In a brutal job market, EA Flo Schwab turned overwhelm into opportunity and carved a path to her dream role by embracing new skills, owning her value, and showing up authentically online
My job-hunting journey began in August 2024, right in the middle of continued redundancies happening across every sector. I wasn’t the only Executive Assistant in the market; I was one of many – too many for the number of available jobs.
Like everyone else, I had contacted all recruiters I could think of, and I was shocked by the increase in expectations from the companies listing roles. Previously, meeting four out of five requirements would secure me a spot in the final pool of candidates moving to an interview, but now companies were demanding a much wider array of skills and experience, and I was put on the side if I was missing one tick box of the requirements. It was no longer enough to be great at the core skills of an EA; I also had to have experience across every sector and demonstrate skills in areas not previously included in the Executive Assistant job description.
I decided to get as much training as I could to expand my skillset. But it still wasn’t enough. There were just too many candidates, and my application got lost among hundreds.
When Traditional Applications Stop Working
For my own sanity, I needed to take a different approach to my job search journey; it was a long shot, but it worked.
I was on LinkedIn, my main job board, day and night, realising there weren’t enough EA roles out there. I had already applied for all the roles I was interested in, and the skills expected varied – Digital, AI, Organisation, Strategy. At this point, I was doing a lot of training, and my to-do list for new training was growing and growing. I felt as if I were entirely underwater.
The worst was that while I was polishing a job application, my inbox would fill up with automated rejection emails from recruiters. And these automated emails contained no feedback, no empathy, and, in short, were a nightmare to read. Recruitment is done behind screens, AI, ATS, automation, and each one felt like the recruiter was saying, “Why send feedback to a candidate? They are not human!”
I couldn’t read any more letters starting with “After consideration…” or “Unfortunately…”; I just didn’t know what I could do to continue my search and find a job.
I started looking for a job outside London, even though I wasn’t ready to move somewhere else – why not? My options felt so limited.
Reclaiming Confidence and Owning Your Value
But I really wasn’t ready to move, so I had to make a different choice: find a way to be proud of what I offer – my skills and expertise – and get it out into the world!
I had the chance to have a call with a recruiter who took the time to listen to my story – they helped me see that I have more to offer than I thought. I just needed to find a way to communicate this.
I started by refining my CV, making adjustments to how I presented my past work experience to better reflect what I wanted to be next and what I wanted to do in my role.
A Time to be Excited
I decided it’s actually an exciting time to really understand your value, take the leap into AI, and embrace being the strategic partner executives are looking for. We all see posts and trends pushing EAs to embrace AI, take a seat at the table, and help make decisions.
And so I began posting on LinkedIn, building my personal brand, and developing my tone of voice. This helped me stay positive and feel like I was doing something. By sharing my frustrations, my ups and downs, I slowly started to show what I can offer. I was creating my own job description that matched my skillset and my expertise.
Like a new brand launching into the world, I was doing my own marketing.
Creating Structure to Protect Wellbeing
To stay positive and optimistic, I created a daily routine. Waking up early, going to the gym. I wasn’t sending applications 24/7 anymore. Like getting ready for work, I continued to dress up and do a bit of make-up every day. I always stayed professional for interviews: dress up, show up! I took the time to reassess what role and executive I wanted, using my LinkedIn to promote myself and be visible (my family and friends are fed up with the number of posts!). To avoid burning out, I created my own work-life balance, because yes, looking for a new role is a full-time job!
Finding Strength in Community
I am part of many different EA communities: Executive Support Network, Pally Talk, Strategic PA, and The Assistant Room. I attended as many networking events as I could to connect with fellow EAs, get out of my four walls, and socialise. The best part of all these professional groups is that you are making friends who can share tips, offer job opportunities, or give you the push you need to keep going. Joining webinars helped me streamline my days between application and training. LinkedIn learning is my go-to platform.
Embracing AI and Continuous Learning
I finally created time to play with all the AI tools. You can learn about AI almost everywhere. I’m now using ChatGPT almost daily. As a pro EA, I had my planner with all applications sent and follow-ups, and my little trick: sending a monthly email to all the recruiters I worked with to remind them I’m here!
Even if it has been a long journey with more downs than ups, what kept me showing up were the personal messages from recruiters and other EAs. The job market is tough, and it’s so nice to see we are not alone and to receive encouragement from recruiters and peers.
Celebrating Small Wins to Sustain Momentum
A small win is still a win: going to an interview, getting positive feedback – even if it’s still in a rejection email. And I did celebrate all the small victories, being proud of my polished CV, another section on my LinkedIn profile filled, and a new connection made.
Understanding the Power—and Limits—of Positivity
Being and staying positive is key in the job hunt, but don’t try to be positive for the sake of being positive; you won’t last. Accept that it’s okay to be demotivated from time to time; you will be optimistic tomorrow, so if you want to stay in bed today, that’s totally fine.
I did try to be positive at all times, but realised that this effort was consuming all my energy and actually had no outcome. It was just ‘good vibes only’.
In this world of AI and digital, taking time to understand the spectrum of human emotions will make you stand out and show your true personality in each interview, email, and application.
Turning Setbacks Into Opportunities for Growth
Being optimistic means seeing that every action and word can lead to a positive outcome. For example, if during an interview you’ve been asked about a specific skill and you are not sure about this, just stop, breathe, and check your expertise; maybe you just need a change in your storytelling, or you just need to learn a new skill. And I’m a true believer that learning is a personal accomplishment that can showcase your adaptability and curiosity for your next role.
I kept in mind that I was looking not just for a new role but for one where I could make a difference – and, more importantly, work for the executive who would make me grab the moon and touch the stars.
Staying True to Your Worth in a Tough Market
Of course, landing a job is critical financially. But I did not consider roles within my salary expectations, or a more junior role – I know what I’m capable of and my worth. This was my own choice and required me to be resilient and consistent. Consistent in how I showed up at every network event, consistent on my LinkedIn, which is the visual of my CV. And it worked: my actual executive accepted my request to meet after seeing my LinkedIn profile, and it’s a match!
During this tough time, I grew my network, my skills, and my expertise. It wasn’t just about landing a job anymore; it was about finding the perfect role and executive. The relationship with your executive is crucial, and for me, this is how I know I have found the right role. I was looking for my unicorn to be the successful Executive Assistant I want to be.
In this job hunt, I was my own boss, getting skilled, knowing my worth, refining my role. I got better and better at interviews, understanding my speech and story and how they would be remembered.
Resilience is not a bad word, and it shows leaders what I bring to the mix. It was the change in my mindset that needed to happen, and its power lies in the optimism it brings.
Owning Your Story and Steering Your Career Forward
Don’t feel hopeless; the market is tough, but it will shift again. Be yourself; your beliefs will shape your behaviour at work. Stay positive with no toxicity – your turn will come! It took me a year to find the perfect business partner in crime; yours is around the corner.
Resilience isn’t about bouncing back; it’s about growing forward, showing you can shift your ways of working within an evolving workplace. It may not be easy, but by controlling your energy, you control the outcome.
Remember – you are in control of your story, and you are the only one who knows where you want to be. Treat this job search like the project that matters most: you! Because you matter and you are worth it.
Find your voice. Find your journey.
Own your voice. Own your journey.
