The secretaries are back, thanks arguably to the hit US television drama Mad Men, which revolves around a New York advertising agency in the 1960s replete with the period's misogyny and political incorrectness.
Actually, the secretaries have never left. They have evolved with the corporate world and have become - in one guise or another - even more crucial to the operations of the modern markets, acting like unsung heroines and angels of the boardrooms.
Hence, a little reward may be long overdue. 'The 'Hong Kong Page Personnel EA of the Year Award' is an opportunity for all executive assistants (EA), personal assistants (PA) and secretaries in Hong Kong to be recognised and rewarded for the great job they do,' Chris Aukland, regional director of Page Personnel in Hong Kong, said at the launch of the award on April 25, which co-incided with Secretary Day.
The search aims to find the best of the best, with the winner receiving a HK$30,000 'holiday of a lifetime'. Application for the contest, based on a Facebook competition, closes on June 15 and the winner will be announced at an awards ceremony in July.
In a way, the award pays homage to the ideal qualities of the best secretaries, EAs and PAs: excellent organisation and communication skills, outstanding time and project management skills, initiative, honesty and discretion, and an ability to cope - and even excel - under pressure.
But how do secretaries view their work, and what is required of them? 'The three Cs - be careful, be considerate and have good communications skills,' says Jessie Lau, a secretary at Linklaters.
'Prioritise tasks, be flexible and helpful, and it is hugely helpful if you can speak foreign languages fluently. Nowadays, in our globalised world, knowing one or more foreign languages - such as Korean, Japanese or French - is a great asset in this line of work,' Lau adds.
