Interviewing for the position of PA

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JustPete
JustPete Community Volunteer Adviser, Scope Member Posts: 303 Empowering
in Coffee lounge
There are obvious questions we ask when interviewing potential PAs.  Tell me some 'less obvious' questions you have asked during interviews.

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  • Alex_Alumni
    Alex_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,538 Championing
    This is an interesting thread @JustPete thinking back to university, I suppose a question I asked would've been:

    Do you like tennis or rugby?

    I watched a lot you see, so whoever was my PA would have to be able to tolerate it being on TV at least!
  • JustPete
    JustPete Community Volunteer Adviser, Scope Member Posts: 303 Empowering
    @Alex_Scope So, you torture your PAs?
  • Alex_Alumni
    Alex_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,538 Championing
    I encourage them to broaden their horizons @JustPete :D
  • Lisatho11987777
    Lisatho11987777 Scope Member Posts: 5,874 Championing
    How long are you going to stick at your job 
  • Ross_Alumni
    Ross_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,611 Championing
    Which ones do you ask @JustPete?
  • Footloose
    Footloose Online Community Member Posts: 34 Contributor
    I would be more concerned if the potential PA is going to be rabbiting on about football, rugby or indeed Cricket, as I have no interest whatsoever in any of these! 
  • Tori_Scope
    Tori_Scope Scope Posts: 12,468 Championing
    That's a good one @Footloose :) What kind of things are you interested in that you'd be keen for a potential PA to be able to hold a conversation on? 
  • Footloose
    Footloose Online Community Member Posts: 34 Contributor
    Most subjects I have an interest in, it's just that sports involve knowing the names of players and their antics on the pitch. I often wonder if many of these players are signed-up members of RADA or Equity! I'm sorry, I'm feeling really grumpy at the moment.
  • Tori_Scope
    Tori_Scope Scope Posts: 12,468 Championing
    Well, your grumpiness made me laugh @Footloose :D There's no need to apologise. Did you want to share a little more about why you're feeling grumpy at the moment? 
  • Footloose
    Footloose Online Community Member Posts: 34 Contributor
    My right foot is giving me some serious grief. Some years ago I scuffed my ankle and it doesn't want to heal up.  However, over the past 3 months I've had the skin break down for no particular reason and my legs have become really swollen and although I had numerous scans and Xrays, the hospital has yet to dianose what might be the cause. It's not DVT and not only is the pain really bad, I'm cotiually physically exhausted and the only way I am coping with this is by staying in bed most of the day. Just to 'help' things along, my partner who has CP has fallen over and fractured her shoulder, so between the two of us, we're having a 'great' time coping with these issues with help from the really great PA we have. Also feeling emotionally useless and stranded, largely because I am so used to being self-reliant, so 'asking' for help, is a completely new and alien concept to me!
  • L_Volunteer
    L_Volunteer Community Volunteer Adviser, Scope Member Posts: 7,922 Championing

    It sounds like things have been really difficult for you @Footloose, especially with your right foot giving you some serious grief. In particular, it sounds really painful and I am hearing you are feeling physically exhausted as well, understandably so when it has been going on for so long and you are in pain.

    It seems like staying in bed most of the day is one of your coping mechanisms. Is there anything else which might help things feel more manageable for you at the moment? I am hearing you are already in contact with the medical staff but that they are not sure what is causing it (at least yet). Are they able to provide some suggestions of strategies without knowing the root cause, perhaps?

    It sounds particularly difficult that not only are you experiencing such a tough time with your own health but your partner who has CP has fallen over and fractured her shoulder. Is there anything which is in place to support you and your partner at the moment? – do you have everything you need?

    In addition to staying in bed, it sounds like the PA is useful. Would you like to tell us more about the sorts of things they do which are particularly helpful and are you seeing the PA regularly enough at the moment? You have said you are feeling “emotionally useless and stranded” at the moment. Would you like to tell us more about what this looks like for you? we are here for you if you would like to share more with us.

    I also want to reassure you that we are all here for you and you don’t have to go through this, or anything else, alone if you don’t want to. Sending you hugs. You have done so well in being open with us, even though that is difficult for you because you’re not used to asking for help :)

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