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Job Search Tips for Executive Assistants

In this video, Alicia Fairclough, Founder of EA How To, is talking about job searching tips for Executive and Personal Assistants. 

There are 10 tips to go through. 

Tip number one is to have your LinkedIn profile in excellent shape. At a minimum you need to:

  • Actually be on LinkedIn - Why? Because more often than not, your LinkedIn profile is being used as your CV whether you know it or not. Privacy policies can prohibit the sharing of personal information, including CV’s, but this doesn’t apply to your LinkedIn profile. You want to make yourself as visible as possible and this is the place to start. Recruiters are always searching LinkedIn for the perfect candidate. They can’t find you if you’re not there. 
  • Next, you need to have an appropriate profile picture for the kind of role you are seeking
  • Have a banner image 
  • Make sure your job title is clear  
  • You need a keyword optimised personal summary 
  • And you need an accurate employment and education history 

Tip number 2… Have a Word and PDF copy of your CV up to date and ready to send.

Tip number 3… Create a job seeker tracker. I say create but I’ve actually included a link to a template I made for you in the video description so you can use that. This tracker is going to help you keep track of all of your applications and your progress. It’s important to make sure you’re being efficient and to make sure when you get a call, you’re not confused by which role the person is talking about. It also makes it super easy to follow up after you’ve applied. And yes… You should be following up.  Click here for the tracker. 

Tip number 4… Make a list of recruiters for your location and industry. You’re going to add all of the recruiters to your tracker and you’re going to set up meetings with them. Do not just email them and hope to hear back. Pick up the phone and build a relationship. Ideally, set up a meeting so they can see how spectacular you are and then, most importantly, stay in touch. This isn’t a set it and forget it situation. You want to be at the front of the recruiters mind when they come across a brilliant role they need to fill. If they host events. Attend them. 

Tip number 5… Work Your Network 

Don’t wait until you need a network to build a network. Reach out to your previous employers and managers and ask if they know of any opportunities. Attend functions, training sessions… make an effort to get out and speak to people. Build relationships.    

6… Apply on LinkedIn but don’t put all your eggs in the LinkedIn basket 

Yes of course people get jobs they apply for on LinkedIn but…

You’re often 1 of hundreds, sometimes thousands of applicants. There are also some recruiters who post jobs that don’t exist, just to get you to register with them.

Look and apply via LinkedIn and other job sites but don’t do a 1 click application. times it by 50 and think you don’t need to register with recruiters. 

Tip number 7… Have a basic cover letter template

And adapt it to each job. It’s easy to get lazy with the cover letter but it is one of your few chances to show your personality and explain who you are and what you’re looking for.   

Tip number 8… Attend networking events

People help and hire people they know and like. It’s that simple. If no one knows about you, no one can recommend you or put you in touch with their contacts. 

Tip number 9 is often easier said than done but please stay positive.

I know this is hard. I’ve been there. You will go through phases of feeling defeated and maybe worse. But you keep going because you have to. And you will succeed. It may take time and you may need to kiss a lot of frogs but it will happen for you. 

And finally, tip number 10… Be engaged.

Get involved in conversations on LinkedIn. Get involved in your local and virtual networking groups. Be an engaged member of your community and make sure you’re visible. You want people to immediately think about you when they come across an opportunity. 

I’m often contacted regarding EA roles because of the size of my network and the EA How To community. When these opportunities come up, I immediately think of the people who are helpful in the group. The people who are active with posting and commenting and attending events.

Because I come across job opportunities every so often, I’ve created a sign up page where you can register for job alerts. This is free and it is separate from the normal EA How To Mailing list. It is a global list because we’re a global community so if you’re looking for an EA, PA or VA position, please do register and if I have an opportunity I think you want to hear about, I’ll get in touch.

You can sign up for job notifications by clicking here.

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