You most likely have a strong desire to work as an executive assistant, but you may not be aware of all the requirements for a successful profession. To help you, I’m here for that reason.
The ability to multitask and manage human resources effectively is one of the key talents you need if you want to learn how to work as an executive assistant.
Pro-human resource managers with the flawless ability to juggle multiple jobs at once are successful executive assistants.
An executive assistantship is a right vocation for you if you wish to interact with and manage people with different personalities and character traits in a corporate atmosphere while handling several responsibilities almost simultaneously.
As an executive assistant, you will have to take a lot of initiative to contribute and make important decisions in your workplace. Executive assistants frequently contribute to a company’s strategic direction for a number of years and have a significant voice in office politics and operations.
As has been stated, accepting work as an executive assistant at a reputable company may come with a lot of difficult responsibilities as well as well-intentioned incentives. So, in order to succeed at it, intelligence and initiative are key.
I’ll therefore demonstrate how to become the ideal executive assistant in this essay. Do pay close attention to me.
Who is an executive assistant?
An executive assistant also referred to as a personal assistant, is tasked with providing high-profile executives, particularly those at the highest levels of politics, business, or other organizations, with various types of administrative help and support services.
They serve as assistants to these people, who are frequently well-known public figures with significant influence in their neighborhoods.
Typically, an executive assistant is seen as the public face of a company because it is uncommon to meet an executive director.
The position of an executive assistant can be compared to that of a secretary, however, executive assistants have extra duties that might affect the organization they work for’s success or profitability.
They may occasionally be assigned the duty of representing their employer or perhaps the company at a formal meeting or engagement.
Why are they called executive assistants?
You must learn about some of the jobs that executive assistants perform in order to get ready for them if you want to succeed as one.
The administrative tasks you will perform as an executive assistant are listed below. They consist of:
- Accepting and placing business calls
- Scheduling meetings for the executive
- Visitor screening
- Planning your travels
- Creating monthly and weekly reports
- Keeping minutes of meetings and carrying out simple bookkeeping procedures.
As an executive assistant, you will also play the extremely delicate role of providing confidential, high-level administrative support to the CEO’s office. You must learn to keep the CEO’s and possibly the organization’s extremely private worries private.
As a personal assistant, you will also be responsible for planning and carrying out research on behalf of the executive for whom you are working. This study could focus on politics, economic development, or any other topic.
A politician or executive will typically be able to make judgments based on this information in order to best serve the demands of their constituents.
The executive assistant typically serves as the executive’s circle team leader. This is because they may supervise and train other younger clerical workers because they have the most thorough awareness of the executive’s needs.
What distinguishes an administrative assistant from an executive assistant?
Although they are frequently used interchangeably, an executive assistant and an administrative assistant are very different. CEOs of businesses and corporations can make errors when attempting to improve the quality of the former.
The duties of these two occupations are essentially the same in general, however, an executive assistant often handles more significant work than an administrative assistant.
An administrative assistant typically assists with managing a business office and performs simple clerical tasks. In many circumstances, administrative assistants can advance to become executive assistants.
Both of these experts share the same workspace. It makes no difference if one serves as an administrative assistant and the other as an executive assistant.
Their work processes and job descriptions are essentially identical. One of the differences between the two men is this.
Executive Assistant
One’s employment as an executive assistant is often more focused on meeting the demands of the executives for whom they serve. He or she would be in charge of organizing personal appointments for one or more executives or high-ranking employees of a corporation and handling their daily schedules.
Additionally, he or she might be granted the power to oversee the work of other office workers, supervise their assignments, and create the presentations and slides that the executives would see.
Administration Assistant
One’s responsibilities as an administrative assistant would frequently include entering client information into a computer database, preserving files and documents, setting up meetings, guiding visitors, and taking phone calls. Additionally, this expert can broaden his or her specializations to include a certain industry, like law or medicine.
While a medical administrative assistant collects medical records, takes care of pharmacy calls, and welcomes patients, a legal administrative assistant organizes legal documents and performs basic research while working under the direction of an attorney or a paralegal.
Key Difference
An executive differs greatly from an administrative assistant in that the former typically enjoy greater prestige and earns more money than the latter.
The primary cause of this is that executive assistants support executives and essentially act as the right hands of people in positions of authority, including presidents, vice presidents, chief financial officers, and CEOs.
Executive assistants most likely can perform the duties of an administrative assistant, thus this does not imply that they cannot. In any case, executive assistants are frequently asked to perform tasks that call for higher timing awareness and more subtlety, so they should have some business acumen.
What credentials are required to work as an executive assistant?
You need at least a high school diploma to work as a personal assistant. In addition to expertise in a secretarial or administrative position, having management training is an added benefit in the job description of the personal assistant.
Additionally, you should know that computer abilities are needed. The candidate for personal assistant should be knowledgeable about current technology.
In most cases, no license is necessary, but you must stay current on all ongoing training in your industry. In order to land a job as a personal assistant, networking is crucial. Develop solid interpersonal skills. The candidate must have solid office administration training.
It is important to note that speaking and organizational skills are prerequisites for success as an assistant. Multitasking skills are crucial. Excellent computer skills are a requirement for a personal assistant. A professional demeanor is crucial. Candidates must be able to put in erratic hours as well.
The personal assistant needs to have a strong work ethic when new jobs arise. The assistant should typically be able to drive when necessary.
An entry-level position as a personal assistant is possible without management experience, though. It may be simple to find work without much experience, depending on the needs of the position.
However, those with prior experience find employment more readily than those without.
Steps towards being the good executive assistant
Here are a few tried-and-true guidelines to help you have a great time in your executive assistant profession.
Finish your basic training in a trade
Generally speaking, there are several ways you can become an executive assistant. The knowledge and abilities needed for the job can be acquired through community colleges’ undergraduate or associate degree programs or secondary and technical schools’ vocational education programs. Your employer might occasionally train you.
Employers can seek candidates with practical expertise using particular applications like Microsoft Word and Access. You must update yourself with some fundamental understanding of regularly used office software programs if you want to succeed in this industry.
Acquire managerial expertise
It is typical to have expertise in a lower-level managerial role with fewer duties before applying for an executive assistant post. Beginner administrative assistants frequently receive on-the-job training that can help them advance.
Get your bachelor’s degree
Because executive assistants’ career trajectories are relatively flexible, this phase can be completed before, after, or in conjunction with practical work experience.
As long as candidates have the requisite experience, employers normally do not require them to apply for a degree in a particular profession; nonetheless, a certificate connected to the industry of the possible employer can be seen favorably.
Four-year office administration degrees are uncommon at colleges and universities, but there are still classes in English, business administration, computer science, and general accounting.
College students who are considering careers as executive assistants shouldn’t assume that their degrees would automatically land them employment in the profession. Working part-time or receiving training in an administrative setting can be advantageous because experience is crucial.
Obtain certification for your profession.
Administrative assistants can enhance their knowledge and abilities and advance to executive roles by obtaining professional training. The Certified Professional Secretary (CPS) and Accredited Management Management Professional (CAP), which each require a 3-part and 4-part test, are credentials offered by the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP).
Candidates need to have either a bachelor’s degree with years of experience or an associate’s degree with three years of work experience in order to sit for either exam. Without a certificate, applicants must have 4 years or more of administrative experience.
Conclusion
It makes sense to look for work as a personal or executive assistant. There is a wide range of employment, and many different industries require assistance.
It’s not too tough to become one because the executive assistant job description often has just basic educational qualifications. There are lots of employment options available, and the pay is well above average. To succeed in your career, you will need to stay current on a variety of required skills.
FAQs about the steps to becoming an executive assistant
Yes, there are online schools that can help you pursue a job as an executive assistant.
In the United States, an Executive Assistant to the CEO earns a yearly compensation of $57,939 on average. A median wage of $57,410 was earned by executive assistants in 2017. In that year, the top 25 percent earned $72,080, while the bottom 25 percent earned $44,960.
It will take a few months to possibly a year to become an executive assistant if you only have a vocational training certificate. However, it can take you a few more years to complete a degree. You might expect to spend up to 5 years earning your degree.