FLASHBACK
From Girl Friday to strategic partner Claire Muir explores the evolution of the high-level assistant with the help of some talented and insightful Executive PA Magazine readers …
always a level of urgency and response times are short and critical . Researching and retrieving information is at your fingertips – you ’ re not having to rummage through old filing systems that are unique to the person who filed them at the time .
“ Being available around the clock comes with the job of working for a chief exec . When I started , we ’ d work , for example , from 8am until 4.30pm . We ’ d sign off and the rest of the day was ours . It ’ s not that way anymore . Having laptops at the ready means you can work more hours – but we benefit from the flexibility of not having rigid start and finish times . The busyness is still there but being able to use the laptop out of hours helps keep on top of workload too . “ These days , the EA is no longer a support mechanism alone . We ’ re an integral part of the executive team and it ’ s us who will know the ins and outs of matters . I ’ ll often think of things that perhaps my executive hasn ’ t . I think that ’ s partly because of the roles I ’ ve had in the organisation , and the impacts decisions have on people .”
Karen McDonald
EA to chief executive , NSW Government
Starting out as an energetic hospital assistant in 1992 , Karen ended up in admin after suffering an injury . She progressed from administrative assistant to conference room co-ordinator to corporate records officer to executive support officer . In 2007 , she became an EA and hasn ’ t looked back since .
“ Back in 1992 , I could never have dreamed of elevating myself to an EA . At the time , I was looking to gain full-time employment and , given my background – I was raised in public housing and we weren ’ t well off – I didn ’ t know if even that would happen . But with hard work , opportunities and people having faith in my abilities before I even realised I had any , I ’ ve gone beyond what I ever felt possible .
“ When I first started in admin , we ’ d not long had computers installed . We barely knew how to turn them on , let alone the abilities they ’ d have in years to come ! Email was not a widely used communication tool for a while and only some people had access to it . We ’ d type and print memos when communicating throughout the workplace .
Now , of course , we ’ re available at the touch of a button and forms are rarely paper-based . Our corporate record keeping is now online – previously it was sorted by hand . Diary management is now electronic . Long gone are the days of literally pencilling in appointments ! We ’ ve had to move with the times and the once dreaded technology has shown its real worth – especially during the pandemic . EAs really have adapted to their new surroundings .
“ The demands on the role have changed , too . There ’ s
Debbie Hall
PA to marketing technology director and interim PA to director of complex portfolios , Barclays
Shy , 19-year-old Debbie joined the Barclays typing pool in 1989 because , despite her outstanding secretarial qualifications , she lacked the confidence to go straight into being one . Covering secretaries ’ holidays led to her first secretarial role , though , and in 2005 , she secured her first EA role .
“ I wanted to become an EA as it empowers you to become more involved in your MD ’ s role , supporting them as much j
Autumn Issue 2022 | Executive PA 19