If you are considering becoming an executive assistant, understanding more about the role could help you make up your mind if this career is right for you. As an assistant, you will need to be organized, good with technology, and have great communication skills. If this sounds like you, here are some of the duties that are involved in becoming an assistant of a high-level executive.
Conducting Research
Some executive assistants may be asked to conduct research, such as market research, in order to gain perspective of what decision an executive should make next about a project. This includes producing statistical reports and analyzing data which can then be summed up for an executive to read. This means you are often required to have a degree in the field in which the job is related to or a general business degree. Holding a masters such as an MBA may get you even further.
Become a Gatekeeper
Being a gatekeeper for your executive essentially means that you are responsible for what meetings they will attend and what calls and emails are passed through to them. This is a tough responsibility and one that will take time to master. It is important to understand the company’s core values and what kind of customers they want to work with. Executives are busy, hence why they need assistance, so giving them too many emails to look at could get you into trouble. Revising and getting to know the company and the executive’s goals and needs will help you to be a great gatekeeper for your executive.
Administrative Roles
An executive assistant is much like an administrative assistant, but with extra responsibilities. As an assistant to an executive, you will fulfill many other clerical duties such as responding to emails, scheduling business meetings, making phone calls, and planning your executive’s day to day schedule. Bevi has made a list of the best Executive Assistant Tips which can help you with these duties and make your life a little easier. If you want to find the best technology and applications available to assist with booking meetings and everything in between, there are 10 tips and tricks here. Hopefully, with these tips, you will be prepared.
Train and Mentor Others
In the hierarchy of a company, the executive is at the top, usually followed by you. Often, for large businesses that have a lot going on, there will be other administrative and clerical workers who will work below you to complete tasks in collaboration with each other. This may mean you need to adopt the role of supervising these staff and ensuring they know what your executive wants and to what standard. When new assistants join the company, you may also be responsible for training them and working alongside them, so they too understand the core values of the company.
An executive assistant can have many roles and responsibilities, and these will be determined by what company you apply for. There should be a full job description for any role and you should familiarize yourself with this before applying.
