3 ways for Executive Assistants to remain in-demand now, and tomorrow

by Donna O'Flynn and Natasha Down

As a recruitment consultant, some of the questions we get asked often from business support professionals is, “What do I need to upskill in to remain competitive?” or “how do I future proof my job?” unfortunately this is a challenging question with no right answer and no crystal ball.

To help work through this challenge with the Executive Assistant community, Hudson Hosted an event called “The New World of Work: How to remain competitive and thrive as an EA.” Hudson Victoria Lead Career Coach Fiona Cowl worked with the group to workshop ideas and talk through some of the leading research in the industry.

We highlighted Lynda Gratton’s 5 forces of change that are set to impact the workplace: technological developments, globalisation, longevity & demography, societal trends and renewable energy resources.

Of these factors, the one that presents a direct and tangible challenge to the Executive Assistant function is technological development. We found this to be true when we conducted research of our own with hiring managers and employees in business support across Australia and New Zealand. Along with workload and change, our survey respondents said that technology was the biggest challenge they were up against in their field.

These external forces of change will present challenges to the Executive Assistant profession, but at the same time they also present significant opportunities for growth and development of both individuals as well as the professional community as a whole. Working with a well thought-out strategy around proactive career and personal development, business support staff can be confident that they will not only be employable in the future, but will add significant value to organisations to help overcome and adapt to the ever present change and challenges.

Career Development doesn’t mean that you need to throw out all your experience, go back to university and start your life as an analyst (although all power to you if that’s what you want!) You just need to start changing your habits to include the following:

1. Keep up to date with the latest development in your sector & technology

You only need to turn on the TV to see that self-driving cars and androids are set to replace certain tasks and jobs. While we are quick to think of the machines replacing existing jobs, we rarely give any thought to the creation of new jobs that will facilitate the machines and technological advances. To know where the new opportunities may be, you’ve got to be in the know. Go to networking events, spend 10 minutes a day reading about new technology and discuss these opportunities and threats with your colleagues and friends. After all, you can only be prepared when you know what you’re up against.

2. Keep up-to-date with the in-demand skills and roles in your sector

As organisations brace themselves for the future, they are also spending time thinking about the kind of talent they will need in the future.
We are finding that on top of technical capabilities like MS Office and reporting skills, employers are looking for staff with exceptional soft skills to help them navigate the changes. Soft skills, is where I believe business support employees really have an opportunity to stand out. You can’t win a typing match against a computer but you can leverage soft skills to negotiate and influence.
Interestingly, our survey found that hiring managers were on the lookout for employees with great communication skills and an exceptional mindset.
Four of the top five skills were to do with the ability to assess, evaluate and change the mindset despite the changing work environment.
If you don’t feel confident that you have these soft skills yet, start looking for ways to pick them up or cultivate them through your next projects or appointment.

Top soft skills that hiring managers in business support are looking for:

Communication 15.98%
Continuous improvement mindset 13.80%
Adaptability 12.35%
Questioning and thinking critically 11.14%
Self-motivation to succeed 9.69%

3. Choose growth mindset in every situation

Growth mindset is a belief system that talent can be cultivated through effort, strategies and input. As opposed to a fixed mindset which denotes that an individual’s talent and capabilities are fixed, a person with a growth mindset enjoys challenges because they know that they will learn and grow from every trial and situation.
To apply this in everyday context means that each task, project and role offers you the propensity to learn and develop your skills and career. No-one can predict precisely when a role will be phased out or where the next disruption will come from. But when you are focused on learning and growing you will find that you will also be quick to spot opportunities no matter where the future world of work takes you.