If you are building a startup or a small business, you’re likely going to have so little time on your hands as you try to juggle several roles at the same time. Building a company from the ground up involves a great deal of multitasking, and entrepreneurs pride themselves on wearing many hats. However, you have to learn how to delegate at some point, and one of the key positions to fill is the executive assistant’s role. So what exactly does an executive assistant do?
Have you ever found yourself asking this question? A lot of people have a vague understanding of what it is that they do, so let’s clear things up.
Executive assistants can do many of the things that are required to ensure that the company is running smoothly and efficiently. With one around, you don’t have to constantly worry about putting out fires because your executive assistant is there to take the load off your shoulders
No matter how brilliant you are, it’s going to be difficult to keep track of everything as your business takes off. Things will start to pile up eventually, and your executive assistant is there to keep things in order.
Executive assistants are expected to do tasks like scheduling meetings and appointments, maintaining your calendar, reviewing and filtering all incoming and outgoing emails and calls, making travel arrangements, and reviewing, updating, and filing documents. Now, you may ask, “Can’t a secretary handle those duties?” Yes, a secretary can do that for you. But an executive assistant can do so much more, which brings us to the next section.
Executive assistants can act as a business owner’s right-hand men or women. Think of them as an extension of yourself. Yes, like a secretary, they can do simple clerical tasks for you. However, executive assistants are also expected to perform more sophisticated and complex administrative tasks that require a higher level of skill and judgment.
Executive assistants can supervise and train lower-level admin staff, so you no longer have to do it every time you hire someone. They can also perform the duties of an HR professional. So if you haven’t set up an HR department yet, your executive assistant can post job ads for you on career sites and assist in payroll preparation. You can even ask an executive assistant to attend a meeting with a client or vendor if you’re unable to do it yourself.
Executive assistants can bring so much to the table. They can do tasks that require a high degree of independent judgment and initiative, and they can take care of situations without being told what to do or how to do it. They are trained to think on their feet, and they are prepared for all eventualities.
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Once they get to know how you like to do things, executive assistants can even learn to think like you. They can put themselves in your shoes. Now, who wouldn’t want to have an assistant who knows how their mind works?
This is a person you’re going to be working closely with for 8 hours a day, so he/she will understand where you want your business to be in the next few years. Your executive assistant can help you reach your goals, and he/she can even share ideas that will benefit your business or make your life easier.
Now that you know what exactly an executive assistant does, you can see that an executive assistant is more than just someone who can do clerical tasks. They are an integral part of the company, and you should consider getting one early on so they can help you keep things on track.
Of course, you need to find the right executive assistant who has the skill set for the role. You can’t just pick a prospect randomly. You have to let the candidates go through a rigorous interview process because this is a person who will be working closely with you. It would be best to make sure he/she is a good match for your company culture.
So here are the key skills for an executive assistant:
1) Communication – This skill is vital for a person who will be acting as your first point of contact. Your executive assistant’s written and verbal communication skills will have to be exceptional if he/she will be taking calls and writing emails for you.
2) Initiative – Okay, we can all agree that proactive employees are the best to have around. For an executive assistant, this skill is a must-have because it helps them take care of situations before they become problematic. You don’t want to have a reactive type who has to put out fires on a regular basis because he/she didn’t think ahead.
3) Flexibility – Since an executive assistant’s responsibilities vary greatly, the person you hire has to be willing to take any challenge head-on. If things don’t go as planned, your executive assistant must have the ability to adapt.
4) Multitask – This is why you’re hiring an executive assistant. You need someone who can multitask and is versatile enough to perform various admin tasks to free up your time.
5) Attention To Detail – Many of the tasks they will be handling require a meticulous attention to detail, so this is a skill that every executive assistant should have.
Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way let me show you where you find some budget-friendly hires. You can get an executive assistant in the US for anywhere from $20 to $40 per hour, but if you don’t have the budget, you can hire one overseas. In the Philippines, you can find executive assistants who are willing to accept salaries as low as $3 an hour, so go and check out OnlineJobs.ph. It has the largest database of virtual workers from the Philippines.
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So sign up, post your job ad, and wait for the applications to come in. Once you find some candidates that you like, subscribe to a paid plan so you can communicate with them. The $69 plan will do unless you’re planning to hire a lot of people. Once you’re done hiring, just cancel the subscription so you don’t have to pay the monthly fee.
Another option is to get your executive assistant through an agency. You will have to pay a bit more for their services. There are plenty of outsourcing agencies online, so give them a look if you don’t have the time to train your own executive assistant.
Need help crafting the perfect executive assistant job description? Check out this article.
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