What In-House EAs Can Learn from the Virtual Assistant Model
What In-House EAs Can Learn from the Virtual Assistant Model […]
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I was sat soaking up the expectant chatter, just observing. A room full of Executive and Personal Assistants, and I felt it. As I always do. That unspoken buzz, part admiration, part quiet self-check. A mix of competition, sharp minds, big energy, calm confidence, and that little voice in the back of your head wondering: [...]
Can You Really Have It All?
Can You Really Have It All? […]
How To Become a Private PA in 2025
Our original blog, How To Become a Private PA, published in 2020, remains one of the most-read articles on the Lily Shippen website. It continues to attract readers looking for practical advice on how to build a successful Private Personal Assistant (PA) career. As the demand for Private PAs increases, we have updated our advice [...]
Changing Careers to Become a PA or EA: What You Need to Know
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 Evolution of a Legal PA: From Typewriters to AI
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 with complex tasks or making [...]
Pushing For Change: The NCS Revises EA & PA Salary Data
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 Their salary guidance for Personal Assistants was outdated and significantly undervalued the profession.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 that simply did not reflect [...]
Hiring a Chief of Staff vs an EA: Key Differences Explained by an Expert Recruitment Consultancy
The role of a Chief of Staff has become increasingly prominent in businesses of all sizes, from innovative start-ups to global corporations. Despite its growing importance, the position is often misunderstood, with many unclear on what a Chief of Staff truly does. This misunderstanding is compounded by common misconceptions that frequently blur the lines between [...]
Even Executive Assistants Need Their Village
A Couple lines About Me […]
From Midwifery to PA: Embracing the Power of Transferable Skills
Six years ago, I qualified as a midwife. I soon after found myself feeling unfulfilled due to the constraints of the system I was working within. This led to anxiety, burn out and eventually, I decided to leave Midwifery. This was an extremely difficult decision and I worried about how others would perceive me. My [...]
