Neon beams in the background with the words "The Officials. Tech Hack". This is a promo image for an event series on technology for assistants.

Tech Hack – March 2025

Neon beams in the background with the words "The Officials. Tech Hack". This is a promo image for an event series on technology for assistants.

Please note this page may contain affiliate links that support us to do what we do best. We only partner with products and services we love. You can read our Affiliate Disclaimer for more information.

March 6 @ 5:00 PM 6:00 PM GMT

Topic: TBC

Join us for our wildly successful Tech Hack Series with host Lauren Bradley. She speaks with administrative professionals about her favorite tech tips and tricks to help assistants…
– Embrace tech and not fear it
– Make more money by boosting their skill set
– Impress their team and bosses with their problem-solving skills
– Stay relevant as technology rapidly redefines the way we work

This is a FREE webinar open to all. Please note, our content is tailored for administrative professionals but all are welcome.

Lauren Bradley - Founder of The Officials, Lead Trainer for Executive Assistants, Typing at a Macbook at her desk. Lauren has on a white shirt with blue stripes and has long blond hair cascading over her shoulder.

Meet your host

Lauren Bradley, FoundeR of The Officials + Lead Trainer

Lauren has held every admin and assistant title under the sun including Office Manager, Virtual Assistant, EA to the CEO and private PA to HNWIs. She is a former OfficeNinjas All-Star winner and founder of The Officials. She is passionate about empowering admins and assistants.

Follow her here:

Follow us for more tips!

LinkedIn
Instagram
YouTube
Newsletter
Neon beams in the background with the words "The Officials. Tech Hack". This is a promo image for an event series on technology for assistants.

Tech Hack – From Overload to Understanding: NotebookLM for Busy Assistants

Neon beams in the background with the words "The Officials. Tech Hack". This is a promo image for an event series on technology for assistants.

January 23 @ 5:00 PM 6:00 PM GMT

Feeling overwhelmed by endless notes and too much information? It’s time to turn chaos into clarity! Join us for our popular Tech Hack session where we’ll dive into NotebookLM, the AI-powered tool designed to help you find, digest, and understand the information that matters most.

In this session, Lauren will demonstrate how NotebookLM, powered by Gemini 1.5, can make your notes more digestible. Whether you’re juggling meeting minutes, brainstorming sessions, or important project details, this tool is your secret weapon for simplifying complex information and turning it into actionable insights.

Key Takeaways:

  • Streamline Your Notes: Learn how NotebookLM’s AI can search key details and summarize what’s important.
  • Real-Time Demo: See NotebookLM in action and learn how to integrate it into your workflow.

This session is perfect for administrative professionals and executive assistants ready to take control of their notes and elevate their productivity.

Register now to discover how NotebookLM can help you move from information overload to actionable understanding!

Join us for our wildly successful Tech Hack Series with host Lauren Bradley. She speaks with administrative professionals about her favorite tech tips and tricks to help assistants…
– Embrace tech and not fear it
– Make more money by boosting their skill set
– Impress their team and bosses with their problem-solving skills
– Stay relevant as technology rapidly redefines the way we work

This is a FREE webinar open to all. Please note, our content is tailored for administrative professionals but all are welcome.

Lauren Bradley - Founder of The Officials, Lead Trainer for Executive Assistants, Typing at a Macbook at her desk. Lauren has on a white shirt with blue stripes and has long blond hair cascading over her shoulder.

Meet your host

Lauren Bradley, FoundeR of The Officials + Lead Trainer

Lauren has held every admin and assistant title under the sun including Office Manager, Virtual Assistant, EA to the CEO and private PA to HNWIs. She is a former OfficeNinjas All-Star winner and founder of The Officials. She is passionate about empowering admins and assistants.

Follow her here:

Follow us for more tips!

LinkedIn
Instagram
YouTube
Newsletter
Neon beams in the background with the words "The Officials. Tech Hack". This is a promo image for an event series on technology for assistants.

Tech Hack – Streamline Your SOPs: Trainual for Assistants and Teams

Neon beams in the background with the words "The Officials. Tech Hack". This is a promo image for an event series on technology for assistants.

Please note this page may contain affiliate links that support us to do what we do best. We only partner with products and services we love. You can read our Affiliate Disclaimer for more information.

February 6 @ 5:00 PM 6:00 PM GMT

Are you ready to streamline your team’s onboarding, training, and workflows? Join us for this Tech Hack session featuring Trainual, the ultimate tool for organizing and documenting your business processes—all in one place. Perfect for administrative professionals and executive assistants, this session will show you how to make your team’s processes crystal clear and easy to follow.

In this hands-on workshop, Lauren will demonstrate how Trainual can help you:

  • Create a central hub for team knowledge and procedures.
  • Onboard new team members quickly and consistently.
  • Maintain process clarity, even in fast-paced environments.

Whether you’re managing employee training or creating SOPs, Trainual ensures everyone stays on the same page. Say goodbye to scattered documents and hello to streamlined workflows!

Key Takeaways:

  • Centralized Knowledge: Learn how to build and maintain a living, searchable library for your team.
  • Effortless Training: See how Trainual can automate onboarding and make training consistent and effective.
  • Live Demo: Watch a step-by-step guide to creating a process that saves you time and effort.
  • Interactive Q&A: Get your questions answered and discover tips for integrating Trainual into your workflow.

This session is perfect for anyone looking to simplify team management and enhance organizational efficiency.

Register now to see how Trainual can transform the way you manage and document processes!

Join us for our wildly successful Tech Hack Series with host Lauren Bradley. She speaks with administrative professionals about her favorite tech tips and tricks to help assistants…
– Embrace tech and not fear it
– Make more money by boosting their skill set
– Impress their team and bosses with their problem-solving skills
– Stay relevant as technology rapidly redefines the way we work

This is a FREE webinar open to all. Please note, our content is tailored for administrative professionals but all are welcome.

Lauren Bradley - Founder of The Officials, Lead Trainer for Executive Assistants, Typing at a Macbook at her desk. Lauren has on a white shirt with blue stripes and has long blond hair cascading over her shoulder.

Meet your host

Lauren Bradley, FoundeR of The Officials + Lead Trainer

Lauren has held every admin and assistant title under the sun including Office Manager, Virtual Assistant, EA to the CEO and private PA to HNWIs. She is a former OfficeNinjas All-Star winner and founder of The Officials. She is passionate about empowering admins and assistants.

Follow her here:

Follow us for more tips!

LinkedIn
Instagram
YouTube
Newsletter
A female assistants smiling in a leather jacket. She's just found decision making easy with The Secretary Problem.

How “The Secretary Problem” Can Help You Make Smarter Choices as an Admin Professional

Learn why optimal stopping is the key to making the right choice

Every day, administrative professionals are faced with countless decisions—whether it’s hiring a candidate, choosing a supplier, or picking the best venue for an event. The challenge? Making the “right” choice can feel impossible when options are numerous and there’s pressure to make a fast decision.

This is where a concept from mathematics, called The Secretary Problem, offers a unique perspective. The name alone makes it sound like it was made just for administrative professionals like you! It’s a classic mathematical problem that’s been used to guide strategic decisions across various fields. Let’s explore what the Secretary Problem is, how it applies to the choices you make, and why it can help you feel more confident in making well-timed decisions.

What is the Secretary Problem?

The Secretary Problem (sometimes called the “Optimal Stopping Problem”) describes a mathematical approach to selecting the best option from a sequence of choices—when you only get one chance to make that choice. Originally, this problem was framed around hiring a secretary: imagine you have a fixed number of candidates for the position. You have to evaluate each one in order, deciding whether to accept or reject them as you go. But here’s the catch: once you pass on a candidate, you can’t go back.

The goal is to figure out a strategy for identifying the best candidate without knowing who the remaining candidates are or how good they might be. Mathematicians studying the problem determined a clever way to maximize your chances of choosing the best candidate without looking at all of them.

How Does the Solution Work? The 37% Rule

The general solution to the Secretary Problem suggests that you should spend approximately 37% of your time (or the total number of choices) just evaluating options, without committing to any one choice. During this phase, you observe and set a benchmark based on the options you’ve seen. After reaching this 37% mark, you then select the first candidate that exceeds the benchmark set in the initial evaluation phase.

For instance, if you have ten candidates to interview, you’d evaluate the first four without making any offers. From candidate number five onward, you’d make an offer to the first one that surpasses those initial four in quality.

Why the Secretary Problem Matters for Admin Professionals

Understanding the Secretary Problem can help you in situations where:

  1. You have limited time and resources (e.g., reviewing a long list of suppliers or vendors).
  2. You need to make a choice without revisiting past options (e.g., deciding on a candidate for a temporary position).
  3. There’s pressure to choose the best option (e.g., selecting a venue for a VIP event).

Let’s look at how applying this strategy can help in practical ways.

Applications of the Secretary Problem in Admin Work

1. Selecting Candidates for Open Positions

When you’re assisting in the hiring process, The Secretary Problem can be a helpful framework. By evaluating candidates without committing in the initial stages, you can develop a sense of the “standard” before you make a hiring recommendation. This can help you feel more confident that the candidate you recommend later on is genuinely one of the best in the pool.

2. Choosing Vendors or Suppliers

From catering to office supplies, finding the right vendor can be time-consuming. Following the 37% rule, you could spend the initial 37% of your review time just comparing and taking notes. Then, commit to the first vendor who outshines the ones reviewed earlier, confident that you’ve sampled enough of the market to make a smart decision.

3. Making Decisions with Limited Information

When comparing venues, partners, or project timelines, decisions often need to be made with limited information. Applying the Secretary Problem can reduce decision fatigue and help you avoid second-guessing your choices. It offers a rational stopping point, so you don’t feel the need to endlessly search for “something better.”

Key Takeaways

  1. The Secretary Problem can help admin professionals approach choices strategically, ensuring they don’t rush to choose or endlessly search for the “perfect” option.
  2. Using the 37% rule as a guide can reduce decision fatigue, giving you a structured way to determine when you’ve seen enough options.
  3. Knowing when to stop (and that it’s mathematically backed) provides peace of mind when selecting the right candidate, vendor, or venue.

Whether you’re recruiting for a role, booking a supplier, or managing resources, understanding The Secretary Problem can be your secret weapon for making smarter, faster, and more satisfying decisions.

The next time you’re weighing a tough choice, remember The Secretary Problem and the 37% rule. It’s more than just math—it’s a tool that’s uniquely relevant to the decision-making challenges you face as an administrative professional.


Please note this page may contain affiliate links that support us to do what we do best. We only partner with products and services we love. You can read our Affiliate Disclaimer for more information.

Algorithms to Live By Book Recommendation

If you’re interested in learning more about practical algorithms that can simplify decision-making in work and life, I highly recommend Algorithms to Live By by Brian Christian and Tom Griffiths. This book dives into powerful strategies like the Secretary Problem and many others, offering insights into how computer science principles can help us navigate everyday choices.

Buy on Amazon

PA Show Autumn – Old Billingsgate, London

This is a promo image for an event  on technology for assistants at the PA Show, London.

October 15, 2024 @ 9:00 AM 5:00 PM BST

Come say hello at The PA Show Autumn Show! This intimate gathering offers a focused environment to empower and inspire through learning and networking amidst a community of like-minded individuals. You will gain cutting-edge skills, personal growth insights, and career advancement opportunities in a more personalised setting.

This year, Lauren, a top tech voice in the administrative industry and a PA Show attendee favorite, will deliver an impactful session on practical tech for administrative professionals.

Transform Your Admin Workflow: Practical Tech for 10x Productivity

Always a popular session so book fast or risk missing out.

Hey there, admin superstar! Ready to take your productivity to a whole new level? We’ve got you covered. Join us for a session designed just for you, where we’ll explore the latest tech tools to can make your workday smoother and more efficient. We are talking about game-changers here and you don’t need to be techy to have tech change your life.

What to Expect

Friendly, Interactive Learning: We know that tech can sometimes feel overwhelming, but don’t worry! We’re here to make it easy and enjoyable. We’ll walk you through how to use the latest tools to streamline your tasks, organise your workflows, and make your day-to-day work simpler.

Expert Guidance: With over 20 years of experience as an assistant, Lauren brings a wealth of knowledge and firsthand insight into what works best in the field. Her friendly, step-by-step approach will help you understand each tool’s functionality and show you how intuitive and user-friendly tech can be. With her expert guidance, you’ll feel confident and empowered to use these tools effectively.

What You’ll Get

Practical, Hands-On Skills: Discover how to use productivity tools that will immediately enhance your workflow. From managing tasks to scheduling meetings, we’ll show you how these tools can make your work life easier by helping you build processes faster, prioritise your to do list with a tap of your finger, and keep you expertly organised.

Live Demos of Customisable Tools: Watch us demo tech tools that are specifically designed for administrative professionals like you. These customisable tools will help you save time and get organised, giving you a great starting point to transform your workday. Including an exclusive live demo of The Admin Attaché, a completely customisable dashboard for assistants that assistants.

One assistant even said:

“I’ve downloaded and am going through the Admin Attaché. This is 🔥 – absolutely awesome and so much included, it just blows my mind. This needs to be out there for every assistant to use!”

Presentation and Helpful Videos: No need to bring your laptop—we’ve got you covered. You’ll walk away with a copy of the presentation and access to helpful videos that recap what we covered. These resources will conveniently help you revisit the session’s insights and implement what you’ve learned when you’re back at your desk.

Join Us and Transform Your Workday We’ve been there, and we understand how tech can seem daunting. But we promise to make it fun and approachable. Secure your spot in our session today and discover how practical tech tools can make your workday more productive and less stressful.

We can’t wait to see you there!

View Organizer Website

A busy coworking space where assistants are sitting at laptops and working together.

Coworking + Coaching Clinic for Administrative Professionals

Coworking Sessions for Administrative Professionals

April 26, 2024 @ 1:00 PM 3:00 PM BST

Our coworking sessions for assistants give you time, accountability, and now, expert guidance!

Join us for a unique coworking session tailored for administrative professionals. This is your chance to clear your To Do List, work on a passion project, or prep for the coming week. Plus, we’re introducing an invaluable addition: our Coaching Clinic! Get personalized advice on refining your resume during the session.

What to expect

  • Each session we sit together and get stuff done.
  • Dedicated time to work on what’s important to you.
  • New! Coaching Clinic: Get expert advice on how to update your resume, develop your career, and more.
  • Accountability through goal setting.
  • Library Effect that promotes productivity as attendees work on mute to hit their goals.
  • Final check-in to celebrate the success of making progress.

All administrative professionals are welcome to attend

Anyone in the administrative professional community is welcome to attend including executive assistants, administrative assistants, personal assistants, virtual assistants, chiefs of staff, office managers, strategic business partners, receptionists and more.

Please note

Beta Testing > These sessions are a new medium for us so bare with us as we work on the format and experiment with what works best for you. Feedback is welcome.

Not yet a member?
Make It Official.

Did you know that HQ Members get to attend our coworking session for free?

Not only do you get access to these weekly sessions but you also gain access to:

– Helpful templates
– Exclusive events
– Professional development courses
– Our incredible global community

Join Today

HQ Member

HQ members can register via the Community.

*Please note this link is for subscribing members only.

Visit the Community

View Organizer Website

A busy coworking space where assistants are sitting at laptops and working together.

Coworking + Coaching Clinic for Administrative Professionals

Coworking Sessions for Administrative Professionals

April 12, 2024 @ 1:00 PM 3:00 PM BST

Our coworking sessions for assistants give you time, accountability, and now, expert guidance!

Join us for a unique coworking session tailored for administrative professionals. This is your chance to clear your To Do List, work on a passion project, or prep for the coming week. Plus, we’re introducing an invaluable addition: our Coaching Clinic! Get personalized advice on refining your resume during the session.

What to expect

  • Each session we sit together and get stuff done.
  • Dedicated time to work on what’s important to you.
  • New! Coaching Clinic: Get expert advice on how to update your resume, develop your career, and more.
  • Accountability through goal setting.
  • Library Effect that promotes productivity as attendees work on mute to hit their goals.
  • Final check-in to celebrate the success of making progress.

All administrative professionals are welcome to attend

Anyone in the administrative professional community is welcome to attend including executive assistants, administrative assistants, personal assistants, virtual assistants, chiefs of staff, office managers, strategic business partners, receptionists and more.

Please note

Beta Testing > These sessions are a new medium for us so bare with us as we work on the format and experiment with what works best for you. Feedback is welcome.

Not yet a member?
Make It Official.

Did you know that HQ Members get to attend our coworking session for free?

Not only do you get access to these weekly sessions but you also gain access to:

– Helpful templates
– Exclusive events
– Professional development courses
– Our incredible global community

Join Today

HQ Member

HQ members can register via the Community.

*Please note this link is for subscribing members only.

Visit the Community

View Organizer Website

A busy coworking space where assistants are sitting at laptops and working together.

Coworking + Coaching Clinic for Administrative Professionals

Coworking Sessions for Administrative Professionals

April 5, 2024 @ 1:00 PM 3:00 PM BST

Our coworking sessions for assistants give you time, accountability, and now, expert guidance!

Join us for a unique coworking session tailored for administrative professionals. This is your chance to clear your To Do List, work on a passion project, or prep for the coming week. Plus, we’re introducing an invaluable addition: our Coaching Clinic! Get personalized advice on refining your resume during the session.

What to expect

  • Each session we sit together and get stuff done.
  • Dedicated time to work on what’s important to you.
  • New! Coaching Clinic: Get expert advice on how to update your resume, develop your career, and more.
  • Accountability through goal setting.
  • Library Effect that promotes productivity as attendees work on mute to hit their goals.
  • Final check-in to celebrate the success of making progress.

All administrative professionals are welcome to attend

Anyone in the administrative professional community is welcome to attend including executive assistants, administrative assistants, personal assistants, virtual assistants, chiefs of staff, office managers, strategic business partners, receptionists and more.

Please note

Beta Testing > These sessions are a new medium for us so bare with us as we work on the format and experiment with what works best for you. Feedback is welcome.

Not yet a member?
Make It Official.

Did you know that HQ Members get to attend our coworking session for free?

Not only do you get access to these weekly sessions but you also gain access to:

– Helpful templates
– Exclusive events
– Professional development courses
– Our incredible global community

Join Today

HQ Member

HQ members can register via the Community.

*Please note this link is for subscribing members only.

Visit the Community

View Organizer Website

A busy coworking space where assistants are sitting at laptops and working together.

Coworking + Coaching Clinic for Administrative Professionals

Coworking Sessions for Administrative Professionals

March 15, 2024 @ 1:00 PM 3:00 PM GMT

Our coworking sessions for assistants give you time, accountability, and now, expert guidance!

Join us for a unique coworking session tailored for administrative professionals. This is your chance to clear your To Do List, work on a passion project, or prep for the coming week. Plus, we’re introducing an invaluable addition: our Coaching Clinic! Get personalized advice on refining your resume during the session.

What to expect

  • Each session we sit together and get stuff done.
  • Dedicated time to work on what’s important to you.
  • New! Coaching Clinic: Get expert advice on how to update your resume, develop your career, and more.
  • Accountability through goal setting.
  • Library Effect that promotes productivity as attendees work on mute to hit their goals.
  • Final check-in to celebrate the success of making progress.

All administrative professionals are welcome to attend

Anyone in the administrative professional community is welcome to attend including executive assistants, administrative assistants, personal assistants, virtual assistants, chiefs of staff, office managers, strategic business partners, receptionists and more.

Please note

Beta Testing > These sessions are a new medium for us so bare with us as we work on the format and experiment with what works best for you. Feedback is welcome.

Not yet a member?
Make It Official.

Did you know that HQ Members get to attend our coworking session for free?

Not only do you get access to these weekly sessions but you also gain access to:

– Helpful templates
– Exclusive events
– Professional development courses
– Our incredible global community

Join Today

HQ Member

HQ Members will see a link to register for free if they are logged into their account.

This is a member's only event.

You can find more information on our memberships here.

If you feel this is an error, email us at support@jointheofficials.com and copy the URL into the email.
We'll get to the bottom of it for you.

x
The Officials Team

View Organizer Website

A busy coworking space where assistants are sitting at laptops and working together.

Coworking + Coaching Clinic for Administrative Professionals

Coworking Sessions for Administrative Professionals

March 8, 2024 @ 1:00 PM 3:00 PM GMT

Our coworking sessions for assistants give you time, accountability, and now, expert guidance!

Join us for a unique coworking session tailored for administrative professionals. This is your chance to clear your To Do List, work on a passion project, or prep for the coming week. Plus, we’re introducing an invaluable addition: our Coaching Clinic! Get personalized advice on refining your resume during the session.

What to expect

  • Each session we sit together and get stuff done.
  • Dedicated time to work on what’s important to you.
  • New! Coaching Clinic: Get expert advice on how to update your resume, develop your career, and more.
  • Accountability through goal setting.
  • Library Effect that promotes productivity as attendees work on mute to hit their goals.
  • Final check-in to celebrate the success of making progress.

All administrative professionals are welcome to attend

Anyone in the administrative professional community is welcome to attend including executive assistants, administrative assistants, personal assistants, virtual assistants, chiefs of staff, office managers, strategic business partners, receptionists and more.

Please note

Beta Testing > These sessions are a new medium for us so bare with us as we work on the format and experiment with what works best for you. Feedback is welcome.

Not yet a member?
Make It Official.

Did you know that HQ Members get to attend our coworking session for free?

Not only do you get access to these weekly sessions but you also gain access to:

– Helpful templates
– Exclusive events
– Professional development courses
– Our incredible global community

Join Today

HQ Member

HQ Members will see a link to register for free if they are logged into their account.

This is a member's only event.

You can find more information on our memberships here.

If you feel this is an error, email us at support@jointheofficials.com and copy the URL into the email.
We'll get to the bottom of it for you.

x
The Officials Team

View Organizer Website