EA PROFILE
EA PROFILE Julia Schmidt, senior EA at
IT company Basefarm AS, recently took
home our Scandinavia PA of the Year
Award – Claire Muir finds out how this
multi-lingual assistant got to where she
is today, and what the future holds, too...
Congratulations on your award! How does it feel?
Honoured. For me, the art of being the best assistant is about
letting leadership emerge from within. It’s about discovering
who you are, what compels you to do what you do and what
gives you the credibility to manage others. The award came
at the same time as my promotion to senior EA so these
rewards affirm that I’m making a difference for my team, my
organisation and the assistant community.
What would you say to other EAs contemplating
applying for an award?
It’s time now to promote yourself and our profession.
Participating will make you more visible and help you
expand your network. You’ll be providing evidence of work
you’ve done; illustrating your skills and abilities; showcasing
the quality of your work and telling a story about your career
and the challenges you overcame. People will see your skills,
values, leadership purpose and beliefs. It’s your chance to
have your personal knowledge and know-how highlighted.
How did you become an assistant?
When the desire to practise the languages I speak became
stronger than the desire to continue work as a primary
school teacher – I wanted to work internationally and
discover the world through globalisation. So, as a French
native, I interviewed for a position with Alliance Française
de Rio de Janeiro. I was an administrative assistant for the
Directeur des CoursExtérieurs and learned the profession by
doing. I then worked in international companies and joined
Basefarm AS in February 2015. I’m EA to the Chairman of the
Board, CEO, and CFO – and, on the side, I’m the National
Chairman of International Management Assistants (IMA).
What motivates you?
I enjoy the opportunity to work with top executives. I’m
inspired by great leaders, a commitment to excel and learn,
and knowing I make a difference in people’s lives.
What are your main responsibilities?
My tasks are like many other EAs but what can be different
is the priority we give certain responsibilities. Our main
objective is to serve executives and teams, and their needs
very much set the agenda to what our responsibilities are. I
see the most important part of my role as being a strategic
partner to my CEO, maximising the productivity of my
executives and teams, and inspiring teams.
How do you find the work/life balance?
I’m a wellbeing ambassador, which helps me keep updated
about the importance of improving organisational health
and wellbeing. I read wellbeing articles, do sports, go to bed
before it is too late, eat healthy, allocate time to meet friends
and avoid taking work home. I take breaks during working
hours and go for a short walk around the building as often as
I can. And I take long holidays, and allocate time for reading,
mindfulness activities and innovative thinking.
To what extent do you have flexibility at work?
Employees in Norway are entitled to flexible working hours,
provided that this can be accomplished without substantial
inconvenience for the business. In Norway, family takes a
huge priority and it’s not at all uncommon for someone to
leave work 30 minutes early regularly to pick the kids up
from school or take them to sports practice.
You’re also involved with IMA – tell us more.
I’m National Chairman for IMA in Norway and, during my
mandate, we have had a significant increase in the number
of members and level of satisfaction in the group. For me,
volunteering has been a positive and successful way to
contribute and add value to our community of support
management administrative professionals.
How do you see your career progressi ng?
Each year I do a personal SWOT analysis to define goals. I
see my career progressing to more leadership so my ultimate
career goal is to continuously and consistently develop and
facilitate the growth and development of myself and others,
resulting in great performance and positive results.
What advice do you wish an established assistant
could have given you at the outset of your career?
Accept feedback as a gift. When I was young, I did not have
the positive approach to feedback that I have today. It’s a
tool for improvement and starting career development plans.
What’s the most important thing you’ve learned about
the assistant role?
The power of networking and being connected with the
right people – it gives us the necessary diversity to keep
evolving, seeing the big picture and tapping into the best
sources of insight. You need operational, personal and
strategic networks to develop personally and professionally.
The operational network will help you to complete your
professional tasks and perform effectively. Your personal
network will help you to detox and have fun, and will link
you to your family, friends and the friends of your friends.
And your strategic network will help you follow a career
path, find new projects at work, connect your executive
with potential customers, discover the new trends, generate
breakthrough ideas and avoid group thinking.
What will the role of an assistant look like in 25 years’
time?
I foresee an increase in what we’re already experiencing
– we’ll have no tasks related to calendar or travel
management, and no minutes writing. Robots will take over
the repetitive tasks in our profession – though automation
is not synonymous with job losses. We’ll be focusing on
strategic thinking; having a 100 per cent managerial role
and practising leadership at an important level. We’ll have
mastered the art of being the best leader, alongside our
executives. S
April/May 2018 | Chief of Staff 53