Secretary of the Year 2019: The Runner-Ups

This year’s Page Personnel Secretary of the Year Awards saw 70 submissions across Hong Kong. The initiative, in its third edition, aims to shine a light on individuals doing an exceptional job in their role.

In this article, we speak to the two runner-ups — Kalista Li, a Legal Secretary from Bird & Bird, and Loretta Choi, an Executive Assistant at Lake House Corporation Limited — to find out what a typical day is like for a secretary, the skills it takes to succeed in their industry, as well as how to build a trustful, long-lasting working relationships with their direct superiors.

It’s the little things that matter

Kalista Li, Legal Secretary, Bird & Bird (1st Runner Up)

Why did you choose to become a Legal Secretary?

When I graduated university about five years ago, I earned a degree in hotel and tourism management. I actually started my career as a hotelier and worked in a hotel as a trainee. I then became a cabin crew at Cathay Pacific because it was my childhood dream. However, in terms of career development, the role of a secretary can be very consistent and stable, and it is a viable long-term career. So two years ago, I decided to make a career switch and joined Bird & Bird, an international law firm.

What is a day in the life like for a Legal Secretary?

A lot of my daily tasks revolve around organising files and formatting documents. As a Legal Secretary, we have to be very vigilant while drafting documents because every detail can have a huge impact down the line. I also conduct a lot of conflict checks, because as a law firm, we cannot be representing clients from both sides. Another thing is to manage calendars. I work for one partner, two associates and a team of paralegals, and they are busy all the time. And since they are lawyers, every minute counts. So I have to look at their schedules, see where they are spending a lot of time and help them prioritise various tasks.

What are the key skills you need to be a successful secretary?

It’s funny because, before my current job, I didn’t have a lot of experience in an office setting. So I practised a lot via training software, and I sat through very extensive tests on a weekly basis before I even attended my first interview.

With that said, I think the first key skill is to be observant. Some secretaries might wait for instructions to come, but you need to anticipate and foresee what your bosses want before they know what they want. As much as possible, you have to be able to see the entire picture, know who is doing what in the office, so that when the boss wants something, you have the right connections and know who to go to.

The second skill is to prioritise work. I have three bosses and a team of paralegals, so everybody tells me that they have urgent deadlines. So I have to be skillful in terms of knowing which tasks are more important, which ones have greater impact and which ones to start first.

Finally, you need to be well rounded. For example, I worked in the hospitality and airline industries before, so I have insider knowledge about hotels and flights. In case of delays, I know the alternatives, and I monitor other channels to save time and money for my bosses. Another thing is that different countries have different customs regulations, and some are more strict than others. So I often remind my bosses when they have to travel abroad. For example, we are based in Hong Kong, and Apple Daily is a newspaper that’s banned in China. Most people are not aware of that, so I have to remind the bosses from time to time. 

What’s your favourite part of the job? What do you find rewarding about it?

I often have to negotiate and cooperate with different secretaries from different departments, and I really enjoy that. Although my boss deals with intellectual properties, we sometimes have to work with corporate, compliance and commercial departments. It allows me to develop my network and learn from other secretaries. That, and I love to help my bosses solve problems.

What does it mean to be a winner for this year’s Secretary of the Year Awards?

I am relatively new to the industry, and I still consider myself quite junior. However, my boss told me that he had been looking for the right candidate for more than a year. I am also thankful that he gave me a chance, as well as the other secretaries I met at the ceremony. They are all so talented and brilliant, and it’s been a really humbling experience.

Always at the ready

Loretta Choi, Executive Assistant, Lake House Group (2nd Runner Up)

How did you land your current role as an Executive Assistant for Lake House Group?

I lived in the UK for 16 years and, after I received my Master’s Degree in International Tourism and Hotel Management, I returned to Hong Kong in 2015 and worked in a hotel for two years. That’s when I decided to switch careers and become an Executive Assistant, and the opportunity with Lake House Group came up. I’ve been here for about three years so far.

What are the key skills you need to be an exceptional Executive Assistant?

Having been in the hospitality industry, I’ve developed a high tolerance level. So I think the first skill you need is to be flexible about the work you do. Whether it is before or after office hours, even during your holiday, you have requests coming in all the time, and that is just part of the job. You must have good time management and be able to distinguish whether a task given to you is urgent or if it can wait — it’s about prioritisation.I also think you need to love the process of problem solving. In my case, my boss often has to change the schedule at the last minute. For example, and this happened a month ago, he needed to cancel his flight 20 minutes before take off, and I had to make a completely new set of travel bookings.

How do you build trust and rapport with your boss?

I think it’s no different from other relationships. It takes time, it takes patience and it takes a lot of communication. You have to be your true self and respect each other in this relationship. I think these are all vital things you need to have as an Executive Assistant.

What’s your favourite part of the job? What do you find rewarding about it?

I love that I get to travel, explore different countries and attend different events around the world. For example, I recently got to go to Davos, Switzerland, to attend the World Economic Forum. I also met many high profile and intelligent people, and being able to have connections with them is something that I am very proud of. Then there are the added bonuses: when I travel for work, I get some luxury treatment from the company. For example, I get to fly in private jets and helicopters, stay in five-star hotels, it’s very nice!

What does it mean to be a winner for this year’s Secretary of the Year Awards?

I am very honoured, of course, because I didn’t even expect to get into the top 10, let alone the top three. I think being acknowledged for my work is a real recognition for all the hard work that we have done in the backstage. It is about everything coming together perfectly, no matter how small the tasks are. Every Executive Assistant in the industry understands how challenging this role can be, so the award is a real motivation for me to keep pushing forward.

This is part one of two articles featuring this year’s Secretary of the Year Awards winners. For the full feature on Susana Ho, the overall winner of this year’s Awards, click here.