Editor's Letters
Issue: September / October 2013

Back to School

By - September 27, 2013

As most of you know, I have spent the majority of my summer working from my balcony in Spain. I didn’t take the Summer off, but I did ensure that for two months, I closed the computer at 5pm every weekday and took weekends off. It was a much needed rest and I have come... Read more »
Cover Story Leadership
Issue: September / October 2013

Executives: Here’s Why You Need to Pay Attention to This

By - September 26, 2013

Melba Duncan evaluates the role of the Executive Assistant
Leadership
Issue: September / October 2013

Become the CEO of Your Career

By - September 25, 2013

An Administrative Assistant’s primary job is to support their executive and support him or her in any way possible – whether it’s organizing a board meeting or making travel arrangements for a business trip. The nature of our job means our professional needs frequently take a backseat to those of the executives and teams we... Read more »
Personal Development
Issue: September / October 2013

Why Be a Star Achiever?

By - September 25, 2013

For 22 years, I have been teaching administrative professionals from all walks of life to embrace a Philosophy called the Star Achievement® Philosophy “For 22 years, I have been teaching administrative professionals from all walks of life to embrace a Philosophy called the Star Achievement® Philosophy. This Philosophy says: “You have the potential to be... Read more »
Leadership
Issue: September / October 2013

23 Secrets to Cutting Your Business Travel Costs

By - September 25, 2013

If you’ve never been properly walked through the benefits of professionally managed travel, your business is at a major disadvantage. Expert business travel management can open up a world of savings and efficiencies for your organisation. While there are many cost reduction strategies which can be applied to an organisation’s travel programme, for businesses with... Read more »
Health & Wellbeing
Issue: September / October 2013

Mental Health: No Longer Just a State of Mind

By - September 25, 2013

The words “mental health” even today, and despite increased awareness programmes, still carry with them a degree of stigma. I was reading an article yesterday about a new book on this very topic by the American comedienne, Ruby Wax, who made a career in the UK on the alternative comedy scene. She writes about her... Read more »
Career Development
Issue: September / October 2013

Help! Over 40 and Looking for Work!

By - September 25, 2013

Employers have a responsibility to hire the most qualified person for any given vacancy. Employers are not allowed to discriminate on age. That said, although they are never likely to admit it, many do. Consider this though, covert age discrimination can work both ways. In other words you may stand a better chance of getting... Read more »
Career Development
Issue: September / October 2013

Smart Job-Seeking: How to Get the Most Out of Working with a Recruiter

By - September 25, 2013

You’ve started a job search, and you’re not finding many positions that look right for you. You’ve contacted your network and applied for a handful of openings, but nothing has worked out so far. Before you get even more frustrated, you might want to consider calling a recruiter. With all the resources online for job... Read more »
Opinion
Issue: September / October 2013

Corporate Art and its Role

By - September 25, 2013

With hundreds, if not thousands, of companies building a personal gallery for the office, it seems businesses are becoming a modern day Medici to the art world. Banks, call centres and law firms are furnished with paintings nowadays, yet corporate art has become so much more than just a conversation starter at the water cooler.... Read more »
Leadership
Issue: September / October 2013

Five Ways to Lift Your Leader

By - September 25, 2013

“When you lift your leader you are growing as a leader” says Doug Dickerson. “In his book The 360° Leader, John Maxwell shares a story about President Harry S Truman speaking at the National War College. In the speech, Truman said, “You know, it’s easy for the Monday morning quarterback to say what the coach... Read more »
Communication
Issue: September / October 2013

Perfekt Prufreeding

By - September 25, 2013

Proofreading is an art as well as a skill. Although there are some basic rules, personal preference can play a large part in making decisions about the accuracy of a document. Why is it important? Well, as for business writing skills in general, you want to give a good image of yourself and your organisation,... Read more »
Technology
Issue: September / October 2013

An Introduction to Instagram

By - September 25, 2013

Alicia Rittenhouse looks at how you can use Instagram within your business to build its brand. Social media and networking doesn’t have to be all about status updates and sharing links. After all – it is called social media. Think of how you can creatively engage with your friends and followers through images and video.... Read more »
Profiles
Issue: September / October 2013

PROFILE – Victoria Darragh

By - September 25, 2013

An award-winning EA in her own right as well as founder of the visionary and award-winning Hays PA Network, and the biggest conference currently in the UK, Executive Secretary went to find out what makes Victoria Darragh tick. Can we start with a little background information? Where are you from and what is your current... Read more »
Technology
Issue: September / October 2013

Email Security

By - September 25, 2013

Dr Monica Seeley’s top tips on creating and maintaining email security As an Assistant you are often privy to highly confidential information. Yet email is one of the easiest ways to leak information quite by accident. Five common ways to breach security and confidentiality through email are: 1 Sending an email to the wrong addressee... Read more »
Communication
Issue: September / October 2013

The Dreaded Acronym – Beware Confusion

By - September 25, 2013

Have you ever had one of those days when just about everything you touched or came to your attention was bigger, more complicated, more difficult than it, at first, appeared? Someone asks an innocent question or an email arrives and your first answer needs qualifying in some way and then that answer triggers another train... Read more »
Personal Development
Issue: September / October 2013

In Cruise Control, Stalling or Coasting Out of Gear?

By - September 25, 2013

Being the driving force behind a business or individual, facing a multitude of responsibilities and adapting to situations to suit the needs of a business is a common element of most EA and PA roles. Yet no two people are the same… it’s a crazy thought when you really begin to dissect the characteristics of... Read more »