Loyalty and Ease vs Challenge and Scope: The Modern PA’s Career Dilemma

We’re definitely not here to dismiss the value of loyalty. A long stint in a single role can speak volumes about your reliability, commitment, and ability to build trust. But comfortability – settling into a rhythm where challenges fade and growth stalls – is something completely different. For PAs and EAs, whose roles are defined by agility, discretion, and the ability to anticipate and evolve, the danger of staying still for too long is to be avoided.

So how do you know if you’re thriving in the right sized bowl or simply floating in circles with no room left to grow? And how can you remain a high-demand candidate – whether PA or EA in a world that’s constantly refreshing its expectations?

For many Personal Assistants (PAs) and Executive Assistants (EAs), loyalty feels like the backbone of the job. After all, being a trusted right-hand doesn’t come from hopping around, it comes from consistency. But here’s the nuance: if you’re no longer learning and being challenged, if your skills aren’t being tested or sharpened, or if you feel like you could do your job blindfolded, it might be time to reassess.

It's worth highlighting that just because you’re relied upon, doesn’t necessarily mean you’re being fully valued.  Some companies keep longstanding PAs and EAs, not because they’re still challenging them, but because they’ve become part of the ‘furniture’. Familiar, and often underutilised. If you’re no longer being stretched or involved in meaningful strategic decisions, your title might remain the same, your salary may have increased – but your career isn’t actually progressing.

Worse still, future employers may begin to wonder: “Why haven’t they moved? Have they stopped evolving? Are they still hungry? Are they stuck in their ways and frightened of change?”

So, how long is too long in one role? There’s no magic number, but context is everything. If you’ve been in the same role for more than 5 years with little change, progression or skill expansion, it may be time to reassess.

On the other hand, staying within a company that champions your development, offers increasing responsibility, and supports you in stretching your skill set? That’s not comfort – that’s conscious growth. The key is to be brutally honest: are you still growing, or just coasting?

Talk to your boss, ask for development opportunities, or explore a lateral move internally. If the response is consistently vague, delayed, or dismissive, it might be time to ask a bigger question: is this environment still helping you grow?

At our core, we believe in loyalty – the kind that’s earned through mutual investment. We champion Personal and Executive Assistants who stay and grow, who say yes to internal opportunities and challenges, who reskill, stretch, and stay curious.

We’re not suggesting you jump ship at the first sign of repetition. But we are suggesting you stay alert. In a world where the PA and EA role is evolving fast, those who stay curious and adaptable will always have the edge. So, if your career feels overly predictable, overly static, or just too familiar, it might be time for a bigger bowl.