Top Tips for Seasoned Executive Assistants: Staying Relevant in a Dynamic Workplace

Debra Coleman [00:00:08]:

Well, hello, and welcome back to another episode of Have a Seat, Conversations with Women in the Workplace podcast. I am your host, Deborah Coleman. Season's greetings as I am recording this in the month of December. So exciting to share some time and space with you yet again this week. Yes. I am taking time away from my amazing guests to share some thoughts and insight with you on a particular topic that has Floated across my desk this week. I am so excited to share it with you because it comes from a fellow listener. So exciting.

Debra Coleman [00:00:42]:

I love when that happens. Keep sending me topic ideas, please. Love it. Love to hear your thoughts and what you find relevant and what you would like explored further either by little old me or by me inviting a guest on who is an expert on the subject to dive into it just a bit more further. So this week's topic, so exciting to bring to you, as I said, brought to you by a fellow listener. But before we get to that super quick, I want to call your attention to the show notes. If after hearing this show, you are like, that's awesome. I like these mini cast.

Debra Coleman [00:01:18]:

I wonder if she has more of these. Well, guess what? The answer is yes. I do. Click the link in the show notes, which will take you right to the Have A Seat website where you will Find all my shows breaking down by categories. And in order to find more of these types of shows, solo episodes, or what I have coined the term mini casts. There is a category just for these, and you will find solo episodes where I steal the mic and just Spend a few minutes with you and me alone with no guests. But even better, you will find a whole category, a whole library of shows, 200 plus shows, might I say, of amazing conversations that I have had with women in the workplace, who are just Doing their thing, solopreneurs, entrepreneurs, w two employees, executives, and ICs, the whole gambit. I have a Just a whole, like, cornucopia of shows for you to to to peruse and to click on and listen to at your leisure.

Debra Coleman [00:02:18]:

So Without a doubt, that that you will find something on the Have a Seat website for you. And more importantly, there is a contact me link. Click that link and send me your show ideas and suggestions. I love them, and thank you to those who already have. Definitely diving into those and will continue to do so. But if you have any ideas or thoughts for show topics or, again, any, areas that you would like me to find an expert to speak on, Happy to do so. Just let me know. I also have, if you're so inclined, a little microphone on the lower right hand corner.

Debra Coleman [00:02:52]:

Leave me a quick voice mail. That's always a fun and fun option as well. So welcome the opportunity to dive into any topics you find of relevant and of interest, so don't be shy. Go ahead and let me know as some of you already have, so thank you. Thank you so much. Alright. So back to our regularly Scheduled program. Thank you for allowing me that quick commercial break.

Debra Coleman [00:03:14]:

As I said, this week's show was sent in show topic, excuse me, was sent in by a fellow listener, and this is what they said. Can you please offer tips on staying relevant To still land great EA roles in my older years. One more time for those in the back. Tips on staying relevant to still land great EA roles in my older years. Now for those of you who may not be be in my particular Line of work, EA stands for executive assistant. So this listener is looking for tips on staying relevant to still land great executive assistant roles in their older years. I adore this topic. Thank you, listener, for sending it in.

Debra Coleman [00:04:01]:

You know who you are. Honestly, I am so grateful that you did so because this topic to me is twofold. 1 is on tips on tips on staying relevant as an executive assistant. Right? That is actually a stand alone topic on its own right right there. But then the second half of it is to still land great EA roles in their older years. And as a proud card carrying Gen X member, I am considered, I guess, In my more senior years as being an executive assistant, I have been an administrative support professional in various capacities, for 20 plus years. So, Definitely, this landed with me because in 2021, I landed a fantastic executive assistant, 100% fully remote role in my industry, which is higher education. So when I saw this, that's the honestly, those last 3 words or, 4 words in my older years really, like, landed with me because I feel like that's exactly what I did, and I was successful in doing in 2021.

Debra Coleman [00:05:09]:

So But staying relevant as an EA, I think that is top of mind for many of us right now. I mean, many of us. Because in my opinion, In my humble very humble opinion, since 2020, the workplace for, you know, white collar workers and Other other avenues and other industries too, to be fair. Right? I shouldn't just single white collar out because as we've seen, As evidenced through the multitude of strikes that are happening across various industries, I think 2020 really shook up the common worker. I think it really shook us up to the point of reevaluating what we want from ourselves, what we want from our employer, and how we want those 2 to intersect and what that looks like. I think our value shifted. Our priority shifted. And I think for many of us, we're really questioning where we go from here.

Debra Coleman [00:06:03]:

What does the rest of our career journey look like, and what do we want it to look like. I think for me, it was more of, hey. I am taking ownership now. I am in charge of this ship. You know? We have So many wonderful e executive assistant coaches and trainers and influencers who lovingly tell us, You know, you you are in charge. You are the CEO of your career. Right? So treat it as such. And I think for many of us, we heard that.

Debra Coleman [00:06:31]:

Yes. We've heard that. But in 2020, we actually stopped and started to think about it, like, truly give it some weight and say, you know what? Gosh darn it. They are right. I am the CEO of my career. This I am in charge of where I want my career to go. You know? Either a year from now, 2 years from now, 5 years from now, what does it look like? What do I want from my employer? What do I want from my job role? What type of responsibilities make me happy as as well as my employer? Right? All those types of questions are being kicked out now. So staying relevant is incredibly topical, and it's definitely something that all of us are experiencing in our own way.

Debra Coleman [00:07:12]:

That is completely subjective. It it there is no right way or wrong way to stay relevant. It is absolutely Up to you and your individual career path and your own career aspirations. So I just wanna preface this whole show by starting there. Right? This is really up to you and what you consider relevant and what your definition of staying relevant means. Okay. Listener, I wasn't going to say this out loud, but I'm I'm changing my mind and saying this in in this recording. If you're listening, and I hope you are, Just the simple fact that you asked this question and sent it in tells me that you are already winning.

Debra Coleman [00:07:58]:

The fact that you want to know, you are open to hearing from me, from your fellow peers, from possibly some, you know, as I said, the experts out there, the Trainers and the coaches out there for our profession, you wanna know. The fact that you are even asking that, that you, you know, symbolically put pen to paper And wanna know, how can I stay relevant as an executive assistant and still land roles in my My older years, even though I am a more seasoned EA, how can I still stay relevant and possibly go after other positions that I see of of interest out there? That to me, the fact that you're even asking, gold star. Gold star for you. Let me just let me just say that right off the bat. Because we all work with and know others in our, you know, in our job community, right, where we work, maybe fellow EAs out there that really don't have that sort of broad mindset. And so the fact that you are even asking that question, kudos to you, first of all. Good for you. So to continue on, I also because I valued this so much, I Sort of took to the streets, if you will, and I asked some of my fellow peer EAs this question in in a, like, conversational way.

Debra Coleman [00:09:13]:

Like, if you were to be asked, what would you say? I know I have definitely. You all know. Right? I have thoughts on this. But I thought, you know what? To to be a good steward for the listener who sent this in and to do my due diligence, I thought it would be absolutely appropriate to take this out and ask others their thoughts and to really try and gain a better understanding of how to and how maybe to help answer this. So what the advice and tips I'm about to share is definitely like, a conglomerate of various thoughts and opinions that I have tried to narrow down In the sake of this in the sake of this mini cast, of the sake of keeping up you know, keeping this timed appropriately so as not to, you know, rob you too much of your time to, as you listen to this. So I am I am I've scooted them all together, and I'm providing some tips and an answer to that question. So away we go. Let's do the thing, as I like to say.

Debra Coleman [00:10:14]:

Let's get started. So, again, as a reminder, The question was tips to staying relevant to still land great EA roles in my older years. So Here we go. Let's see. The first these are really in really not in order of importance per se, but As I was rereading them and as I saw what I how I framed you know, how I outlined this show, I actually kind of, I think, subconsciously did put them in an order of what I felt was important. So this is sort of skewed, but, again, as I said at the beginning, Your version of relevant and the tips and tricks you may want to employ may look different, or you may place Sees in a different order. So, absolutely, this is open into interpretation. So you know me, and I've said this, and maybe you don't.

Debra Coleman [00:11:04]:

Maybe this is your 1st minicast with me. First of all, I have no initials after my last name, so I am by no means an expert. I am absolutely one of I am a peer. I am a peer of yours. I am one of your peers who just happens to have a microphone and GarageBand, right, who just happens to be brave enough to put all of this out there on the interwebs for you to enjoy in the form of a podcast. So, please take this, you know, not lightly, but take this And then reframe it to how you would actually maybe answer this question or what advice you would give Or any of the tips I'm about to share with you, take them and reframe them to how they work best for you and in your career path and in your career journey. Absolutely. Right? So okay.

Debra Coleman [00:11:49]:

Here we go. Tip number 1, develop and showcase your technical skills. I think when I hear relevant EA, my that is my knee jerk reaction. My knee jerk just I automatically turn and land towards technical ability. What your technical knowledge is, what your tech Comfortable radar is. Right? Where you land technically. Like, for example, what do I mean by all that? Well, staying proficient, For example, in office productivity tools, okay, 1st and foremost, such as Microsoft Office or Google Workspace, or maybe your organization has, specific and unique project management software. Any of those heavy hitters, Staying abreast on what's going on with them, what new releases are coming out, what new features and tools are out there to use definitely helps in their staying relevant gameplay.

Debra Coleman [00:12:48]:

If you can keep up technology wise, use those features. You know? If if in Teams, for example, I know Teams introduces new features quite often. If you stay knowledgeable on what features are being dropped, Think how cool it is that you actually use some of those features in your next chat session or your next virtual meeting. I believe me. People are blown away blown away by that. They're, wait. Did you do that? What did you figure that out? What what does that do? That shows you as a knowledge expert, but it also keeps you what is that? Relevant. Right? It goes to, I think staying relevant, not only does it speak to, like, how you are perceived by others possibly, But it also really leans into how you feel confident wise.

Debra Coleman [00:13:33]:

Right? It ups your confidence game because we know As EAs or admin professionals that we do tend to that is a bit of a struggle bus, you know, the whole confidence angle. So knowing your tech, Being tech savvy, as my friend Melissa Peoples likes to say, is key, I think, to staying relevant in our EA roles. Now There is absolutely here's where I'm gonna wag my finger a little bit at you, but I do it with love, always with love. There are So many wonderful resources out there to stay relevant. You're probably thinking, great, Deb. Good advice. But how do I even go about knowing what's new, You know? And what's the latest and greatest with Google Workspace? There are newsletters you can subscribe to straight from Google. There are YouTube videos with experts who are doing just that.

Debra Coleman [00:14:20]:

They will they I follow some of them. Right? And they you know, like, you know, you get notified. Hey. Did you know this is a new feature in Google Workspace? Hey. Did you see this new New cool feature in Outlook that you can now do. You know? I mean, they are out there. I just mentioned 1, Melissa Peoples. I will actually have a link to her, platform in the show notes as well.

Debra Coleman [00:14:39]:

She is a Microsoft queen. Let me tell you. And if you are interested in staying up on what is going on with She is a wonderful coach and trainer who does just that. Now to be fair, she does dabble in Google Workspace as well, but Her primary focus is Microsoft, and she is my go to, when I wanna know. But it is so easy to do. So, definitely, whatever your medium of choice is, Whether you'd like to watch quick videos or you want to read about it maybe in a newsletter or a blog post, whatever or a podcast. You know, there are lots of podcasts out there too dedicated to these platforms where they will keep you up to date on the latest and greatest. So To circle back on my original statement, develop and showcase those technical skills.

Debra Coleman [00:15:24]:

So once you develop them and you're staying in the know And you're and you know what the latest and greatest is. You feel comfortable. Showcase those. As I mentioned, maybe during a team's meeting, show the new functions you can do. Or if there's a new feature in Word, show that to your teammates or show that off. So don't be afraid to show off the knowledge that you have gained. You're taking time to stay up to date on the latest and greatest tech wise. Right? So why not showcase that? Don't keep it hidden.

Debra Coleman [00:15:54]:

And especially if you are entering into an interview situation and if they always do somehow, right, The other side of the table always tries to sneak in a question about your tech ability or your knowledge on software, products, or whatever Resources or tools. Fine. That's great. This is another wonderful way for you to show showcase or highlight some of the new innovative, resources or tools that are out there and how you use them in your everyday. So number 1, I think, actually, to help you feel relevant both internal and externally is to develop and showcase your technical skills. Now there's so much more. We we could actually do a whole show dedicated to this, but I will stop there, and just let you kind of think on that a minute. I I hope I offered some, you know, very lightweight but practical advice there.

Debra Coleman [00:16:50]:

It's out there for you to keep up with. I highly suggest you do. I, myself, I do. I am always seeking out. But you know what? I I'm an admitted low key Nerd bird. So I love that kind of stuff anyway. So, but definitely seek it out. It's there.

Debra Coleman [00:17:04]:

And if you need some more suggestions on where to go to find this type of information, Again, contact me link on my website. I'd be happy to email some of those to you. Happy to share what I have. Alright. Tip number 2. This is another one of my favorite because you guys know I have talked about this quite often. Always Be learning. Practice continuous learning.

Debra Coleman [00:17:28]:

Again, listener, the fact that you even posted this question, took it took, As I said, symbolically pen to paper and asked it, that tells me, I suspect maybe, that you fall into this category. You are interested In hearing someone's thoughts on this, you are interested in learning. You are practicing continuous learning just by broaching that question and putting it out there for another to answer, answer. So always stay updated on industry trends And news, be interested in learning new things. Be open to it. That will go a long way in helping you stay relevant. And let me also just dip a toe into the older years part of that topic. If you are like me you know? Hello.

Debra Coleman [00:18:15]:

Proud card carrying member of Gen X. Right? Eighties baby all the way. Staying open to learning new things from fellow colleagues who are younger than me, Right? Or maybe not even younger than me, just being open to new ideas, new ways of doing things, new processes, again, new productivity tools goes a long way in keeping you feeling like you are in the game. Yeah. You are still in the game. You are still very valuable and relevant, And you can keep up. Right? I mean, let's face it. Sometimes those of us who have been in this for 20 plus years, we also that's another way of saying of of being of staying relevant is feeling like you're keeping up because, oh my gosh, everything is changing.

Debra Coleman [00:18:57]:

You know? 6 months later, there's a new update or there's a new whatever. Right? So this is a wonderful way to always practice practice always be learning. That right there will get you through so much. For example, stay updated on your industry trends, whatever your industry is. As I mentioned, mine is higher ed. I subscribe to numerous higher ed newsletters. I read. Just reading.

Debra Coleman [00:19:22]:

You don't have to, like, oh my gosh, read this, like, a 100 page white paper all the time or or article. You know, you read the read read a quick blog post or read, you know, skim through articles, subscribe to newsletters. Whatever it your industry is, I guarantee you, There is, like, an RSS feed or there is some sort of, like, newsletter that you can subscribe to to get to get updated, to stay in the know on Whatever your industry is, what's going on with it, like, in a larger sense. Right? But if you wanna kind of bring it down a bit, I am sure your organization, wherever you are, whether you're nonprofit like me or or corporate, your organization, I'm sure, Somewhere has a newsletter that goes out, you know, whether it's annual, quarterly, monthly, whatever it is. Whatever it is, subscribe to it. Learn from it. I know sometimes those come into our email, and we're like, I don't have time for this. You know? And maybe you have an Outlook rule that, you know, if a newsletter comes in, you automatically send it to a to be read later folder.

Debra Coleman [00:20:24]:

Right? Well, if you do that, that's totally fine. No worries. But guess what? Let's try opening that folder every now and then and reading that newsletter that you so quietly put aside. So, absolutely, Always be learning. You that you can never go wrong, fully educating yourself. You again, you don't have to make a big production out of it and, like, oh my god. I gotta read This large article no. You know? Skim through.

Debra Coleman [00:20:47]:

You will be amazed at what you retain. So continuous learning always. And, of course, There's always the option to do a more formalized, like, learning in in the form of a class or a session or a webinar. You know, for example, LinkedIn Learning, wonderful way to learn something. Again, I mentioned our wonderful executive assistant coaches and trainers. They always have training opportunities or videos or webinars that you can sign up for. Many are free. Many many have a small cost associated with it, but To me, completely worth it.

Debra Coleman [00:21:20]:

Completely worth it. So seek those out, and that is it's just another wonderful way to stay relevant and for you to feel like you are still in the game even if you are a more senior executive assistant. Always be learning. Okay. Another really quick quick tip, adaptability and flexibility. That goes, I think, to me, It should go without saying. Like, you just need to in order to still feel relevant and to still like you're still in there, you're still in the game, And to showcase that as you maybe possibly go apply for other roles as a more senior or seasoned EA, Showcasing and showing and speaking on the fact that you are adaptable and flexible, especially right now, you know, several years post 2020, if you can highlight that whether in your current role or, again, in a in a possible interview you you have, That is incredible. That is huge.

Debra Coleman [00:22:21]:

Showcase your ability to adapt to change and handle ambiguity Because we know. Right? As EAs, we often work in dynamic, ever changing environments that absolutely require us to be flexible and quick problem solvers. So don't hide behind that. Showcase that. You have it in you. I know you do. You do it every day, and you probably do it very successfully. So showcase that.

Debra Coleman [00:22:50]:

And if you tend to not fall into that category of being adaptable and flexible, think about possibly reframing your mindset and maybe taking some small incremental steps into becoming a bit more adaptable and a bit more flexible. I know those words don't always flow off you know, flow together very well for many. You know? Some people, they hear those words, and they automatically, like, tighten up. Like, oh gosh. What? What? You know? And I absolutely appreciate that. You know? That's a very real emotion to have. But if you can some way Sort of loosen that up a bit. And as I said, maybe take some micro steps.

Debra Coleman [00:23:29]:

Maybe there's certain areas in your work life that You can okay. Admittedly, I can be alright. Alright. I can ease up a little bit. I can be a little flexible here. Do it. Any little bit you can do absolutely helps. Me? I am a huge fan of change.

Debra Coleman [00:23:45]:

Like, I will change with the wind. You know? Like, oh, good. We've got a massive Change coming. Excellent. How can I help? You know? So I actually fall on the other end of that spectrum. But I so but I can appreciate if you maybe fall less you know, if you're less enthusiastic, if you're less of a change cheerleader Like I am, but, but I believe as executive assistants, full stop, whether we're nonprofit or corporate, we absolutely are Adaptable and flexible, some of us more than others, but showcase that. Don't be afraid to highlight that and to speak on that. And, again, if you're in an interview situation, Don't be afraid to incorporate that into your answers.

Debra Coleman [00:24:26]:

That goes a long way, I feel, in you staying in in you pro you know, Presenting yourself as being more as being relevant, right, as an executive assistant. Okay. One One other topic that many people agreed on, many many of my peers agreed on, it was is this next Tip. Excellent communication skills. That seemed to be, like, the common that and tech seem to be, like have, like, the same Okay. That's like a common answer. Everyone's sort of talking about that. Excellent communication skills.

Debra Coleman [00:24:59]:

Look. Okay. I'm just gonna rip the Band Aid off. Sassy alert. You know, all you all know I get a little sassy in these mini casts. Listen. Not all of you And my fellow peers out there, my EA and AAs and PAs out there have good communication skills because I have been A victim of some of those both verbally and in writing. And let me tell you, not all of us does not all of us get go get gold stars.

Debra Coleman [00:25:28]:

Now I am not perfect either. I have absolutely had my moments where I was not clear. And sure enough, that has come back to haunt me, you know, in the form of tons of questions thrown back at me like, what are you talking about? What do you mean? Can you explain further? And I and I slap my own hand like, Deb, come on now. You could've totally phrased that better or you could've communicated that better. Right? So I'm I'm in that category too. I'm not I'm not saying I'm not, but I am wagging my finger at all of us. One way to stay relevant and to help your confidence level as you Pursue EA positions out there in your more seasoned years, right, is to have excellent communication skills, Either develop or maintain your strong written, and as I said, verbal communication skills because let's face it. As, again, executive assistants and administrative professionals, we often often serve as somewhat of a communication bridge, right, between our executives and other team members, both internally and externally.

Debra Coleman [00:26:35]:

So it is imperative that our communication skills are on point. And as the listener who, who who brought forth this topic, as you stated, You are an older EA, right, more seasoned EA. And I again, I'm in that category too. To me, There is no excuse. That our communication skills at this level of our career should be on point. Now That doesn't mean we're not gonna, like, misstep a time or 2. As I said, I do every so often. Like, oh, man.

Debra Coleman [00:27:06]:

You know? I totally I could've rephrased that better. I'm so sorry. You know? I was maybe, you know, doing 2 things at once or just trying to knock out this response super fast, and I wasn't paying attention, You know, very much to, like, my grammatical or my sentence structure or my greeting or my closing, you know, or I wasn't conveying properly, you know, what information I actually was trying to get from this individual, which left more questions than answers. So, definitely, you know, you're gonna falter every now and then, But it really should not be it should be an exception and not the rule. So firm up those communication skills. I mean, Get them as close to a 100% as you can, especially if you're a more seasoned EA, especially if you are looking at making a job change as The, as the listeners topic alluded to, that matters. Make sure your resume is on point. No grammatical errors.

Debra Coleman [00:27:57]:

No misspelled words. Make sure if you're Communicating via email with the hiring team or the hiring managers, it is on point. Believe me, all of that is looked at from what I was told My fellow peers and some of them were in were in the HR space, they said all of that matters. There's nothing worse. It's like nails on a chalkboard When an administrative support professional does not come across effectively, especially in writing, it's like, oh my. What? You know? So Sharpen up, polish up those communication skills. Get them on point or as close to it as possible. Okay.

Debra Coleman [00:28:33]:

Another one that is pretty high on the list that was mentioned quite often was demonstrate leadership qualities. Showcase instances where you've actually taken initiative, demonstrated leadership, Or you contributed to the success of projects. That is so huge right now. That was the vibe I was getting from the conversations I was having with others about this topic. Definitely demonstrating leadership qualities is key. That is twofold. It's, it's going to help you to feel relevant and showcase your relevancy to others. But, also, again, as the original topics alluded to, it sounds like you might be pursuing other EA opportunities out there.

Debra Coleman [00:29:16]:

In the course of an interview, this is a wonderful way. Showcase or demonstrate How you showed leadership in a given situation. This is where, like, an anecdotal story might come in handy or, like, you know, an example, But definitely or maybe you're not looking to, you know, actually put yourself out there in job search. Maybe you are, you know, where you're at right now, which is perfectly fine, But continue to showcase where you've taken the initiative, demonstrated leadership, or contributed to the success of a project. It is key. That is key. That's what a lot of people are expecting right now from their current support staff and what a lot of hiring teams are looking for. And so doing so, I believe, and others as well, will help you in the staying relevant game.

Debra Coleman [00:30:05]:

Definitely shows how you value the slight shift that executive assistants have taken now. We are no longer, As many coaches and trainers have told us and told me, in the back row, many of us are in the front row or in the very, You know, couple of front rows. Right? If not sharing the darn stage with our executive. And so showing and showcasing And harnessing and really tapping into those leadership qualities is key. It is key on so many levels right now. And, again, It's going to look different for everybody. The way you exhibit these behaviors is con going going to look completely different than maybe the way I do because it there's so many factors. It's where you work.

Debra Coleman [00:30:50]:

It's your office culture. It's your industry. It's your role. It's your relationship with your executive and your team. I mean, there's So many that factors into it. I'm just saying you will know how to do that, which works best for you, But don't hide under it. Showcase it because I know, again, as an executive assistant or an administrative support professional in any capacity, You are already demonstrating these qualities. You just need to let others see them as well.

Debra Coleman [00:31:16]:

Okay? Alright. Another one that seemed to be pretty popular out There was cultivating emotional intelligence. We're almost done. I only have a few more. Cultivate your emotional intelligence. I cannot tell you. Oh my gosh. I'm a huge believer of emotional intelligence.

Debra Coleman [00:31:36]:

I've spoken on it before. I've actually presented on it before at other EA conferences. Yeah. I was I was one of those I was one of those in the breakout session. Right? Now in our coyote room, you'll, you know, you'll be with Deborah where she will talk about emotional intelligence. Julie, but I did it. I am a huge believer in this. It's real.

Debra Coleman [00:31:56]:

It's I know it's very intangible. It's not something that you can actually touch. You know? And so people sometimes don't have a lot of faith or put a lot of weight in something like that. This is very subjective, and it's very, like, soft skill heavy, But it's real. Oh my god. Especially in this day and age, in the workplace we are in right now where d, e, I and b, and what I mean by that is diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging is high. It is so paramount right now. Anyway, we could do a show on that, but you have to cultivate your emotional intelligence, Develop strong interpersonal skills and your emotional intelligence.

Debra Coleman [00:32:40]:

As executive assistants, we Often. I mean, more I shouldn't even use the word often, but we more than often need to or or are asked, Right? Or find ourselves in a position to be navigating interpersonal relationships and to handle sensitive situations, right, with tact, Professionalism and diplomacy and grace. We are many times put in those positions. And so if we can cultivate A strong emotional intelligence, that is huge. That is an incredible step in showing how in showing your relevancy and being and staying relevant. Showcasing emotional intelligence matters, especially if you are trying to up your relevant game, if you wanna build that confidence, And if you are looking as if you are a job seeker, again, as a more seasoned EA, if you are granted an interview, Speaking on emotional intelligence or somehow factoring that into your answers or into the conversation will go a long way in showing how you are staying relevant on the times, but also showcasing your more seasoned experience because I think More seasoned DAs might be a bit this should come a bit easier for us because we have been around so much. We have been exposed to so many different situations and conversations that showcasing our emotional intelligence Should be second nature to us at this stage of our career, but I understand for many, it isn't. So showcase that.

Debra Coleman [00:34:16]:

Learn how to tap into it. Learn what it actually means. There are, again, a lot of resources out there on how to exhibit and how to, you know, like, strengthen your emotional intelligence muscle, I I highly recommend you do that in helping you stay relevant and and especially expressing that during an interview process, especially for, job seekers out there who might be looking for new roles in this new age we find ourselves in. These are what employers or hiring teams are looking for. And, again, this speaks to Having you stay relevant out there. See, it all is intertwined. It all is intertwined. Okay.

Debra Coleman [00:34:54]:

So that really is Quite the list. I I will I will just add 1 more because I know I don't wanna throw too much at you. I know how I get when I'm thrown too much. I'm like, I can't. So the last one that seemed to be, right up there that, again, everyone seemed to touch on or speak to in some way, shape or form was, creating a strong online presence. Again, in this new age we find ourselves in, If they're I mean, how many times do you do it? Right? Maybe you're asked, who is this individual? Like, an external partner. I don't know. Let me look up LinkedIn.

Debra Coleman [00:35:31]:

I just LinkedIn is my go to. Like, if if if my executive's like, who is this person? Or what do we how what? Let me go to LinkedIn. Let me see if they have a LinkedIn profile. You know, that's just it's like more than Google. You know? It's just like, what's the what you know? So really know What you what your online presence looks like. Become familiar with it. Don't shy away from it. I know many of you might be like, I don't wanna look.

Debra Coleman [00:35:55]:

You know? I I put up something in LinkedIn, like, 2 years ago. I'm fine. You know? That's all well and good, and that may still be true. You know, you don't have to change anything if you don't too. But revisit your LinkedIn profile, for example. Right? Revisit that. See, is it still current? Is the photo still current? You know? As a as a colleague of mine once said, You know, it's funny. The photos you put up, right, on whether through, like like, Microsoft, you know how you can import your photo so it follows you for all the platform, or in LinkedIn.

Debra Coleman [00:36:26]:

Right? She she jokingly said, you know, really? That's your Photo. I'm looking at you right now live, you know, across teams. We're talking, and I'm looking at your team's photo. And let's face it. That was £40 ago. Okay. Okay. That's not you any longer.

Debra Coleman [00:36:42]:

You know? I love that. I just thought that was hilarious. I have a dark sense of humor. I'm sorry if that was offensive. I didn't mean to be, but you know what I'm talking about. Make sure your photo and your online presence is still relevant. Make sure it's still It still echoes who you are today. Just take a look at it.

Debra Coleman [00:37:00]:

Make sure you know? And if you don't have LinkedIn, consider highly, highly consider getting it, because that is a resource now, a platform that is used highly in finding others and finding out more about you. So definitely use that. But wherever you have. Right? And if you do have a LinkedIn profile, make sure not only your photo is up to date, but showcase your skills and achievements. They definitely have those sections. Right? And and showcase those. Highlight those areas that you are proud of, that you know you're strong in. That goes a long way.

Debra Coleman [00:37:32]:

That's amazing. There's also that section that tells you, like, about me. You know? Like, hey. Here's about me. Make sure that's relevant and up to date and has and and is is very relevant, and, you know, make sure the words you the word choice you use, you know, is grammatically correct. Make sure it speaks to, you know, to being inclusive. And, you know, again, just take a look at that. Even if you haven't for a couple years, that's fine.

Debra Coleman [00:37:55]:

You know? No no no you know, you're not gonna get chased out of town, you know, like Frankenstein. But just, you know, take a look at it. You never know. If you want to stay relevant and still be perceived as relevant, especially if you're a more seasoned DA. This is one super easy way to do that, which is which holds a lot of impact. Update and ensure your LinkedIn profile is still current and speaks to what you are today, and make sure you highlight your skills and achievements. That is incredible. Now if you are somebody who goes a step further and you have maybe a personal website or a digital portfolio, revisit those or think about creating 1.

Debra Coleman [00:38:34]:

I actually was thinking about doing that at 1 point too. I love the idea of a digital portfolio. I've seen many, in my years as an EA of fellow EAs, and they are So well done. They are so well done. I love digital portfolios. So, if you have 1 or have a personal website, definitely Definitely look into that. Make sure, again, just like your LinkedIn profile, that that is up to date, that is current, that the website is easy to access, so you don't Click it and get a server error four zero four message, which has happened quite a bit. Believe me.

Debra Coleman [00:39:05]:

That has that happens a lot. As a podcaster, when I click on Not on on someone's digital portfolio to get to know more about them. I get those error messages quite a bit, and that's really tacky and unprofessional. I'm just gonna say it. It is. It's like, what? You haven't looked at this in forever? You don't know that this link doesn't work anymore? You know? So definitely make sure your website, your digital portfolios are up to date. All the links are working correctly. And then also, again, make sure, your LinkedIn profile is current and up to date, and showcase, showcase, showcase.

Debra Coleman [00:39:34]:

Be proud of yourself. Be proud of what you've accomplished. Even if you're thinking, well, I don't really have any. I guarantee you do. You do. If you have survived As an executive assistant or if you have recently landed in this role new, you were chosen for a reason, and you have survived this long for a reason. There is something you are doing right. You are.

Debra Coleman [00:39:53]:

You are a star. You are shining, so don't be afraid to showcase that and to show your relevancy. Right? Okay. As I said, I'm trying to in the interest of time, trying to keep this short. So I hope that helped. I hope listener, I hope that helped answer some of your concerns, and I hope that it addressed some of your concerns. I think that, you know, continuously working on both your hard and soft skills will help you to continue to stay relevant or to feel more relevant in your EA role. And don't be afraid to showcase some of those wonderful talents and abilities you have if you are going out on interviews or applying for new positions.

Debra Coleman [00:40:40]:

That will also help you showcase yourself in other's eyes as also being relevant as well. So, again, I hope that made a difference. I I There's so much we could still talk about, and maybe I'll do a part 2 to this episode. Or if you have additional thoughts or if there were areas I didn't cover or areas I did touch on that we just didn't talk enough about, let me know. Happy to do a follow-up episode to this or possibly invite you on to share your thoughts. You know, we are all in this together. There are no wrong or right answers. You are doing things right, but always be learning.

Debra Coleman [00:41:15]:

It sounds like We can always be learning. We can always learn how to maybe improve upon what we're already doing. Right? And that's all that we can do. So, again, I hope you found enjoyment in this mini cast. Thank you for sharing some time with me today. And as always, Stay safe, be well, and remember, keep having those conversations.