Executive assistants provide high-level administrative support to top executives. The assistants are commonly found answering phones, preparing reports, greeting visitors, making travel arrangements, filing and organizing documents, recording meeting minutes, and conducting research. When looking for the right candidate, it is essential to write an effective job description for the position.
Crafting an engaging and effective job description for an executive assistant can be difficult for hiring managers. The job description should give an overview of the role and key responsibilities. Ensuring your description is clear and accurate will give you the best chance of finding the well-qualified right candidate for your position.
Writing job descriptions can be challenging, but if you are looking to fill an executive assistant position, you need to put thought into it to ensure you attract the perfect candidate.
Executive assistants are similar to administrative assistants in that they all support someone else’s work. The difference is that an executive assistant works directly for a top executive and is considered a senior office staff member.
The executive assistant role involves supervising and training other office staff members and completing tasks that could affect the company’s success.
Executive Assistant Definition
Executive assistants work directly for an individual of an executive team. Their role is to assist executives with administrative duties to help save them time and increase efficacy.
An executive assistant’s responsibilities are managing calendars and emails, project management, answering calls, drafting documents, booking travel arrangements, and a variety of other tasks.
Since these positions directly help top executives maximize their productivity, they’re sometimes seen as the backbone of the organization.
Executive Assistant Job Description
Creating a clear and effective job description can be challenging, but some tips can help you create one successfully. The first step is to clearly examine the role of an executive assistant in your organization and what duties and responsibilities it entails. Then it is a little easier to write a job description that is tailored precisely to the position.
Be sure to list out typical hours, benefits, the type of work environment, and the culture of the organization. To help attract the right candidates, list out the attributes you would like in an executive assistant and the type of person that would fit well in the role.
Doing this will save you a lot of time interviewing individuals who are not a good fit for your organization and culture.
Executive Assistant Responsibilities
The executive assistant typically ensures a smooth running of the office, working one-on-one with the executive and with other team members. In addition, the position requires working knowledge of many programs used in the office, including CRM’s, MS office, and other programs that help with communication and organization.
The duties and responsibilities of an executive assistant vary depending on the organization and the executive they will assist. Many factors play into the role variation, including the industry, size of the company, and responsibilities of the executive.
However, there are some duties that almost all executive assistants are responsible for, including:
Answering phone calls
Scheduling appointments
Drafting documents, reports, and presentations
Managing emails
Scheduling travel and detailed itineraries
Managing schedules and calendars
Filing and organizing documents
Scheduling and organizing meetings
Taking dictation and writing minutes in meetings
Act as the first point of contact between employees, clients and vendors, and the executive
Executive Assistant Job Description by Department
Many well-qualified executive assistant candidates fail when applying for a job because they don’t tailor their resume for the job they’re applying for. The many responsibilities of executive assistants vary based on the executive they will assist and the organization. It’s critical for a candidate to customize their resume based on what the position entails.
This also applies when writing a job description for a position. For example, if you’re developing an executive assistant job description for a marketing firm, the responsibilities will differ from those associated with other industries such as finance.
Executive Assistant Job Descriptions by Seniority
When creating a job description, you also want to keep in mind the executive the assistant will be working for and their exact needs and desired experience of an executive assistant. For example, a newer executive may not need an assistant that has many years of experience. However, an executive with decades of experience will typically want an executive assistant with years of experience in the role and possesses a diverse skill set.
For these positions, it’s crucial to include the skills and number of years of experience required for the position in the executive assistant job description. For example, the Executive Assistant to CEO holds a prominent position since they work directly for the company’s head. Therefore, the position typically requires years of experience with proven higher-level skill sets and exceptional interpersonal skills.
This type of executive assistant helps keep the CEO’s schedule organized and plans company meetings and events, including hiring vendors. This assistant also takes phone calls and greets visitors, and acts as the gatekeeper to decide who gets through to the CEO.
Executive Assistant Skills and Requirements
To find the right executive assistant, you should include the skills and qualifications in your job description that you want them to have. Here are some ideas of the qualifications you could include in your executive assistant job description:
Must be able to work under pressure to meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment
3-5 year’s experience in an executive assistant role or a similar position
Exceptional professional-level communication skills, both verbal and written
Ability to effectively work independently with little supervision
Must have a proactive approach to problem-solving and excellent decision-making skills
Thorough understanding of MS Office suite and standard office equipment
Ability to prioritize to handle the daily workload
Extraordinary organizational skills and strong ability to multitask
Strong attention to detail
Finding the Right Fit
Since the executive assistant works closely with an executive daily, it’s critical their personalities connect and work well together. This is when you really want to think about the individual’s attributes that may work best within the exact position and fit the executives’ values and personality.
For example, the executive may work best with an energetic and dynamic individual who is willing to learn new ways to work and is a natural server.
Whatever the attributes are, be sure to list them out to help you find the individual that will be a good fit and long-term employee. A great assistant quickly learns the executive needs, strengths and weaknesses, triggers or stressors, and how to accommodate their personal style best, making a long-term assistant extremely valuable.
Salary and Outlook
The salary of an executive assistant varies based on education, experience, skills, and geographical region, but the median salary is between $65,000-$150,000.
Work Environment and Schedule
Executive assistants typically work in an office setting, although the number of remote assistants is recently on the rise. The most common schedule of an executive assistant is the typical 9-5 hours.
However, depending on the organization and executive, the assistant may be required to work longer hours to meet demands and deadlines.
Summary
The executive assistant job description should be carefully thought about before written to ensure you attract the best-qualified candidates. With so many competing job postings, it’s critical to craft the description that helps your position stand out from the competition.
The description should clearly list all of the duties and responsibilities and the typical hours. In addition, it’s a good idea to list out any benefits or perks the position receives, including healthcare, bonuses, and 401k. The benefits will help attract top executive assistants with experience and the right skill set to meet the demands of the position.
When you write the job description, you should be clear on the executive the position will be assisting and the exact tasks they typically will be needing their assistant to handle. After an initial interview, the executive should also interview them to ensure their personalities match and would work well together.
After a time, the assistant will learn the executives working styles, likes and dislikes, and what issues should be brought to the executive, and which they should handle themselves. Hiring the right fit is critical for a great long-term working relationship since the best executive assistants are indispensable.
If you need to hire an exceptional executive assistant or look for a position as one, contact the Pocketbook Agency! We take the time to understand your needs, and with our proprietary smarter staffing technique, we will take the stress out of the process for you and find you your best match quickly.
Source:
Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants | BLS.gov