I have been an executive assistant for over 30 years. I recently left my job after 29 years at the same company in the financial industry. For the past two years, I have worked in the health sector. I wanted a new challenge. We shouldn’t stay in our comfort zones when we feel the need to expand our horizons. You have to want to take the next step, and not be afraid of the unknown.

I love the profession of assistant for its complexity but also for its ease. It is an inspiring job that allows us to grow every day. You might think it is a routine job, but it isn’t. One minute everything is calm, and the next it is chaos. Routine is rare, and even though some tasks are repetitive, there is no such thing as a typical day.

The lack of future assistants made me want to get involved in the mentoring program. People are reluctant to get into this profession because it is not well known. However, being the assistant to a CEO is a prestigious job, in my opinion. It’s a great career. Nowadays, the assistant to the CEO does more than serve coffee and greet visitors. She is an integral part of the management team. She is the leader’s right hand and an important member of the team. She has access to privileged information and is trusted by her peers because she is known for her ability to keep confidences.

I graduated with honors from the English professional program at Academie Sainte-Anne de Montréal, and I have over 25 years of experience with high-level management, at a regional, national, and international levels. Perfectly bilingual, I am recognized for my leadership, drive, and efficiency, as well as my perseverance and tenacity. Along the years, I developed a great sense of workload management, and also event planning/management.

As of January 2019, I am an Executive Assistant at Groupe Robert Inc. I work closely with the management team, mainly for the President, the Vice-President, HR and Vice-President, finance. With this title, I am involved in board meetings to ensure proiper support to those three executives. I also supervise the 2 receptionists that work with us. It is a family-owned company with more than 3200 employees spread throughout close to 30 terminuses in Quebec, Ontario and Alberta. I also act as the translator from French to English, and I revise textx before their publication, internally or externally. Furthermore, since August 2019, I am the secretary for the board of directors and their meetings (HR, audit and innovation-automation). I would like to participate in the mentorship program to share my experience acquired throughout my career, and possibly guide the mentee to avoid certain traps that can sometimes occur in this type of job.

My administrative career began at the Mount-Sutton ski resort within the customer service team. As things went on, I was offered the position of Assistant to the Director of exploitation at Ski Bromont. Following this wonderful experience, I decided to take a chance and move towards downtown Montréal, where I joined Osisko Mining as the Assistant to the COO, and a few years later moved to Deloitte as an Executive Assistant. Another notably wonderful experience was with the Caisse de Depots et Placements du Quebec as an Assistant to the Vice-President, Quebec. 

I have been in the HR world for about a year now, and I am realizing how passionate I still am with my profession, and how stimulating it is to be the right arm to a high-level executive. Each day is full of surprises and challenges. 

Having the opportunity to be part of the indispensable Mentorship Program means that I get to share my knowledge, my experience, and to accompany tomorrow’s Assistants in this beautiful adventure. 

After earning a bachelor’s degree in education, my first role was unsurprisingly in the educational field as a teacher. I also worked concurrently as a translator and Assistant for diplomatic mission leaders and multinational companies, a path that gradually led me to reflect on my vocation.

After a few years, I developed an interest in administration. I had started working as a translator-interpreter for a mission leader with an administrative component. This confirmed my passion for diversified work and challenges, and since then, I’ve been happy with the vocation I’ve chosen, which allows me to work with fantastic teams and continually learn new technical and human approaches.

In my humble opinion, relational assets are as important as technical aspects and remain the secret strength of a team. Also, working in the diplomatic field, in particular, has given me the opportunity to participate in high-level projects and meet incredibly inspiring people who have taught me, among other things, that trust, rigor, and confidentiality are non-negotiable criteria!

Another stint in the Quebec business environment gave me the chance to work closely with leaders who cared not only about business development but also the development and well-being of their own employees. I learned that the trust our managers place in us is the secret to our success, and therefore theirs.

Since 2022, I have been working in the public transportation sector, and I am very happy to take on challenges in an environment whose values are oriented towards the well-being of its users. Being a user of the service myself, what an honor to contribute to the happiness of my community!

All my past experiences have shaped the person I am today, who has gladly accepted to share her experience with others who have chosen this same type of employment.

I would like to thank the team at L’Indispensable for giving me the opportunity to participate in the 2024 Mentorship Program.

After studying secretariat, my first job was a junior Assistant position where I developed my adaptability, which still serves me to this day. Since then, and by choice, various administrative and executive Assistant roles one after the other, instilling this passion in me. With my experience, great communication skills, and beautiful new relationships, I can describe my path as being interesting and instructive.

Being someone with strong human values and loving diversity of tasks, the role of Assistant always fascinated me and still does to this day. No two days are the same, we are at the centre of action, we have a certain influence and impact on decisions, we’re fortunate to meet so many people, we’re involved in special projects, and we are lucky to harness our creativity. How wonderful!

Life put on my path inspiring, generous and devoted people who guided me along my career, without ever casting judgment. Now that I am well equipped, it is my turn to offer my experience and knowledge to this new dynamic and passionate generation.

This wonderful adventure started in the late 80s, right after I welcomed my first daughter.  From then on, I had to learn to juggle and organize these two very important aspects of my life. I was an
Assistant by day, and a mom by night. At this point, I understood the Importance of being structured and most of all organized. In no way was I going to neglect one or the other, because my career and my role as a mother work hand in hand. 

I was lucky to be able to evolve, learn, and accomplish my goals with great companies, while also focusing on my role as a mother to my four daughters. Was it easy? Not in the slightest!! There were so many times when I felt discouraged. My secret was to surround myself with a great network of people, to understand my priorities, and to listen to myself. Sometimes, I get asked how many years I have left until retirement, but for now that is not in my plans as I still have so much pleasure working, and I have so many more things to do in my current position. 

I would love to be able to share this passion I’ve had for more than 30 years and help those who will take over after us!! 

Since May 2022, I have held the position of Executive Assistant at BRP, a global leader in the manufacturing of recreational vehicles. In this role, I support the Vice President of the Global Customer Digital Experience team and her three directors, in a dynamic, stimulating, and demanding work environment.

As an Assistant, I am the gatekeeper of time, as no appointments can be confirmed without going through me. I am also a logistics wizard when it comes to planning and organizing corporate events, as one must anticipate everything, even the unexpected. During corporate events, the Assistant must ensure that all participants’ needs are taken into account, from venue setup to meal preparation, and especially when information is communicated before, during, and after the event. Nothing can be left to chance.

On a daily basis, I also serve as a key point of contact for resolving administrative issues related to meeting follow-ups, the use of office equipment and supplies, as well as the onboarding of new employees.

Over the course of my extensive career, spanning more than three decades, I have held various positions within large corporations like Alcan and Astral Media (Canal Indigo). Between 1990 and 2006, I climbed the ranks, starting as an administrative assistant, then coordinator, and eventually becoming the General Manager of the Société de développement du boulevard Saint-Laurent in 2006. In 2008, after establishing a large network of contacts, I started my own business, offering customized administrative support and project management services to business owners with 40 employees or fewer, to help them lighten their workload and achieve their performance goals more quickly. In 2022, after 14 years of being self-employed, I chose to become an employee again and took on the role of Assistant on a permanent basis.

For my close ones, I have always been the one they turned to for writing an important document, securing an impossible appointment, organizing meals, bachelorette parties, and even starting a business. And I loved it.

So it was only natural that I was drawn to the profession of Assistant.

After obtaining my degree in France, I first landed positions as an administrative or commercial Assistant. Until the day an employer gave me a chance as an Executive Assistant.

This first experience as an Assistant would be my springboard to a career of nearly 10 years with top executives in various and diverse industries.

Settled in Canada since 2016, I discovered a whole new dimension here. I admire the Quebecois professional culture, and Montreal is a fantastic playground for an Assistant.

What I love about my role is the diversity of tasks and projects entrusted to me. It’s being able to assist my leader so that he can focus on what is essential to him and become the best version of himself.

I am fortunate to be able to say that my profession is my nature expressing itself! And now I would like to help another Assistant flourish in their role, and perhaps add a new enthusiast to our small world. How? By sharing my tools, techniques, experiences with them for an entire year.

I started my career as a secretary in the early ‘90s, a position I held for about 12 years. My career path then led me to sales as a major account representative, where I stayed for a little over 10 years. Making the most of my secretarial experience, the company’s president gradually delegated all the administrative tasks supporting the sales team to me, while I continued to carry out my role as a representative. Over the years, I realized that being an administrative assistant was my passion.

Seven years ago, I left the company and my work as an account representative. Ever since, I have been working as assistant to the CEO, the president and the two vice presidents in the construction division.

Today, I want to pass on my knowledge and expertise to the next generation and help them discover the wonderful profession of executive assistant.

It was in July 2000, at CEA Inc. that I got my first look at the career: I was given my first chance! There, I learned the rudiments and created my own position of Executive Assistant. I continued this adventure at Cirque du Soleil, and I am now employed at Sagard since May 2020.

On top of the administrative aspect, the wide scope of the position makes it fascinating to me because it requires a perfect balance between relationships, strategy, and technique.

When you combine a motivating environment, with high growth, an inclusive team and bosses work together: the sky is the limit!

There is no small task, I seize every opportunity with a positive attitude, add my personality into it and create a lever effect for my colleagues. I relive this experience every day and never take anything for granted.

I am proud to be in this pivotal role and taking care of my career. Having the opportunity to bring to the light other Assistants through the mentorship program is an accomplishment and enriching challenge.

At 15, I already dreamed of an office in a tower with a view of downtown Montreal. That’s what I wanted, my symbol of success! I got it at 31. Then my goals have changed a lot over the last 25 years because now, working from home, I would rather have a view of a lake!

I have always loved French, so for me, the role of an Assistant was an obvious choice for my career.

I started with a clerk position for eight years only to realize that I wanted more responsibilities. Having no idea of the definition of classes 1 to 4 in the health network, I decided to apply for an executive secretary class 1 position only to realize that it was the highest level… okay let’s go!

Fortunately, I had the chance to have an extraordinary manager for several wonderful years where I learned everything about this job with him, and it was a revelation… I loved this profession! I will always remember our laughter during meetings in front of all our directors!

Then I left for a similar position at the accommodation management for six beautiful long years. Again, two very human managers. I learned a lot from them and what dignity could be among the elderly. I also learned humility and devotion.

I then obtained a position as an administrative technician in a CISSS. I was so proud. A position where I learned a lot and another beautiful lesson in humility.

After a few years, I was approached for a position in politics and decided to make the leap! Assistant to the Cabinet. My first managerial position where I got a taste for the municipal field, and since then, for the past six years, I still work in this wonderful field. I still have the chance today to have a very human manager and to be able to work in a hybrid mode, which gives me a beautiful balance between work and family life. A lot of responsibilities but also a good quality of life.

After climbing the ranks step by step, for me, career success is above all about staying humble, respectful, and helpful towards everyone. For me, that’s success. It’s very rewarding to climb, but you must make sure you don’t end up alone at the top.

When you leave an organization or towards retirement, people will mostly remember your human side: your generosity, your humility, your desire to bring out the best in each of them, and especially your kindness. That’s what people will remember about you.

So choose a job where you will continue to smile and surpass yourself. A place where you’ll want to get up in the morning to go to work. A place where you will be respected and recognized at your fair value. We all deserve it, and my role as a mentor will be to provide you with all the necessary support to choose you and especially to respect you in your professional and personal goals. I wish you all a beautiful career that meets your expectations!

After 4 years working for another company as an Executive Assistant, I have been back at Kinova for the past year. I am currently assisting the CEO/Co-founder in his professional tasks. These vary between managing complex calendars, organizing internal communications, and preparing international travel logistics. I have been in the field of administration for nine years, and all my jobs total 12 years of experience as a coordinator between various departments. Despite never having studied in the field, I believe I am a high-caliber Assistant thanks to my hands-on experience. I believe I have the prescribed personality to perform in this role. In the long term, I see myself always as the right-hand man or woman to a corporate visionary. No matter what the title will be, I want to continually deepen my knowledge to better support my managers.

In the past, my former employer had offered me mentorship with an experienced executive assistant. The experience was very enriching, and I would love to reproduce this mentor/mentee relationship. Moreover, I believe I am now ready for the challenge of being a mentor versus being mentored.

In my opinion, the profession of an Assistant is not learned in school. Expanding one’s knowledge base with the help of an Assistant who has a different profile from mine is probably the best way to learn. That’s why I am submitting my application to be a mentor in your 2024 cohort. Creating better presentations, developing stress management techniques, and learning how to organize a unique event are just a few examples of topics on which I would like to exchange with a mentee.

Finally, I am sure that I would be an excellent teacher, and who knows, perhaps through the exchanges both parties will learn something new about the profession!