In an era where technology and workplace expectations are rapidly evolving, career empowerment has never been more essential. Especially for executive and personal assistants navigating increasingly strategic roles. To explore how professionals can strengthen their personal brand and stay ahead of change, we spoke with Jasmine Escalera, Career Expert at LiveCareer. Jasmine shares her insights on how EAs and PAs can leverage LiveCareer’s tools to elevate their careers, embrace AI, and position themselves as indispensable partners in their organisations’ success.
LiveCareer champions career empowerment. How can EAs and PAs use your tools to strengthen their professional profile?
LiveCareer, a trusted online resume builder, is committed to empowering professionals in every stage of their career journey. Executive and personal assistants can take advantage of LiveCareer’s tools to strengthen their professional brands and showcase their skills and experience. LiveCareer’s resume builder and cover letter support features expert-designed templates that make it easy to create standout materials that reflect your unique brand and career story. Beyond tools, LiveCareer also offers career advice, articles, and insights that help professionals navigate the evolving world of work, including embracing AI, building new skill sets, and prioritising well-being. These resources help EAs and PAs take ownership of their career growth and continue advancing in their field with confidence.
Confidence and visibility are crucial in the assistant role. What advice do you have for PAs looking to position themselves as strategic partners, not just support staff?
For EAs and PAs who want to be seen as strategic partners, it is not just about doing a great job at their day-to-day tasks, but understanding the bigger picture in terms of the company’s growth and mission. By learning what their manager, team, and company are prioritising to drive growth and innovation, EAs and PAs can look for ways to align their work with those goals. This can start with a conversation with their manager to ask about the company’s top strategic priorities and exploring how they can actively support them. From there, EAs and PAs can identify opportunities to take on new projects, collaborate across teams, and demonstrate their initiative and value. When you consistently connect your work to the company’s goals, you position yourself not just as support staff, but a true partner in its success.
What sets LiveCareer apart from other career platforms, particularly for those working in dynamic support roles?
Whether it’s building a strong resume and cover letter or obtaining expert advice on professional growth, LiveCareer can support employees in any role or industry. We help today’s professionals stay on-top of workplace trends so they can learn, grow, and lead their careers feeling empowered.
How do you see the assistant profession evolving, and how can your resources help them stay ahead?
The assistant profession, like many careers, is evolving rapidly with the implementation of AI. For EAs and PAs, it’s essential to understand how AI is being used in their roles, particularly for repetitive or automated tasks, and to focus on developing skills that complement the use of these tools. One way to do this is by having conversations with colleagues or peers to learn how AI is being implemented in their field, and what skills are becoming increasingly more valuable. Once these skills are identified, tools like LiveCareer, can help assistants build a professional brand that reflects their growth, including updating their resume to showcase expertise that align with AI. By being proactive in learning and adapting, assistants can position themselves as versatile professionals within any organisation.
Career growth often means stepping into new challenges. What tips would you share with PAs and EAs who want to build resilience and adaptability?
EAs and PAs can build resilience and adaptability by having a mindset of continuous learning. This means seeking out new projects, asking questions about how the company is evolving, and finding ways to align their work with their team’s and the company’s overall goals. Doing so helps any EA and PA build a professional portfolio that demonstrates growth and evolution, key indicators of resilience and adaptability. Building strong professional relationships and networking both within and outside of their organisation can also provide support when navigating challenges in their career. Lastly, reflecting on each experience to understand what worked, what didn’t, and lessons learned allows assistants to push their careers forward. Over time, these approaches will help EAs and PAs thrive in their current and future roles.
Finally, what’s the biggest mistake you see professionals make when it comes to personal branding — and how can assistants avoid it?
One of the biggest mistakes professionals make with personal branding is treating it as a one-time task to complete when they’re job searching, rather than letting their brand evolve as they go. For assistants, this means keeping their resume and professional profiles up to date with new skills, accomplishments, and experiences. It also means being intentional about how you show up in meetings, which projects or tasks to take on that align with their goals, and prioritising connections and networking. Regularly updating their brand helps professionals understand their worth and value, while keeping them ready for new opportunities as they arise.
Find out more on how PAs can leverage LiveCareer’s tools here.
Check out PA Life’s Career News here for similar articles.
