Tell us a little about yourself. What does your job at Telefónica involve?
I began my great adventure at Telefónica 25 years ago and have been working as an executive secretary for 22 years. During these years of professional development, I have been fortunate to work in major business areas and meet wonderful colleagues.
I have worked in Sales and Strategy, Marketing and Planning, and I am currently based at the Bluevía subsidiary, learning how fibre connects our more rural world.
The position of executive secretary is highly valued by companies. Executive secretaries have great technological skills, strong leadership abilities and excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Thanks to my experience at Telefónica, I have made great strides that allow me to feel very confident in my day-to-day work, instilling complete confidence in my executive managers so that our professional connection achieves the expected results.
My main responsibility is to ensure that everything runs smoothly and to support my superiors in their day-to-day management, allowing them to focus on the strategic objectives of the business. The magic of a great executive secretary is to make the difficult easy and to work hard to make the impossible possible.
What is the importance of the work of a secretary or executive assistant?
An executive secretary plays a very important role in company organisations due to their professional knowledge of organisation, planning, strategy and team management. They are influential people with a large number of internal and external contacts at their disposal, which allows them to better handle any situation, even in chaotic circumstances.
What role do new technologies play in this job?
Technology is the executive secretary’s greatest ally. With new technological advances, this profile has developed great skills with corporate tools. Through digital channels such as TEAMS, communication between cross-functional and internal areas has improved, allowing for the simple and efficient execution of day-to-day tasks. This role has integrated automation into its daily routine, achieving agility in administrative and manual tasks. AI has made it possible to refine procedures that previously delayed execution and are now managed quickly.
How has this professional role evolved over the years?
The profile of the executive secretary has evolved in line with society and developments in companies. Thanks to its alliance with technology, it has undergone a generational change, which has enabled extraordinary growth in this role.
Unfortunately, many people still think that our role is purely administrative, which is why it is necessary to highlight that our management corresponds to a senior management position with great executive and technological skills. It is a profile that leads alongside the top managers in companies, with the highest level of self-demand.
What are the main characteristics that someone in this profession should have?
Being an executive secretary is not within the reach of every professional. To reach a senior management position, you need to have undergone professional development that allows you to understand how your company is organised, which areas are most influential for the business and what our main objectives are as professionals.
With consolidated experience, you gain confidence in your actions, become proactive in your work and are able to anticipate unforeseen events. Leadership, language skills and communication, together with knowledge of digital tools, enable an executive secretary to master company management to perfection.
As a sports lover, how do you think the advancement of new technologies benefits you?
Technology has managed to mitigate major human errors in sport. A very clear example is the introduction of VAR in major football matches. Technology has also enabled exhaustive analysis of athletes, achieving great insights and advances in goals that were previously unattainable. It is a great advance as long as technology and people are united by a common goal.
What are the benefits of practising sport in relation to the workplace?
Practising sport helps to control stress levels in everyday life and promotes a healthy lifestyle and mental well-being, enabling people to tackle major professional goals. It is essential that companies promote healthy living by encouraging all their employees to take part in sport. The goals achieved are beneficial for both the employee and the company.
The benefits of practising sport are countless, creating a more participatory, motivated and enthusiastic working environment.
Which people working at Telefónica would you nominate for this interview who you consider to be excellent at their job?
At Telefónica, we are very fortunate to have executive secretaries of a high professional standard. Perhaps my greatest role model since I started my adventure at this company, and from whom I have learned so much, is my great colleague and friend Paloma Candela García.
The magic of a great executive secretary is making the difficult easy.
