try you may always wonder.
Just because you don't go for this one, doesn't mean you won't go for the next one either...
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Hali
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06-06-2008, 11:46 AM
I'd say go for it too. The only way you'll really know more about it is if you apply and get to the interview - don't forget interviews are (or should be) as much for you to find out about the role as for them to find out about you.

If you get an interview, I would be very honest about your concerns about your health and the possible level of stress - lets face it, if they don't like you bringing it up at interview, it isn't the place you would want to work.

But although I think it sensible to raise your concerns in the interview, don't make it all one sided - you must sell your enthusiasm and skills too

Even if you get offered it, you don't have to accept, so what have you got to lose?

Good luck whatever you decide
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Lionhound
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06-06-2008, 11:55 AM
Originally Posted by Hali View Post
I'd say go for it too. The only way you'll really know more about it is if you apply and get to the interview - don't forget interviews are (or should be) as much for you to find out about the role as for them to find out about you.

If you get an interview, I would be very honest about your concerns about your health and the possible level of stress - lets face it, if they don't like you bringing it up at interview, it isn't the place you would want to work.

But although I think it sensible to raise your concerns in the interview, don't make it all one sided - you must sell your enthusiasm and skills too

Even if you get offered it, you don't have to accept, so what have you got to lose?

Good luck whatever you decide
What I was going to say but better. Don't be afraid of change.

Good luck
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Sez & Amber
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06-06-2008, 12:03 PM
Thanks!
Reading your replies has actually made me excited and that "good" kind of nervous, so I think I'm going to do it! I'll chat it over with my boyfriend tonight, and do the application at the weekend, and hopefully be armed with some sensible questions to ask on Monday (I can phone for an "informal discussion" before I put the application in).
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Colin
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06-06-2008, 12:08 PM
Money aside, I would say stay where you are.

My reasons are as follows: Taking into consideration your disability and that the service has just bought you loads of new up-to-date equipment. That proves to me that you are a valued employee.

Secondly what's to stop you from still taking a psychology degree regardless where you work?

In my book your health is way more important than anything else, and as you said in your existing job you haven't taken your work home with you, or woken up panicking in the middle of the night because you forgotten to do something.

If the monies the main problem, then you could always let it known within your existing company that you are being head hunted, maybe your boss might just increase your wages to keep you.
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wufflehoond
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06-06-2008, 04:13 PM
Hiya,

You know I work for the same organisation and am aware of the posts you are talking about. Just because you apply for it doesn't mean you have to take it. Fill out the application. Take your time and do a rough copy first. You have nothing to lose in sending in your application. You can think about the rest as the time comes. You will never know if you can do it if you don't take that first step.
When I came to the Council, I left a job I was comfortable in and had been in for 5 years. I had all kinds of reservations but the move has been a good one and the right one. Give it your best shot. xx
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Deccy
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07-06-2008, 06:17 AM
I would go for it, but personally I would not voice any concerns regarding stress etc, a lot of interviewers could be left with the impression that it's too much of a risk taking you on, so go go go on the positive "I'm-the-best-thing-you've-ever-seen" route. As people have said, you don't have to accept any offer.
However, there are other ways of getting clues over various aspects of the job not in the advert by asking questions such as "what is the most challenging part of this job?" and see what reaction you get, or "what would be a typical day?"
I would guess it would be good for your CV and if you don't go ahead, as Colin says just to be seen looking may improve the money side where you are.
Good luck!
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