Career Advice, Strategies, Tips and Tricks

Some of the prime roles of a leader are to ensure confidence, keep people calm and provide clear direction in times of crisis. Great leaders don’t let the people get

What is Emotional Intelligence – Amy Jacobson explains

See the ideal 4 types of people you should have in your network >>

Are you playing it safe? Here's how to embrace change.

I've been a VA since 2008, and it's a career I've loved from the word go. I thought I'd take a moment to share with you my personal journey – it's not something I share very often, but I think it's incredibly relevant to many people who come from the same situation I found myself in 11 years ago.

So… here goes!!!

Every year, at performance review time, I seem to get the same question from my clients.

“How can I be more ‘visible’ at work?" Here's how!

The modern office is quite different from the offices of years past. Each innovation or transformation has further changed how we approach life in the office and how it is

For office professionals, there is no getting around the fact that the modern office is nowhere near as traditionally inclined as one of the decades past. So many workplaces still definitively

Check out OrderIn's insights and best practices for what Office Managers should be considering when it's time to step back into the office. 

It’s without a doubt email is certainly one of the most frequently used forms of communication in the workplace. For speed and efficiency, you’re most likely to use emails one

As a PA (personal assistant) or an EA (executive assistant) here in Australia, your role in the office is generally a bit of everything. It goes without saying that the modern workplace is changing all the time. Regardless of where you work, the point is always the same that the modern workplace can be an ever-evolving place to work in. So, how can you create a healthy environment in the office in ways that can be consistently met and even exceeded? As a PA, it can feel like you are juggling the general well being of the office (you certainly are of the individual that you are an assistant to), so here are some sage pieces of advice when it comes to instilling a healthy environment in the office.

There is no denying that giving criticism can be difficult as you never quite know how somebody is going to respond. But being on the receiving end of criticism can

Are you thinking about changing your career to become a personal assistant (PA) or Executive Assistant (EA) or are you starting your career wondering what to do after you graduate from school? While there are many possible paths to becoming a PA or an EA, the following steps will give you a straightforward blueprint to launching a successful career:

Melbourne Cup is an excellent opportunity to organise some invaluable team bonding, impress your boss and importantly, have some fun. Here are three of the best reasons why you should consider celebrating Melbourne Cup in your office.

If you are yet to hear the term, hot desking is the concept of a temporary desk in a permanent workplace. While it is certainly not a new concept, it

There may come a time when you will need to speak in front of your team, your entire company or even outside of your organisation. Doing so can present a tremendous professional opportunity, but it can come at a price, particularly if public speaking is not your forte or you are an introvert.

With just a few simple tips, you can come across as confident and professional. Don’t believe me? Just try these out for yourself!

Hint: it all comes down to preparation.

Whether you’re a manager, fellow admin professional or team leader, it’s in your hands to make someone’s day. If you’re stuck for ideas, we’re here to help! Please take a look at 10 of our favourite ways to show your gratitude and say thank you below.

Going on annual leave for a long period of time or preparing to move up the ranks within your company can be quite a stressful time. Preparing for handover to another person well before you even think about going on leave or moving on, can be a whole lot easier using these following steps.

The following five strategies can help you cut through all the interference generated by these distractions and help you create greater balance and harmony in your life. Simplifying and organising your life paves the way for greater strength and resilience and increases your level of success as an office professional.

Organising corporate events can be daunting! From trying to impress your boss, liaise with important clients and keep everyone happy, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed. A great corporate event planner is efficient, creative and most importantly organised! This is your go-to event checklist for your corporate event management. Whether it’s a casual office celebration, or something on the fancier side, these are all the steps you will need to get ahead and plan for success.

With LinkedIn being the biggest professional online networking platform, here are the things you need to know and do to get started.

If you’ve ever experienced a crisis in the office then you will be able to relate to how all fellow office professionals in the Facebook and Instagram offices felt this morning.Tight chest, head swirling, feeling sick, what feels like a million phone calls and emails to answer. These are just some of the instant things that happen to us when something goes really wrong.Thing is, we’ve all been there right?Here’s our favourite tips for keeping your cool under pressure. Don’t forget to share yours in the comments below, because after all, we’re in this together!

Do you love what you do? If you have a job you don’t enjoy, that’s okay – it’s just a job. A job pays the bills and you don’t have to love it if it serves that purpose. If you want a job you love then read this!

Lack of motivation can have a serious effect on your positivity levels, not to mention, reduce your productivity. While it is something that can easily be disguised in the short term, if it’s not nipped it in the bud quickly, it will soon become evident to others that you aren’t pulling your weight. Before that happens, try these motivation tactics on for size. Trust me! You will be glad you did.

LinkedIn is the largest professional network in the world providing an influential gateway to connect businesses, brands and people in ways that were never once imagined. And whilst LinkedIn continues

When we hear the word networking, we tend to first think of social events allowing us to meet new people, both inside and outside of our own industries and areas

If you value structured work hours, the security of a full-time, permanent job and the company of your work colleagues, being a virtual assistant probably isn’t for you.

But if you can relate to the following, you might be ready to take the exciting leap from employee to a virtual assistant and business owner!

First day back at work for the year is hard, isn’t it? Being the first day back it’s time to get serious with your intentions for 2019, but if you’ve

Learning how to set realistic goals, and defining the steps that we need to achieve them, can be a valuable skill. Setting goals, and reaching, or even surpassing them, allows

End of year holidays is my most favourite time of year. Take away the stress of the final push and rush to the finish line, there’s something about the start

We recently caught up with Louise and asked her some questions about her session at the Akolade, 5th EA/PA Public Sector Summit in Perth this September. Louise Jarosz is the Executive Assistant,

In the last three post’s I have covered some tricks, I have learned and researched in order to work effectively with D, I and S bosses and colleagues. If you

This post is but one of a four-part series that focuses on how to deal with others based on the predominant trait of their personality. These four traits include D

Is your boss outgoing, thinks and loves to focus on the big picture? Do they ooze charisma and seem to be able to work a room and by the end

Dealing with a D Boss While many of us are lucky enough to work with a great boss and colleagues there’s always those few who at times can be nothing

Every business, regardless of size, needs an office space of some description to run its operations. Having an office space whether it’s a home office or a commercial set up, provides

Regardless of how long your to-do list is, it is often difficult to stay focused. You may be distracted by something that is going on at home, the buzzing of

Whether you realise it or not, we are all constantly conducting an inner dialogue within ourselves. This self-talk affects our confidence and self-esteem and can either boost or hinder our

When Monday comes around (or anytime you look at a device to check emails) do you dread opening your inbox because you don’t want to be bombarded with the hundreds

There will always be stress in your life no matter what you do – some of it will be positive and some of it will be negative. Your overall aim

Are you a pro at networking? Few of us are. We worry about the impression we give of ourselves, and about what we should or shouldn’t say. When you arrive

No matter how confident you are, it’s normal to feel at least a little nervous when a prospective client or interviewer asks you to “tell me something about yourself.” The

According to a March 2018 report by The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), it is said that robots are set to take 14% of existing human jobs. It’s a

If the thought of networking outside of your company fills you with dread, then you are not alone.   It can be intimidating walking into a room where you don’t know anyone and need to attempt to break the ice. But it

By now you should have a better understanding of how much effort it will actually take to future-proof your career. If you missed out on part one and part two of

Change in technology and our roles are going to come, that much we know for certain. However, being prepared for this change and adapting our roles to incorporate is the

If you are looking to move into another role, are currently working in the industry and intend to make that your long-term career choice, or risk losing your job to

Today we’re going to look at 3 (plus one) brain-based tips you can use each day to improve your work and personal life. If you try nothing else, try these.

Most Australians will recall the line from the much loved movie The Castle when the bumbling lawyer Dennis (played by Tiriel Mora) could only voice his court argument with “it’s just the

One of the biggest responsibilities as an Office Professional is to constantly produce high quality work. But, how can you do that when you don’t feel engaged or motivated? While

Have you travelled to a destination outside of Australia and experienced another culture? It is this awareness of outside influences, new ideas and exciting possibilities that can widen your perspective

Working the usual 9 to 5 job has its fair share of challenges. With ample deadlines in place for work and in your personal life the juggle can become extremely

Have you ever said to yourself ‘I’ve had enough, I’ve tried this before and it didn’t work’ or ‘I’ve used up all my chances or ‘I’m done with it’? Well welcome

We were super, SUPER excited to catch up recently with a former EA to America’s 45th president, Donald Trump. Jacqueline Fini, a previous EA to Donald Trump before he became

The words ‘Please attach a cover letter with your CV’  will send the knees trembling and the heart racing for most Office Professionals. Just as most CV’s are jam packed

Are you willing to step in and change the way you manage your day? As routines and rituals form the basis of your workday, to take control of your future

One of the first questions I ask my clients is ‘what makes YOU and your business really different?  This is a pretty standard question asked by all marketing and branding consultants. But

One of the most exciting and empowering things about setting new goals is that you are giving yourself the opportunity to start over. It’s a fresh new beginning for you.

Online event marketing looks easy, doesn’t it? With a website set up to register for the event, social media accounts that are live and being posted to regularly anyone would think that

One thing I’ve noticed over the years I’ve been coaching is the number of women who are hesitant or not proactive in building their careers. What do I mean by

What do you want from your future? Have you thought about your aims? Your goals? It goes without saying that you cannot plan for every eventuality, but you can begin

Recently I was privileged to sit on a judging panel for The Sunshine Coast Business Awards. Over a three-day period, I met many wonderful, capable, passionate, dedicated, creative, determined, hard-working

You convinced them that you were the best for the job, and now it’s time to prove it. Whether you’re new, or have 10 years of experience in your field,

You might not know, but in 2009 while on maternity leave with my second child I received a phone call to advise I no longer had a job to go

Traditionally, when society viewed a job description, they had their eyes firmly fixed on the hard skills. Can the applicant use a computer? and do they know how to use

For most of us, our smartphones aren’t just a way for staying in touch with our friends, associates and loved ones. They have become an inseparable extension of ourselves. It

How often do you say ‘yes’ to something and regret it immediately? Too often, right? Then you’re stuck doing something you don’t want to, or don’t have the time for.

As with any bias it is both conscious and unconscious. Be it age, gender, race, religion, sexuality, education, career background, appearance. Biases don’t have  scientific empirical evidence for validation but spring mostly from

One of the biggest areas of conflict in both a personal life and work life is that most people don’t have a true understanding of how to negotiate. Many professionals

If you’re someone who is chasing work-life balance then you’re in the right place. Today I am going to share one of my secrets for lightening your workload to help you get

Expecting that 100% of people we come across will like, trust and resonate with us and our personal brand is as likely as pigs flying or never having to pay

What does it actually mean to be self-aware? The meaning of being self-aware is that not only are you in touch with, and very familiar with your own mind and

Working in support of a business leader, one of your key responsibilities is assisting him or her in achieving targets and goals. This means supporting them to work as efficiently

I talk to many EAs, PAs and Office Professionals who have lost interest in their job. What may have started out as a fulfilling and exciting job has become stale,

As an experienced EA, I know first hand just how versatile our jobs can be. One day you’re elbow deep in admin and the next you’re and event marketing guru!

So here you are plonked down firmly in front of a recruiter, HR or direct hiring manager. You may have found your way there via a job advert, a referral

Do you spend a lot of time commuting? I’m fortunate that I no longer have the need to travel to work every day, when I did, I wish I had

As an EA, PA or in any office support type of role, the one thing that is crucial to your success is having a strong support network. Many people feel

If you’re like me, some days when 5:00 pm rolls around, it feels like the surface of the never ending to do list has barely been scratched. You glance at

Building trust with the members of your team, and, the decision makers above you is an important part of your role. For most of us, trust does not come easy.

Influencer marketing is a relatively new trend that has emerged to market products or services by working directly with specific key individuals known as influencers. An influencer is someone who

Have you ever come across an event or conference that you felt would be of benefit to your professional development and one which you firmly believe your current employer would

It’s around this time of year the traditional reviews are happening and the opportunity to ask for a pay rise is at the core. When I talk to many of

It is said that you don’t leave your job, you leave your boss. But at what point does a supervisor or manager’s heavy handedness and repeated verbal abuse cross into

Do you go to work each day to a job you enjoy but you feel like you could be doing more? Perhaps you are still searching for your dream job?

Procrastination affects everyone, no matter who you are. It prevents us from achieving the best results at work. In other words, it affects our productivity. You not only do insignificant things first, but nothing gets done.

Are you someone who also has the responsibility of website maintenance thrown into the mix of area’s that you look after? Do you check your website stats diligently every morning,

Maintaining a strong relationship between current and potential employees creates a culture where communication is smooth and all parties are clear of what is expected. With an increase in problems

If you can get your resume down to one page, chances are much higher than the person reviewing your resume will be willing and able to read the whole thing. It’s time for an update, and things are about to get a whole lot shorter.

When most of us think of the skills and traits that it takes to be an effective communicator, we typically think of how important it is to be determined and

A four point guide to providing memorable catering for that important business meeting.

Full version has a number of great images
<h1></h1>

Wondering why you aren’t getting interviews?  Frustrated in not getting a look in?  Let me share a true hiring story about Bill (not his real name). Bill sent a job application

Over the years, technology has changed the way we do business. And, there is no better evidence of this advancement than how we communicate within and with other businesses. Thanks

Taking control of your goals, career and path towards becoming a leader starts with understanding your strengths and weaknesses. To empower yourself with the knowledge and to seek the right tools necessary

Tap, tap, tap. “Congratulations. It’s your turn for promotion…” No, it doesn’t happen like that anymore. Seniority doesn’t guarantee a promotion any more than getting noticed for doing your job

Everyone in the work place needs to write well. No matter what your job is, the use of technology means everyone now communicates using the written word. If you feel

Many of us look forward to change in the workplace. We often have conversations with our colleagues about how we would like things done differently, yet when things do change,

One of the best things about a job as a PA/EA or even a VA is that you don’t have to do much to impact someone in a positive way.

One of the most common challenges faced by many Office Professionals is learning how to confidently stand out from the crowd and get the credit you deserve.  Unfortunately, some of us

Want to build your personal brand and business reputation?  Then stop giving crappy excuses and start being real and truthful – with yourself and others. Last week I was crafting an email

It is our mindset that makes or breaks us, and often we don’t even realise what’s happening. This is especially the case with self-sabotage. None of us deliberately set out

With the number of organisations opening every day, credibility is now more important than ever. And trust plays a big part in it. Without trust, you cannot go far at

With International Women’s Day tomorrow, the topic of Balance is more relevant than ever. As we struggle to “Put the oxygen mask on ourselves first”, this concept is something we

Social media is an important part of any organisation’s marketing plan.  Social media, whether organic or paid, is a great way to engage with potential clients or customers and to

Whether it’s a failed attempt at doing something new, a knock back in a promotion or even something that hasn’t worked out in your life we all know that sinking

Do you dream of hanging out at home in your pyjamas sipping margaritas while taking the odd call? Perhaps you envision quiet, lazy mornings while working silently and diligently in

Congratulations on getting that huge job interview. Now comes the hard part: how do you make sure they pick you out of all the other people they’ll be interviewing for

Have you ever met an assistant and thought “Wow, they’re good!”? How did they get to be that good? Did they study something in particular? Did they chalk up hundreds

Anyone who wishes to become a leader can become one. While there are people who were born leaders, you have to realize that leadership can be learned and it can be developed.

The career growth starts with a strong desire to achieve something in your life. When stepping into your adult life, you need to determine the plan of actions that will help you reach the results you want. These tactics do not guarantee 100% movement up the career ladder, but they give enough prerequisites to expect a promotion in the soonest time possible.

It is our job as a PA to manage the boss’s time and eliminate all distractions. And as you know, some days this simple sounding task can be extremely difficult.

Let’s face it, conferences are not cheap. Therefore you want to make the most out of your time at your next conference, regardless of what the topic is about. But

Negotiating any situation, especially a salary increase can leave even the most confident of Office Professional feeling frustrated and nervous despite the fact you know you a) are worth it,

Creating your personal brand is an essential part of your work life. Even if you work for a corporation, it is you that builds relationships and it is your personal

Have you ever been on the receiving end of bad feedback? Feedback delivered poorly can make us feel demotivated, angry, scared or upset. Constructive feedback, however, is crucial for our

I’ve really struggled the last two weeks to get back into my game.  Coming back into the office has literally seen me drop all of the “balls I juggle” onto

Did you know that stress is a choice? It’s not a state of being that we ‘catch’ from someone else, like a cold per se, but a conscious choice about

Stress can have big implications for your health and wellbeing. 90% of GP visits are brought on by stress, and high levels can do serious harm to your mental and physical health. Our ten tips can give you a head start in eliminating stressful habits from your life and helping you face the demands of work. If you are still struggling with stress then consider getting help before it affects your health and your ability to function.

Being tasked with the job to update office procedures or a large project that affects multiple stakeholders and departments within the organisation is by no means an easy job. Even

LinkedIn is an easy-to-use, low-cost tool that executive and personal assistants can source to build credibility both within the business they work for and among external stakeholders. Some people still

Last year I was anonymously nominated for the Telstra Women in Business Award. I have been at this whole “entrepreneur” thing since I was 22 years old, but to tell

Whether you are trying to have the #BestWorkDay, finish a particularly challenging course of study, lose those last few stubborn kilos, or save up the money to take a well-deserved

We all know that type of people: they always seem to have everything together, they juggle several tasks simultaneously, they get everything done before the deadlines, and they even manage

Once upon a time being able to adapt to change was a wonderful skill to have. In today’s modern business world, adaptability is a must-have skill to give you the

As a PA not only are you thinking of yourself but for another or maybe a number of individuals in the workplace, who you wonder at times, how they function

Return on investment on your career training has benefits that go way beyond the feel-good buzz words HR Departments throw around! Your career depends on your continued growth your ability

(Image credit: New Work Consulting) Communicating your value I work one-to-one with a lot of professionals on elevating their personal brand. No matter what their industry, position, or target audience,

Are you sick of writing the same thing over and over again on your CV? If you’ve been a Personal Assistant for most of your working career, you may find that

Critical thinking is one of the most important components to success in life.  Whether on a personal level or in the workplace, critical thinking can change the way you not

In many situations in life, pressure can affect the way we communicate, and this is especially true of the workplace. In an environment which isn’t always designed to allow women

I’m sure you’ve heard the saying “you never get a second chance to make a first impression”. Did you know you only get 3 seconds to make that first impression?

Being a Personal Assistant, Event Coordinator or Marketing Assistant can sometimes mean that when the boss wants results for an event or new product or service on a $0 budget

Team building can be expensive. There are hundreds of companies vying for your business with promises of making your team more efficient and profitable. Some of them are fantastic value

We are just 49 days away from Christmas and people are already showing signs of stress. So I thought it might be useful to give you a few tips to

Staying organised and ensuring that you have good systems in place will assist you to stay ahead of most problems.  . When you have good systems, it helps you to

Do you feel overwhelmed by your to do list and the size of your inbox? You receive countless emails, phone calls and requests. Your calendar is filled with back to back meetings. You’re

For many of us, balancing work and family life is a constant struggle. Whether you work full time or part time, the hands on the clock seem to be never

Sadly, the topic of bullying in the workplace or being bullied by a manager is much more common than we would like to think. We should all take responsibility to

It can happen at almost any point in your career. Suddenly, you wake up and wonder if this is really the right job for you. Reaching a crossroads is a

Have you “made it”? Have you reached the level of success in your life that you want to achieve? I’m constantly surprised (and a little disappointed) that so many people

Regardless of the last time, you did it, being last week or several years ago at some point we all have to update our resume. I heard you moan –

Your resume and cover letter should sell you, not just state facts. When conducting a job search, your cover letter and resume are in a pile for the decision-maker to

Whether your write-up is for an ‘About us’ page or a LinkedIn profile, you need a description that gets to the point about why people want to work with YOU.

There is more to life than just showing up to work going through the motions and then repeating it day in and day out. The workplace is a “community” of

There are a lot of Personal Assistants, Executive Assistants and Administration Assistants in Australia. At the time of writing this post a quick search on LinkedIn found over 42,000 PA’s,

Have you ever left a meeting with your manager feeling like they didn’t listen or didn’t understand what you needed? One of the keys to a positive work environment is

If you’re lucky enough to be promoted from Assistant to Team Leader or Office Manager, making the transition from being a “worker” to a leadership position can sometimes be a difficult

The truth is that sometimes we will have a boss who is invisible. Perhaps your boss is always busy or never there. You don’t have dedicated time with your manager

So, you’ve finally got the job. Congratulations! Now that you are starting your new role soon (or have already started working), you might feel a little anxious. After all, it’s

We live in an always-on era. We’re always online. Our phones are always on. The lights are always on. This state of being permanently switched on is damaging to our

There are numerous compelling reasons why everyone should seriously look at putting themselves up for awards. On the other hand, there are very few reasons why many don’t. We get

Raise your hand if you don’t like conflict. Yep, me too! “Lessons learned in electric moments are the ones best remembered.” Recently I was reading Daniel Goleman’s book on Emotional

Do you think success and excellence come from playing safe and staying within your comfort zone? Or is it achieved when we stretch our personal and professional boundaries; challenge our

As part of my work building personal brands, I train individuals and teams on using LinkedIn effectively… but this is so much more than knowing what the buttons do. The

According to recruiting experts Hays, failure to quantify accomplishments, not acknowledging weaknesses and a lack of digital skills are amongst the most common ways job seekers sabotage their own job

It doesn’t matter where you come from or what your interests are – we are all afraid of something. Fear does not discriminate, it affects us all at least once

Did you know that a Personal Assistant role is actually a leadership role? An assistant role can often be simplistically viewed as a diary manager or the person who answers

When your workload becomes “overload” or you have a large project coming up where you know you will need some help do you consider an Intern instead of hiring a

Everyone I talk to has their favourite online time management and organisational tools, but there is always room to reflect on whether you are using the best, most useful resources

I don’t know about you, but I can already feel the end of year rush starting to kick in. If you’re already planning the next three to four weeks out with

Too often companies who are seeking market research believe that quantity is important instead of focusing on the quality of the audience. If a company is membership based then it would

Staying motivated can be hard, even if you love your job. Work can sometimes feel like an endless cycle of struggling and demotivation can spiral. The less motivated you are,

If you’re under the impression that LinkedIn is just another resume building site, you’re probably not taking advantage of the site’s unique structure and tools to develop your personal brand

One of the things about owning my own business and a question I get asked often by office professionals and PA’s who work within small businesses is, how to increase

You have done an outstanding amount of work on a project and your boss has asked you to present in the Boardroom.   Whether the presentation is to Executive Management, the

Your ability to lead, motivate and inspire others is dependent on how effectively you can influence others. As a personal assistant or office professional, influence is one of the most

Quite often change doesn’t always happen the way you anticipate. It may throw you off track and sometimes even make you lose some of your confidence. You can’t control events,

No matter what your role is, nine times out of ten you are going to come across an unhappy person. In any tense situation, the basic steps and rules to

From experience, the job of looking after sponsorships fall into many Personal Assistant’s or Office Professional’s pool of things to manage and ensure the best value for money and best

Why would you want to redesign your Personal Brand? The most common reason is because you want a promotion. Or you want to change job direction or industry completely. It might be because of a

Just like preparing for a sporting event, an interview requires preparation. You can’t simply head out onto that track and expect to not have warmed up or conducted pre-race training.

“Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom. 
Mastering others is strength, mastering yourself is true power.”
—Lao Tzu Have you ever had a discussion with a client, partner or

Your personal brand is the secret to your career success – and yet most people have never heard of it. Your personal brand is what you are known for and

It takes one-tenth of a second for someone to form an impression of you. That’s a very short period of time for your personal brand have an impact! Being able

Salary negotiation can be tricky and if not handled correctly, can be disastrous. The window for negotiating a salary exists from the time a candidate is offered the job, until

Business activity and permanent headcounts may be rising, but according to the recently released 2016 <a href="http://www.hays.com.au/salary-guide/index.htm">Hays Salary Guide</a> they are not translating into salary increases.

The Fair Work Commission has announced a 2.4% increase to minimum wages, which applies to the first full pay period that starts on or after 1 July 2016.  The new

Like most PA’s my daily ’To Do’ list of tasks and things to do is rather large. There is the usual list of expenses, reports to write, phone calls to make and travel and

We all know that the right electronic filing system can save a lot of time and frustration, but if not done well, electronic filing can bring massive headaches and seriously hinder

“Being forever available to the rest of the world is overrated. I mean, what are ‘missed calls’ invented for?” ? Mokokoma Mokhonoana You need to squeeze every moment out of