many chaotic executives owe their success to their administrative support – everyone, that is, except the executives themselves. You know exactly what you contribute to the smooth running of the business – so make sure your boss knows too.

For career secretaries and PAs, rewards can be limited – there’s little opportunity for promotion, or even a more glamorous sounding job title, despite the fact that the longer you’ve been with the company and the more aptitude you show, the more work you take on and the more you’re trusted. By definition, secretaries and administrators can be quite behind-the-scenes types, and, unlike those showy salespeople, can be slow to blow their own trumpet.

Your boss might not even stop to notice and appreciate your input – after all, they’re used to having the diary organised, all the stationery and IT orders up-to-date, their correspondence sent out, and all the dozens of other little tasks the professional secretary keeps on top of every day. So you’ll have to point out how valuable you are!

Make sure you deserve an increase. You need to know that you’re asking for a fair and reasonable figure. What’s everyone else doing your job getting paid? Without sneaking a peak at their payslips it can be hard to find out what others earn, so asking colleagues in an equivalent job and an equivalent pay scale secretly and directly is often the only option. You could run a search for secretarial pay scales on Google, or scour the job ads, comparing your own salary with the figures quoted.

If you still think you’re worth the extra money, you need to come up with justifications. What do you do that is above and beyond the call of duty? What makes you irreplaceable? Are you a pleasure to work with? Are you always super-efficient, professional, reliable and willing? Length of service is not always enough. Although it is fair to keep up with inflation, why should you be paid more if you’re not doing more?

Find out who holds the power in the office. Befriend the person who holds the purse-strings – or the person who talks to the person who holds the purse-strings.

Enlist friends and allies, letting it be known that you would like a rise – someone else may do the donkey work and ask for you!

Wait for the opportune moment. You could ask after returning from a holiday when you’ve been missed. No matter how quiet and unobtrusive you are day in day out, you’re bound to be noticed when you’re away because the office will inevitably grind to a halt. Every secretary knows that it’s very rare that their colleagues show any interest in how the administrative systems work – that is, until you go away, they need a new biro, and they can’t find anything. Chaos will greet you on your return – so while you’re clearing the mess up, make the most of it.

You could try asking after your boss's holiday when s/he is relaxed and refreshed. Do not ask when everyone is flapping to meet an urgent deadline - at least, not unless you have just done something to save the day! A perfect time would be following positive feedback during an appraisal.

Be discreet. Ask for a quiet word in private. Do not ask in full earshot of the office, even if you’re tempted to embarrass your boss by exposing how little you get paid. Your boss might fear that if s/he says yes to you, everyone will ask. Point out what you’ve done particularly well, how you have improved or developed since your last appraisal, what you do above and beyond your job specification - and how long it’s been since your last pay rise. Then, once you’ve outlined your reasons for the request, ask whether taking all this into account the boss agrees that a pay rise is due. Don’t issue any ultimatums at this stage – your boss is unlikely to react well if you say, “I want more money – give me a pay rise or else!”

Decide to leave. If the answer is no, then by all means explain that you will be looking elsewhere for a job that values you higher. Do first ask your boss’s reason for refusal – remember it may be due to budgetary constraints. If they’re not prepared to pay you more but agree with your valuation of yourself, they may offer benefits in kind, such as training or increased paid leave allocation, which you should take into account. However, if the management feel that you are not justified in asking for more money, their constructive criticism may help you improve your performance.

If you conclude that you have no future in your current position, then start your job-hunting – and be prepared to carry out your threat to leave! Having looked at other job opportunities and pay rates, and having analysed your own contributions at work, you should feel sufficiently confident and indignant to seek out another employer who will value you more highly. Even the process of applying for jobs or writing one's own CV, where you detail your career and your achievements, can often give you a great confidence boost and sense of worth.

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