Solange Milreu, Brazil

AssistenteDirezione.it : Hi Solange, could you tell us something about yourself?
I am married, I have a 1 year old son and I really enjoy life, my family and friends.
Also, I am very persistent, determined and a hands-on person who is not afraid of new challenges.
I started my career as a receptionist at American Express, but was promoted in 3 months. After 4 years in that position, I was invited to work directly with the Finance VP and stayed in that job until 2006 when Amex operations in Brazil were sold to the second biggest private bank in Latin America. I joined the new owners for another 3 years, until I decided to face new things in my life.

May I ask how old you are?
I am 41 years old.

For which company do you currently work?

I work at Emporium Travel and my function is to bring new clients as well as give support to executive travelers that come to Brazil for business or pleasure.

Which tasks/responsibilities does your job include and with which Manager do you work with?
I report directly to the owner of the agency, because it is a small company. I would say that my responsibilities are a mix of an administrative/executive assistant and a relationship manager.

For how long have you worked for your current company and in particular, for how long have you worked in that specific position? I have been working in this field/position for almost a year.

How did you start your career? And what are your previous professional experiences?
I started my career at American Express, but before that I lived in London for a couple of years. I used to teach Portuguese for executives who did not have time to go to a school and needed private language classes for business matters.

Could you describe your typical working day in Brazil?
My day begins very early, about 5:30 am and I arrive in the office normally at 8:00 am. Among many other administrative functions, which are very similar to my previous position as an executive assistant, I visit hotels, resorts, and restaurants to evaluate comfort, cleanliness and quality of food and service. I give support to foreign visitors during their stay in São Paulo and participate in conference calls and meetings with internal and external clients.

Does your boss leave you any area of autonomy? How many times a week do you meet for checking the To Do progress?
My boss gives me total autonomy, he trusts in my work and knows how committed and responsible I am. We usually have our weekly meeting on Friday morning to align the processes and to discuss problems and solutions for the company.

What software do you use most in your job and which ones are more effective in your opinion?
I use the Windows package, Photoshop, Reserva Fácil, which is a self booking and self ticketing reservation and my favorite.

What languages do you use in your job?
I normally use Portuguese and English, because I deal with lots of foreign clients. However, I have promised myself that one day I will start taking Italian classes, since I am of Italian descent and am proud to have Italian citizenship.

Do you think "lifelong learning / continuous re-training" is important in your role?
Absolutely, you need to overcome your difficulties and always learn something new. I have the following proverb written on my desk:
"I prefer to be a dreamer among the humblest, with visions to be realized, than a lord among those with no dreams or desires."

Did you notice any important changes in the role of executive assistant during the period you worked at American Express?
I noticed that the role of executive assistant has become more general, for instance, when I started my career I used to assist only one executive, but now the market has changed and an executive/administrative assistant has to assist the whole department and also reduce costs, control the budget etc...

What were the most difficult aspects of being an executive assistant ? And what are the difficult aspects of your current job?
In my opinion, the most difficult aspect of being an executive assistant is to balance our professional and personal life, since most of us have family and children and it is common to work overtime. Well, talking about my present job, I would say that this area needs to have standard regulations and procedures and it makes the job hard sometimes.

What was the biggest challenge you have had to face in your current job?
My biggest challenge was to change the market field. Travel is a very specific field and needs years of experience to achieve good knowledge.

What are - in your opinion - the 3 most important skills an Assistant must have to be competent in her job? And to be competent in your current job?
I can single-out you 4 important skills in our profession: patience, discretion, hands-on personality and proactive attitude. I believe it works for me as a professional whatever the position is.

What advice would you like to give our Community on how to pursue a successful career?
Never give up on your dreams and remember that perseverance is the key to success. One trick to be successful is not to be afraid to learn and to make mistakes, because only people who do nothing will never make mistakes.

What is your perception of the present labor market in Brazil? Is it hard to change jobs?
I believe Brazil is growing and so is its market. New jobs have been created and If you are qualified, have experience and a considerable network of friends and you are a hard worker you will never be unemployed, especially in big cities like São Paulo, which is very similar to Milan in Italy.

What is your opinion regarding economic and social reality in Brazil?
There is a lot to do here in Brazil, but we have taken our first steps and Brazil is growing incredibly fast and becoming respected worldwide as a great nation and not as a developing country.

How do people change jobs in Brazil? ... thanks to their own network of friends, are there any famous job search engines on the internet, or are people contacted by head hunters..? How did you change jobs from Amex to you current company?

Different tools are used in Brazil: network, internet sites, agencies, adverts and so on. In general, head hunters contact people for executive positions only. I have used my network and a past colleague recommended me for my current position.
In addition, Linked in is becoming very popular here in Brazil and people are using it to find new jobs and to look for past colleagues and co workers.

View Solange's professional profile on LinkedIn