Please introduce yourself.
Hello, I’m Karlie Lewis. I am currently an EA at LinkedIn Australia. I have been an EA for 8 years (where has the time gone?!)
What has been your EA career highlight thus far?
Starting my role at LinkedIn. LinkedIn is a huge global brand and it is rare to find someone who doesn’t know what LinkedIn is.
I have used LinkedIn for many years so it was really exciting for me to work at such a great company and see all the amazing work the team do outside of their everyday roles. It is extremely inspiring!
How does your role at Linkedin differ from your previous role with Warner Bros?
My role at LinkedIn gives me more of an opportunity to get involved with numerous other aspects of the business as a whole. I think this is really important to give a better understanding of the company you are working for. As an EA, part of your job is knowing what is happening around you and being well informed to then be able to feed that to your manager so they are then on top of everything happening.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received?
The best piece of advice I have received is that ‘this is an important role, but you are not conducting brain surgery’. I feel all EAs should take this advice on. We are human, we can really beat ourselves up at times for any mistakes we make. I have certainly made mistakes throughout the years whether it be technical problems for a presentation, forgetting to put a meeting in the diary, etc. You make mistakes and you learn from them.
What skills do you possess that you believe are crucial to your EA role?
Time management and multitasking! They are both key to being a successful EA. I spend up to 30 minutes at the start of each day to plan out my day and write my to-do list. This helps me so much to manage my time. You have to prioritise your jobs and also ensure you are using your time to the best of your ability. While saying this, not any two days are ever the same in an EA life. You get thrown curveballs daily, it is important to juggle and adapt!
What is the one thing you can not do without in your job?
My notebook. It is like my bible. I write absolutely everything in my notebook. There is my to-do list in there and just daily notes I make usually while I am having Zoom calls through the day.
What’s your EA superpower?
Diary management. If you are an EA, I don’t need to say anymore!!
What advice would you give other EAs thinking about changing companies/employers?
I think if you feel it is the right fit for you professionally, go for it! I absolutely loved my role at Warner Bros, it was a difficult decision to leave as I loved who I worked for and who I was surrounded by, although my move to LinkedIn was the best (and scariest!) decision I have made. Follow your gut and remember if it scares you and excites you at the same time, you’re on the right track! Do it!
What are your top tips for keeping your Linkedin profile up to date and job-ready?
I find it really helpful to put my most recent roles and responsibilities in a Word document, this way you can ensure to spell check and fix any grammar before you publish this on your LinkedIn profile. Also, make it a habit to check your LinkedIn profile every day. Spend 5 minutes on there daily networking with other EA’s or looking at jobs – whatever you wish!