Over the past year, we’ve seen a rise in professionals exploring a career change into PA (Personal Assistant) and EA (Executive Assistant) roles. At Lily Shippen, it’s something we’re asked about almost weekly. Many people want to know how to break into this competitive field without prior experience. [...]
The way we work is shifting once again. After several years of hybrid and remote models, 2025 has brought a clearer direction. Many employers are now expecting staff in the office four days a week. This approach is widely referred to as RTW4 (Return to Work Four Days a Week). [...]
In 2025, many businesses still underestimate the strategic value of hiring the right business support professionals. These individuals play a critical role in streamlining operations, maintaining company culture and supporting senior leadership, yet recruitment for these roles is often treated as an afterthought. The result is a hiring process that [...]
Spotlight On: Bristol’s Business Support Market […]
In today’s evolving business landscape, the need for high-quality executive support remains constant, but how that support is delivered is changing. One of the most common questions founders and senior leaders ask us is whether to hire a Virtual Assistant or an in-house Executive Assistant. […]
For those of you who do not know, I set up Lily Shippen in 2016 when I was 22 years old, after working for a global recruitment firm in London on the secretarial and support desk. I feel incredibly lucky to have landed that role, as it taught me so [...]
In 2025, the role of the Executive Assistant has evolved significantly and for good reason. No longer just exceptional administrators, today’s EAs are true strategic business partners. […]
South-West London is a fantastic place to build a career in business support. With a mix of start-ups, growing SMEs, and well-established businesses, it offers a steady stream of opportunities for those looking to step into Team Assistant and Personal Assistant roles. […]
When I embarked on my career as a Legal PA in 1991, the workplace looked vastly different from what it does today. Computers were in their infancy, and the tools I relied on were a typewriter and a hefty amount of manual organisation. Back then, the idea of machines assisting [...]
In 2024, I highlighted a major issue on my LinkedIn with the National Careers Service’s (NCS) website. Their salary guidance for Personal Assistants was outdated and significantly undervalued the profession. At the time, they listed the average salary for a PA as between £18,000 to £35,000 per annum, a figure [...]
