For our Headroom Heads series, we sat down with Mylène Ceelen

We had the pleasure to have a chat with our EA Mylène Ceelen.

Mylène’s Journey: from Italy to Headroom

My adventure with Headroom started nearly two years ago when I decided to take a leap of faith after meeting my now-boyfriend in Italy. I was searching for a remote job and found Headroom. After a nice conversation with Samora, I received an offer and accepted it. Today, I’m still super happy and grateful to be working for a nice Dutch company from the beautiful landscapes of Italy. 

What’s your favorite thing about working at Headroom?

One of the perks I appreciate greatly about working at Headroom is the freedom to work from anywhere. Additionally, the job never gets boring, every day is different.

Can you share a challenging situation you’ve faced as an EA and how you successfully handled it? 

Sometimes we receive tasks we haven’t done before or know nothing about. This is exactly what makes our work exciting and challenging. I embrace these challenges by diving deep and learning on the go, expanding my knowledge across various industries.

What are some skills you believe every executive assistant should have, and how do you continuously improve those skills?

I believe that good communication, problem-solving skills, and creative thinking are vital for any EA. I continuously improve these skills by staying engaged and proactive in my role.

What strategies do you use to maintain effective communication and collaboration between yourself and the CEOs you support? 

Daily communication is key for me. We stay in touch with our members via Slack, providing updates and checking in on a personal level to build strong relationships, since we work so closely together. Weekly online meetings via Teams or Zoom help discuss long-term projects, ensuring open and honest communication which is super important.

How do you prioritize tasks and manage time efficiently in a role that often demands multitasking and quick decision-making? What is your secret productivity hack?

Haha it’s magic! I make lists and prioritize tasks based on deadlines. It feels good when you can tick off tasks. In addition, turning off notifications when I need to focus helps me stay on track. I also work in blocks, allowing time in between to check if new important tasks have come in. Planning is the key to success.

As an executive assistant, what do you find most rewarding about supporting CEOs in their day-to-day operations?

It motivates me tremendously when I see that you are making a difference. My members regularly tell me how grateful they are for my help. That makes me feel very satisfied.

Next to that, being seen as a sparring partner and contributing to a company’s growth is highly motivating for me. We learn so much because we work with many different companies. It’s super cool to share the knowledge we gain with members to help their businesses as well.

As an EA, confidentiality is crucial. How do you maintain discretion and handle sensitive information in your interactions with CEOs and their teams? 

I ensure that all sensitive information remains private. Everything we discuss with our members is confidential. If we need to communicate information from the CEO to the team, we always discuss this carefully with our members first to maintain discretion.

Collaboration is key in any workplace. How do you maintain strong relationships with colleagues, especially while working remotely?

Working from Italy, I learned to not be afraid or insecure about showing myself and engaging with colleagues. Regular Slack messages and a group chat where I share personal updates with the team help foster a sense of connection, making it feel like we’re meeting weekly.

Interest in becoming one of our members?