There is an old saying that goes: “Time is money.” It’s pretty widespread, which is the best proof of its relevance to the real world. Therefore many executives have trained professionals who plan their schedules, arrange meetings, organize documents, and perform many other tasks – executive assistants. Besides various tasks, such professionals also have many different duties, requirements, and necessary skills that carry significant meaning in the working process. This article aims to discover and describe the best part of that crucial information for everyone striving to become an executive assistant.
Executive Assistant Job Description
What Does an Executive Assistant Do?
Executive assistants have lots of duties followed by a diversity of tasks, which share one common goal to ensure maximal efficiency of all operations related to the executive. Simply put, this position represents the person responsible for communication between the executive and other people, whether they are employees, clients, partners, or other executives. Moreover, one of the key responsibilities is to sort, prioritize, and even arrange visits, calls, and meetings with all these people. Although that is their general duty, there are still many other things to handle. For example, the executive assistant is also in charge of managing the executive’s schedule, sending reminders if necessary, answering phone calls, meeting visitors, and taking care of administrative work, such as filing reports and documents. Besides that, to successfully deal with all necessary administrative obligations, it may be required to create presentations or record meeting minutes. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to conclude that the executive assistant gathers and filters all the information flow directed at the executive, passing over only those of the most importance.
Executive Assistant Responsibilities
- Provide administrative support to the executive, such as writing and editing e-mails, making notes, and preparing presentations and speeches.
- Establish and maintain thorough and accurate records
- Perform minor accounting responsibilities, including budgeting
- Meeting planning and organization, including scheduling and sending reminders
- Answering the phone in a professional manner
- Welcome visitors and identify the reason for their visit before guiding them to the correct department
- Make appointments and prioritize the most sensitive topics on the executive’s calendar.
Executive Assistant Requirements
As a matter of fact, there is no specialized education suited for becoming an executive assistant. Most professionals have either a high school diploma or a GED certificate, proving that the candidate possesses base knowledge. Of course, it would be pretty beneficial to obtain an associate’s degree in business administration or a bachelor’s degree in a business-related field. On top of that, it’s possible to get some merits for providing certificates in administrative and management software. Although there is no particular education leading to this position, there is a possibility of completing executive personal assistant courses and receiving a PA (personal assistant) diploma. When talking about the employment of an executive assistant, the best part of attention and requirements goes to the work experience section. It’s reasonable that every employer would prefer a person that already has the experience and is proven to be capable. That’s even more so if one’s previous working experience relates to administrative duties, such as an executive assistant, personal assistant, or similar positions. At the same time, knowledge and understanding of Microsoft Office software also carry significance for this occupation.
Executive Assistant Skills & Proficiencies
One of the most crucial sections after those of education and experience is skills & proficiencies. A successful executive assistant has many hard and soft skills that are extremely necessary during work. Accounting for the number of tasks and the differences in their nature, it’s not surprising that an executive assistant needs proficiency in many skills. Among all those, some of them are:
- Time-management Skills
Organizational and time-management skills are the essence of working as an executive assistant. Good time management skill is indispensable for meeting deadlines and prioritizing the most necessary activities.
- Problem-solving and Stress Resistance Skills
During work, it’s not common to face a range of problems that require fast and rational solutions but don’t demand the attention of an executive. Therefore, being a proactive person who deals with such inconveniences is very beneficial. That’s especially so if one can solve those in stressful environments.
- Communication Skills
Both written and verbal skills play primary roles, as the executive assistant represents the face of the company. It’s a must to have good grammar, as well as to speak politely.
- Multi-tasking Skills
The best part of tasks performed by such professionals relates to planning operations, then carrying them out smoothly and efficiently. Yet, sometimes the skill of performing multiple tasks may become very handy and even vital, depending on the working conditions and the workload.
- MS Office Proficiency
High proficiency with MS Office and other office software is a fundamental skill, as the best part of paperwork requires exactly these programs. The better one understands it – the better and faster the work will progress. Naturally, the executive assistant needs to be familiar with the office equipment for the best way of communicating, preparing reports, and sharing information.
Executive Assistant Salary Expectations
The executive assistant’s salary may range depending on the specific employer. According to Glassdoor, the base pay of an executive assistant is 58,034$ on December 13, 2021. However, including the bonuses and additional payments, the estimated salary reaches the numbers of 72,561$ per year. At the same time, according to Indeed, the average annual wage of 48,874$ on March 30, 2022. Judging by these indexes, it’s possible to state that the average revenue of an executive assistant ranges between 48-50 thousand and may reach up to 72 thousand. Although these numbers may seem not that large comparatively with some other occupations, the good news is that it’s possible to find more attractive offers. For example, it’s possible to find companies that offer salaries ranging from 87 to 120 thousand USD per year (According to Indeed data). Moreover, every executive assistant can become a senior executive assistant, which provides room for growth in professionalism and salary.
See Also: Executive Resume Sample
There is no doubt that this job is a hard one, but it offers quite a lot in return. However, if one strives to become an executive assistant, there is no way to do without a decent resume. That is especially true if applying to the large companies with the most appealing offers. Therefore, if you ever need a hand to improve your resume, you are always welcome to get professional assistance from ResumeEdge.
