Secretarial jobs not for the boys

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by: Sam O
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Word Count: 472

The job title of choice to maximise the purloining of taxpayers money for the purposes of providing relations with a decent and steady income appears to be ‘Researcher’. However, it has also come to light that a large number of MPs employ their wives and/or daughters as secretaries and PAs. While it appears that there is little doubt that the ‘jobs for the boys’ scam is alive and well at Westminster, it’s doubtful if it extends to those who are carrying out the secretarial jobs.

For one thing, such jobs normally, without exception, involve being overworked and underpaid. That’s no job for a ‘boy’: the male of the species tend to like the exact opposite - being under worked and overpaid. That’s why they have secretaries, and why those secretaries tend to be women. Women are used to being overworked and underpaid: just ask any wife and/or mother.

Whether women accept the situation they find themselves in with good grace or not is anyone’s guess. Despite the best efforts of many in recent years women still tend to work harder than men and get paid significantly less money. This is never more clearly illustrated than in the role of female secretary and male boss.

Perhaps they simply accept that if they don’t do the work it simply won’t get done. Or maybe the female’s natural nurturing instinct compels them to fill in the gaps frequently left by their less than capable male bosses, thereby protecting their boss from being revealed as the incompetent that they are. As far as money goes, secretaries would surely love to earn more, but they’re also probably wise enough to know that money isn’t everything.

Another reason why secretarial jobs are not suitable for the male of the species lies with the word at the heart of the job title – ‘secret’. A large part of any secretarial and PA job involves keeping secret the various sensitive and potentially damaging information that they may come in contact with. What man can keep a secret? Very few, is the answer. Women on the other hand are adept at the subtle art of not only giving nothing away, but also of convincing men that there isn’t anything to give away in the first place!

Then there’s the fact that secretarial jobs require the incumbent to be diligent, organized, focused and at least three steps ahead of their boss at all times. Again, characteristics most normally associated with women, not men.

The truth is secretaries are the real bosses. They’re the ones really running the show. They just don’t get the credit or the pay they deserve for it. Until they do, whether at Westminster or elsewhere, you can be sure that secretarial jobs will not be ‘for the boys’.

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