Sir, I am a secretary and, according to the recent Kingston University study, it would appear that I have just demeaned myself (“PAs could be taking their work too personally”, Business, Nov 2).

You see, last week I noticed that a table in my boss’s consulting room had woodworm. So this lunchtime I went to Homebase, bought some treatment, cleared the table, dragged it along the corridor, put some newspaper down, turned the table over and blasted the blighters. I was between coats when I read Sathnam Sanghera’s timely article.

I agree with Kingston University’s findings that nowhere in my job description (if I had one) would there be any mention of getting rid of woodworm, any more than it might stipulate that I should catch rats (not that I have been called upon to do that — yet).

However, I spend far more time in the office than my boss, we had no patients here today and I felt it was a convenient time to get the job done. Oh, and if left untreated, the table would collapse. But how could I, of my own free will, have carried out such an inappropriate task? And the dark self-loathing should I continue to nip out occasionally to get a sandwich for my boss — how shall I endure it?

Anne Mould
Endon, Staffs

Sir, Sathnam Sanghera’s article stuck a chord. I have become increasingly concerned of late that my secretary of the past 38 years is inadequately titled when dealing with the personal assistants, executive assistants and panjandrums who assist my business associates and colleagues.

Considering the myriad responsibilities she dispatches with such aplomb, I turned to the Oxford English Dictionary, finding therein “factotum” — a jack of all trades. Inadequate, but when preceded by “dominus” it means master of everything. She is now my domina factotum (and considers this the final proof that I have lost the plot).

Anthony H. Ratcliffe
London W1

Sir, At the beginning of this year I faced the decision of either being made redundant or moved into a secretarial position. I had graduated two years before with a first-class bachelor of arts degree but the job market was completely flat and my choices limited.

It is probably fair to say that the majority of a secretary’s day is made up of seemingly “menial” tasks. But if this is the more tangible bread of the job, the less visible butter is dealing with personalities and essentially being a tour de force of diplomacy, discretion and tolerance.

Secretaries are in essence the professional housewife: they keep everything behind the scenes ticking over but will be the first to bear the brunt after a bad day in the office. And like a housewife, everyone thinks it is an easy job until they have to do it themselves.

In the end I realised it wasn’t for me either. Like many graduates I became a secretary not for a career, but a stopgap. But in developing skills, learning about a business and thickening my skin, it was some of the most valuable work experience I’ve ever had.

Emma Wilson
Michelmersh, Hants

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