Trying out for a new position or applying for one in the place where you already work always comes with a lot of questions and stress. You can never be sure whether or not your employer thinks highly enough of you to promote you to a higher place in the company.
Sometimes it comes out of the blue following a stretch of hard work, and other times it is known in advance by you and the rest of the workplace. However, no promotion is greater than becoming an executive assistant.
Working hard and remaining loyal to one business are some of the basic conditions that an employee aspiring to become an executive assistant needs to have. After all, you are about to become the right hand person of one of the executive officials who runs the whole thing.
There is not really any higher you can get especially while you are still in the first few years of working there. In order to perform this crucial role properly, you have to know the key things about the position. To help you and all the other executive assistants (to be) out there who are unsure what the job position implies, this article will act as a guide.
Read on to get familiar with the most important things about being an executive assistant so that you can express your superior from the start. What is more, for additional help and some professional advice on the matter, be sure to check out souterstraining.com.
1. They Do a Lot
That is right, we did not write that they ‘work’ a lot but that they ‘do’ a lot, although both are technically true. In any case, you have to know exactly what the title implies. In simplest terms, executive assistants play key roles in their respective companies because they assist one or many executives who are often CEOs, owners, or officials of the highest ranks.
They also often double as personal assistants, meaning they are entrusted to complete both the business and personal side of being somebody’s right-hand person. Still, the bulk of the work comes in the form of managing schedules, representing the higher-up(s) in meetings and calls, preparing and reviewing files, analyzing key data, managing office tasks, overlooking other staff members, and handling confidential info. Assistants are usually also the mediators between their executives and the regular employees. Visit here to learn more about why executive presence works and how to get it.
2. Excellent Salary
They may be doing a lot, but executive assistants are also well paid. Considering the fact that they usually rise from one of the more regular positions in a company where most of the employees work, they should expect their new salary to be a lot higher.
According to some reports, an average executive assistant in California in 2024 makes around $60,000 per year. This means that the general range is somewhere between about $40,000 and over $80,000 which is quite a lot.
Other US states are more or less the same when average salaries and living standards are taken into account, as is the case around the world. There are not a lot of people above you when you become an executive assistant really. The pay goes up the more experienced you become, and the bonuses keep coming.
3. Key Tips for Everyday Responsibilities
Without being organized, there is not much you will accomplish as an executive assistant regardless of the industry you are in. Right off the bat, you will need a few key practices and habits on your new position. Since you are about to handle a bunch of emails on a daily basis, it is smart to organize them according to urgency.
For example, you can have four classes, urgent (require replies), less urgent (replies), follow-ups, and to-dos. Act on them within a timely manner and you will never fall behind. Another good tip is to always make tomorrow’s to-do lists and schedules before you leave for the day. It will save you from having to rush to the office in the morning, or even worse, take work home.
It is easier to stay 5 to 10 minutes late than have to come early. Remember this! Another pro tip for all the up-and-coming executive assistants out there, make sure to visualize what you absolutely will accomplish for the day. Results come after organizing and acting on the plan. Visualization will make it easier, but do practice them on smaller, easy-to-do things in the beginning.
4. Use Tools
Let’s face it. We live in a modernized world full of smart technology. Both out hardware and software are made to be dummy-proof. Everyone can use them after a few hours or even minutes of practice.
Since you have a very responsible job position now that is as diverse as it can be when it comes to tasks, using the right tools to help you is of the utmost importance. Your phone, laptop, and smartwatch should be the main gadgets that make your work easier. However, it is the apps on them that do the heavy lifting.
There are plenty of professional apps made by developers who know what the target business people require. From planners and organizers to software that helps you assemble and calculate data, make sure to get the best you can. The smarter the apps are, the less manual work you will have to do yourself.
5. Tasks to Learn or Develop
Last but not least, you have to know what personal skills you need to work both before you get this job and when you get it. Finessing your skills and constantly learning to improve is how you remain relevant at your job and how you can one day (maybe) become the executive yourself instead of the assistant.
Make sure you are better than average at communication, time management, organization, and multitasking. These are the core abilities that must be on the highest level at all times because the job implies them. Then comes problem solving, attention to details, using technology and resources, and being proactive.
If you think these four are second-tier skills you can do without, you could not be more wrong. They are crucial for taking that next step and actually showing your superiors they rely on you. Finally, your leadership skill will be tested daily as you cooperate with other employees to whom you transfer information from the top. One day, you will be the leader at the top.
