What is an executive assistant? The simple answer is “a person employed to assist a high-level manager or professional with correspondence, appointments, and administrative tasks.” I’m sure you have read that exact description somewhere else. Let’s delve a little deeper here and learn more about why these professionals are sought after.
Okay, people have used the two titles interchangeably, but they’re not exactly the same, although their responsibilities do overlap sometimes.
The personal assistant’s job is to take care of menial organizational and administrative tasks so that their employers can have more time to focus on their goals. So basically, you can expect a personal assistant to handle tasks like scheduling meetings and appointments, taking calls and messages, drafting emails, booking travel, transport and accommodation, preparing reports, managing databases, conducting research and filing systems, liaising with staff and clients, performing basic/general bookkeeping, and running day-to-day errands.
The tasks personal assistants handle differ from company to company, so there may be a few responsibilities missing from that list. It should be noted that it is also possible for personal assistants to work for a wealthy individual or household instead of a company.
On the other hand, the executive assistant is generally associated with the business sector, so you won’t see a celebrity hiring one. They usually support executives in upper management, including CEOs. An executive assistant can do all the things that a personal assistant can do. In fact, most executive assistants started out as personal assistants before they moved up the career ladder, so they can do personal assistant tasks if needed. However, executive assistants are expected to do so much more.
Now, here’s the main difference between the two titles. Executive assistants can be called upon to take their bosses’ place in meetings and speak on their behalf. A personal assistant won’t be asked to perform a high-level task like that. As a matter of fact, executive assistants are often asked for advice on business issues, and they can also make important decisions. Executive assistants often supervise lower-level administrative personnel, and they are tasked with training incoming clerical staff as well.
Are you looking to hire a VA?
Click here if you’re looking for someone to work for you remotely.
Why is having an executive assistant more of a necessity than a luxury these days? We’ve covered this before in a previous article, but it’s worth repeating here. You see, an executive assistant can learn to think as you do, especially if he/she is committed to upholding your company’s culture, core beliefs, and values. Can you imagine having someone on your team who understand exactly how your mind works? That would be a huge plus.
Now, everyone has their strengths. And no matter how brilliant you are, you have weaknesses as well. The good news is that an executive assistant can step in and fill the gap to offset your weaknesses. You don’t have to stress yourself out if you have an executive assistant around because he/she can pick up the slack when you struggle.
Think of your assistant as a trusted confidant who can anticipate your needs and get things done without being asked. And this leads us to another key difference between an executive assistant and a personal assistant.
An executive assistant needs to have a proactive mindset so he/she can stay one step ahead and address issues before they become major problems. That way, you won’t be spending so much time putting out fires. Meanwhile, a personal assistant’s role is much more reactive as they respond to issues that may arise.
Of course, having a proactive mindset is just one of the key skills executive assistants are expected to have. An effective executive assistant should also be flexible. He/she has to be open and willing to learn new things, take on new challenges, and adapt to new and changing situations. Being a good multi-tasker helps as well since executive assistants are going to be called upon to handle a variety of tasks for their employers.
So, just how important is the role of the executive assistant? Writing for the Harvard Business Review, Melba J. Duncan, the president of The Duncan Group and the author of The New Executive Assistant, had this to say about how executive assistants can contribute to the efficiency of an organization.
“Simply put, the best executive assistants are indispensable. Microsoft will never develop software that can calm a hysterical sales manager, avert a crisis by redrafting a poorly worded e-mail, smooth a customer’s ruffled feathers, and solve a looming HR issue—all within a single hour, and all without interrupting the manager to whom such problems might otherwise have proven a distraction,” Duncan said. “Executive assistants give companies and managers a human face. They’re troubleshooters, translators, help desk attendants, diplomats, human databases, travel consultants, amateur psychologists, and ambassadors to the inside and outside world.”
That sounds like a ringing endorsement.
Now that you know how indispensable executive assistants can be, let us show you where to find one without breaking the bank. You see, the average hourly wage for an executive assistant in the US is around $30 per hour, so not everyone can afford to hire one. Fortunately, you can always find one overseas.
OnlineJobs.ph is a good option because there are plenty of skilled individuals there with affordable hourly rates, so it’s possible to find an experienced executive assistant who is willing to join your team for as little as $5. So go ahead and sign up, post your job ad, and see if you like the talent pool available there. If there are applicants you like and want to reach out to them, you need to subscribe to a paid plan first because OnlineJobs.ph doesn’t allow users with free accounts to interact with the workers there. They did this to protect their workers from scammers.
* Disclosure: The link above is an affiliate link, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. To find out more about our view on affiliate products, please see this page.
Anyway, the fee isn’t much. Just choose the $69 plan, and you’re ready to go. Go interview the top candidates, and once you’ve found the one you like, cancel the plan, so you no longer have to pay the monthly fee.
So there you have it. I hope this will help you find the perfect executive assistant that can help you grow your business.
If you have any questions just give us a nudge. Check out this article if you need help crafting the perfect executive assistant job description?
Want to hire your own VA?
Click here to find amazing talent waiting to work for you.