Gatekeeper. Guardian. Goaltender. Traffic cop.
As an Executive Assistant, I’d bet you’ve been called one of the above labels before.
It must be frustrating. While there’s a grain of truth to the idea of the EA as a “gatekeeper,” this description barely scratches the surface of all the value that you provide.
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Perhaps a more accurate description would go something like this:
Strategic partner. Trusted confidant. Professional problem solver.
Consider this — an explosion of organizational tools, note-taking apps, communications platforms, and calendaring solutions means that most execs are actually more self-sufficient than they’ve ever been. If anything, today’s execs need less admin support, not more.
And yet, Executive Assistants are arguably more valuable now than they were in decades past.
Why is this the case? Simple.
The EA function has transformed from a supporting role to more of a strategic one. Share on XWhen talking with The Assist, a trusted resource among the executive assistant community, we learned that the Executive Assistant function has transformed from a supporting role to more of a strategic one. Today’s executives lean on their assistants not just for admin help, but for:
- Strategic counsel
- Technical expertise
- Critical analysis
EAs are expected to dabble in things as wide and varied as project management, event planning, internal communications, and setting SMART goals so that it all (actually) gets done.
Get Your Free SMART Goals Template Here
It’s why USA Today described the Executive Assistant as Silicon Valley’s “power role,” and reported that it’s not uncommon for EAs in the tech mecca to pull in six figures.
A demanding role like this requires expert-level skills. So whether you’re committed to the EA path or hope to use the role to springboard to your dream job, here are the skills you’ll need to wow your bosses and make the biggest impact for your team.
Page Contents (Click To Jump)
Top Skills For Executive Assistants
1. Knowing All the Best-Kept Secrets
Have you ever noticed that EAs always seem to have an answer for this, a solution for that, and a resource to help with everything in between?
Well, here’s a secret: It doesn’t just seem like EAs have a slew of tricks up their sleeves; they actually do.
Many EAs keep a “little black book” (a.k.a. Word document or Excel file) of resources, a list of handy tools, training programs, services, links, and contacts. (Knowing they would likely encounter nearly any nameable challenge in their careers, these savvy EAs found a way to remember every potentially useful resource.)
Start off your own list of resources with our favorite secret:
- The Assist. Consider this free weekly newsletter your shortcut to success where you can learn about all the best-kept secrets, most helpful technology tools, and field-tested tips from other razor-sharp EAs. You might even feel like you have a superpower as you get new secrets delivered to you on a silver platter (a.k.a. beautifully formatted email) each week.
“The Assist is a welcomed email every Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday. I wait until I have time to read the whole thing because it’s always jam-packed with helpful information and resources I want to explore in greater detail. The newsletter is always timely too, with topics that I seem to be dealing with at that moment. It reminds me that I have a community in which to turn whether for questions or just commiseration. Highly recommend it!” -Ashly P., Executive Assistant
Other free helpful resources:
- SMART Goals Template
- Meeting Minutes Template
- Work From Home Policy
- Conference Call Bingo
- Would You Rather Questions
- Remote Employee Onboarding Checklist
- Favorite Things Template
2. Digital Organization
10 years ago, your role as an EA might have required you to keep your boss’ paperwork orderly and filed away for safekeeping.
But now, you might be scrambling to keep all the calendar invites, invoices, contracts, and outreach emails straight.
Let SaneBox do the heavy lifting for you by using AI to sort and filter emails to their rightful place, saving you hours of work each week while ensuring your emails are organized and easily accessible when you need them.
3. Impeccable Organization
This might go without saying, but the organization is an absolute must for Executive Assistants. The EA role is a fast-paced and constantly changing one, so you can’t afford to waste precious seconds being unorganized. In fact, a good EA develops organizational systems and improves messy legacy processes.
If your organization game could use some improvement, we recommend checking out Miro — the visual tool for executive assistants!
4. Ruthless Prioritization
Back to the idea of EA as a “gatekeeper.”
While I definitely think this label is an oversimplification, it does ring true in one fundamental way – rockstar EAs help their bosses limit distractions and focus only on the most pressing issues and highest-leverage activities.
In simpler terms, EAs need to help their bosses prioritize, and they need to be absolutely ruthless about it.
It takes sound judgment on your part to figure out what warrants attention and what you need to shut down. But it’s not all about you. Prioritization is something you work on in collaboration with your boss and is definitely something you’ll both get better at over time. There are even free dedicated EA tools like Office Otter that can help you organize your tasks by priority and get clear reporting on what you’ve spent your time on in any given week.
The critical first step is to be clear on big-picture goals. Simply put, you can’t prioritize without crystal clear objectives to help guide you.
⭐ Pro-Tip from The Assist: To “create” more time, simply stop doing things that don’t deliver output commensurate with your time input. Use an Action Priority Matrix to determine the “ROI” of your time and pinpoint opportunities to balance your time portfolio.
5. Calm Under Pressure
Let’s not sugarcoat things – executives can be demanding! Most execs have high-pressure jobs, and that pressure often gets passed on to you.
Not every day will be a fire drill, but it’s critical that you can function under the high-pressure situations that will undoubtedly come your way.
Going back to my previous example, there was something besides her resourcefulness that helped the EA in my story snag those Laker tickets – that deep breath she took.
She stayed calm under the pressure of a difficult task with a tight deadline. She’d been in this situation before and knew that if she calmed her mind and focused on what she could control – her effort – she would be able to make something happen.
Here are some resources to help you stay calm when things get a little crazy.
6. Expert Level Communication (and a Penchant for Real Talk)
For much the same reasons, communication skills are a huge part of the EA equation. An Executive Assistant is like a spokesperson for their executive. In many situations, your words are treated as if they are your boss’s, so polished emails and proper phone etiquette are a must. You also need to be able to communicate strategy clearly and accurately, as well as be persuasive from time to time.
Many EAs also take on de-facto internal communications roles, drafting internal emails on behalf of their boss. These emails can reach entire departments – even entire companies – so top-notch writing skills are a huge asset.
Beyond that, communication is foundational. Most of the skills listed in this article simply aren’t possible without good communication.
Here’s something else to consider when it comes to communication – a good EA knows that real talk rules the day.
Remember, execs want to be able to bounce ideas off you or gauge your reaction to proposed solutions. But this only works if you stay true to your actual point of view.
Your boss doesn’t want a yes-man or yes-woman. She wants (and needs) to hear what you really think.
So keep it real. Executives can live in a bubble. It’s up to you to be their reality check from time to time.
⭐ Pro-Tip from The Assist: It’s better to be safe than sorry. Communicate more than you think you need to. Make “clarity” your new mantra, even if you’re worried you’re providing too much detail. This goes a long way, especially within small teams.
7. Dogged Resourcefulness
As an EA, how many times have you been asked to pull off the impossible?
A good Assistant knows that making the impossible possible comes with the territory. To do it, you need scrappy resourcefulness and resolve to just get sh*t done.
One of the most impressive EA feats I’ve ever seen was a few years back at an LA tech company. One of the Exec Assistants there got a request from her boss around 10 A.M. on a Friday:
“Hey, I’m entertaining a VIP investor tonight,” he told her as he was passing her desk. “I need two courtside seats to tonight’s Laker game.”
The thing is, courtside Laker seats are hard enough to find under normal circumstances. But these weren’t normal circumstances. This was the playoffs. It was the hottest ticket in town.
I’ll never forget what she did after her boss walked into his office after so casually dropping that bomb on her –
She paused, took a deep breath, and immediately got to work. She scoured ticket sites, called ticket brokers, and chased false leads on Craigslist. When that didn’t work, she picked up the phone and tapped into her network of other EAs, cashing in longstanding favors and negotiating for favors down the line.
To be honest, I still don’t know exactly how she did it. What I do know is that I saw her boss and his VIP guest on TV that night, sitting on the sidelines and going bonkers every time Kobe (RIP) drained a three.
8. Tech Prowess
Here’s another hat to add to the long list that the average EA has to wear — a personal IT professional.
In addition to the usual professional tools like Microsoft Office or Google’s G-suite, today’s EA has to be proficient in the myriad systems, apps, and plugins that executives use to do their jobs. This may mean a working knowledge of Slack, Calend.ly, Evernote, Hootsuite, Salesforce, and Zuora, just to name a few.
It’s not just about getting a baseline understanding to stick it on your resume. Taking the time to fully utilize these tools will help with your overall productivity and can assure your executive that you are prepared for any tool that comes across your path.
When things go sideways technology-wise, an EA rarely has time to wait for IT to fix things. The ability to troubleshoot for your boss is a must-have skill. This is especially true in startup environments, where an EA might be the closest thing to an IT specialist that the company has.
⭐ Pro-Tip from The Assist: EAs are expected to fix countless problems on the spot, and often that means helping your executive with their tech. ASAPorg.com is a great resource for tips and tricks on all the different business software’s your executive uses. Being able to master everything from Slack Office Management Bots to Microsoft Power Automate.
9. Emotional Intelligence
EAs deal with people – lots of them. Internally, you interact with employees at every level within the org, from entry-level contributors to managers, all the way up to the c-suite.
Externally, the same applies. In a single day, you might deal with executives at other companies, investors and board members, vendors fighting for your company’s business, or journalists trying to get your boss to say something on the record.
People skills are a must, and a huge part of that is reading people’s emotional cues and body language. Doing so might be the difference between diffusing a fraught situation or throwing your boss to the lions (something she definitely won’t appreciate).
Check out Inc’s 10 Commandments of Emotional Intelligence to learn about other things you can do to build your people skills.
⭐ Pro-Tip from The Assist: Compassion is an enormous aspect of emotional intelligence. And emotional intelligence is a vital tool for top caliber EAs. Assistants can achieve more success and add more value when they develop not just their emotional intelligence, but their listening intelligence as well.
10. Big Picture Thinking
The best EAs become trusted confidants and counsel for their execs.
Remember, you have a perspective that very few in the company have. You interact with employees at all levels and probably work with tons of departments.
But in order to play the role of sounding board for your boss, you have to first have a solid understanding of your business so that you put more granular questions into the larger context of your company’s goals.
If you’re not quite confident in your understanding of the ins and outs of your company and your competitors, there’s a fun and easy way to quickly get up to speed. Lunch!
Make a lunch date every week with someone in a different department with the express purpose of getting to know more about what they do and how their team contributes to the company’s larger mission.
Really dig in. Ask questions like, what have been your team’s biggest wins? Biggest challenges? Which of our competitors keeps you up at night? If you had a magic wand, what would you change about the company overnight? The industry?
After your conversation, write down the two or three biggest takeaways from your conversation. Keep these in a spreadsheet for easy reference.
Not only is this a great way to network within your company, but before long you’ll have built the foundational knowledge you need to provide valuable insights to your boss.
11. Ironclad Discretion
Whether it’s news about an upcoming acquisition, HR matters, financial reports, or trade secrets, top-level executives constantly deal with sensitive information.
Which, of course, means their assistants do too.
Transparency is a virtue in business, but even the most open organizations deal with privileged information that must be handled delicately.
Trust is probably the single biggest determining factor when it comes to success in the EA role. One of the surest ways to erode the trust between you and your boss is to be careless with sensitive info. Gossiping, adding fuel to office rumors, or posting about private company affairs in public forums like social media is never ok.
Of course, mistakes happen. A slip of the tongue or an errant email can have the same effect as a public Tweet about your company’s upcoming layoffs.
The best thing to do is to own up to it. Let your boss know the situation and work together to remedy the situation.
12. Strategic Multi-Tasking
Yes, we know, multi-tasking is a myth. Our brains just aren’t made to handle more than one complex task at a time.
However, as we’ve heard time and again from Executive Assistants, some degree of multi-tasking is essential to the role.
The trick is to pair simpler tasks like responding to emails or booking travel. If you’re on hold, why not do some quick filing or data entry?
Definitely prioritize your focus-intensive tasks and knock them out one by one. But when you can, pair the more mindless activities together to maximize your time.
How else can you get more done in the same amount of time? Focus.
After you’ve prioritized your tasks, give them 100% of your attention, even if your thoughts try to wander to all the to-dos you need to tackle next. Many taskmasters swear by the Pomodoro Technique for getting through their to-do lists.
Simply select a task, set a timer for about 25 minutes, and focus only on that task until the timer runs out. Then take a break and repeat. The short increments make focused attention more accessible.
⭐ Pro-Tip from The Assist: When you have a multitude of tasks that require your attention, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and lose sight of priorities. If you tend to fall into this trap, try time blocking your calendar. Time blocking forces you to create dedicated times to knocking out items on your to-do list, which helps sustain your focus and removes the anxiety around all the other things you need to get done.
13. Supernatural Anticipation
Truly great EAs play chess, not checkers.
To really thrive in the role, you have to be able to see ten moves ahead and anticipate issues before they become full-blown problems.
This plays out in two ways. The first is what I call “situational anticipation.” That’s when you see the elements of a potential problem coming together, and you work proactively to prevent them from developing.
The second is “personal anticipation,” and is about knowing the preferences and idiosyncrasies that are unique to your boss.
For instance, if your experience has taught you that your boss is sharper in the morning hours than after lunch, schedule that tough meeting in the morning, not the afternoon.
In both cases, anticipating problems and nipping them in the bud can save you countless headaches down the road, and allow you and your boss to focus on the important stuff.
14. Speed and Decisiveness
There’s no time for equivocation in the fast-paced world of the Executive Assistant. A good EA sums up the situation, gathers the necessary info, asks the right questions, and then most importantly, acts.
True, you’ll rarely have all the information you need. But it’s best to act quickly and confidently and move things forward rather than wait around for further clarity, or worse, permission.
Writing for the Muse, Decision Coach Nell McShane Wulfhart outlines 4 steps that help anyone make faster, smarter decisions. Here’s what Wulfhart says you should do when making an important decision:
“Get clear on what you really want.”
“Don’t choose something just because you’re “supposed to.”
“Remember that doing something trumps doing nothing.”
“Practice being decisive.”
Read the full post here.
15. Thick Skin and A Sense of Humor
Here’s the thing. There’s no doubt that you have an important job, as does the executive with whom you work so closely day in and day out. You might have a hand in some pretty big decisions, ones that affect the future of your company and the livelihoods of the people you work with.
But at the end of the day, the odds are that most decisions won’t be life or death. It’s important to keep things in perspective and be able to laugh at yourself (and your boss) every once in a while.
The ability to roll with the punches, reset after a bad day, and keep things in perspective are all essential to becoming a killer EA.
⭐ Pro-Tip from The Assist: Part of developing a thicker skin is to remember not to take things personally. If you’re receiving some unfavorable feedback about your work, try to look at it as an opportunity to bring in a new idea or improve rather than seeing it as an attack. If the feedback you’re receiving isn’t constructive, don’t be afraid to suggest other ways you like to be approached either.
16. Networking
Remember the EA who scored impossible-to-find Lakers tickets? She tapped into her solid network to make magic. Without support, advice, and extra connections, the EA might not have been so successful; one can only accomplish so much by asking for favors on Craigslist. When tasks grow to legendary proportions, it takes a village to accomplish them.
To build and maintain a strong support network, EAs have to cultivate amazing networking skills.
Here are some of our favorite networking tips and tricks:
- Join as many Facebook and online groups as you can. These make perfect venues for quickly getting answers to difficult questions.
- Use Meetup to build your own EA support group that gathers weekly.
- If you often interface with any EAs at other companies, send them LinkedIn connection requests and invite them on casual coffee dates.
- Pay it forward. If you’re browsing an online board or attending an event and hear of another EA in need, offer your services immediately. If you ever want to get support, be sure to give it generously.
- Start a niche blog. Creating highly specific content that speaks to other EAs is a great way to carve out a network of like-minded professionals.
17. Negotiating Skills
Want to know what else the EA who scored impossible-to-find Lakers tickets did well? She used negotiating skills to nab tickets that everyone wanted.
Both an art and a science, negotiating mystifies many. It can seem like some people are just born with a certain je ne sais quoi that inspires others to do their bidding, and maybe they were. But more than likely, these people cultivated their impressive negotiating skills. You can too.
Santa Clara University has a fantastic resource page on developing negotiating skills. Here are some key takeaways:
- Practice negotiating often, especially when nothing is at stake. Harvard Law School’s Program on Negotiation Teaching Negotiation Resource Center offers hundreds of simulations to get your practice going.
- Put yourself in the other person’s shoes. How do they view the situation?
- Consider the leverage on both sides. Do you have an even seesaw, or does it skew to one side? How can you skew it toward your side?
- Toss out a “win” or “lose” mentality. After a good negotiation, everyone should walk away with something.
18. Analytics Skills
In the introduction, we mentioned that EA roles have been steadily growing more strategically. Keep up with the shifting expectations, and increase your ability to think strategically by building up analytical skills.
You can leverage a strong analytical skillset in any situation, from handling tricky social scenarios to making far-reaching company budget decisions. These skills turn solid employees into indispensable critical thinkers who always seem to have the answers.
To build more analytical thinking skills, the education experts at Udemy, an online learning platform, recommend a variety of simple steps. Here are some adapted takeaways:
- Visualize your hypothetical actions and expand your thinking skills through thought experiments. When a real-world situation springs up, you’ll be ready to tackle it with your sharpened reasoning skills.
- Evaluate the world through a logical lens. When you hear a statement or read a piece of news, consider if it could be proven or not. This practice aids in strategic decisions, and it trains your brain to supplement your decisions and ideas with evidence.
- Question the numbers. Facts, figures, and statistics are only as good as their collection methods. Since many executives want numbers to back up decisions, it’s important that EAs know how to question sources. For example, if a report from a recent survey suggests that most employees would be happier if they had free coffee, you could ask about the sample size. The numbers might seem significant, but if only 20 people out of a 500-person company actually took the survey, then the results might not tell a conclusive story after all.
19. Ability to Quickly Adapt
Adaptability is an important executive assistant skill because the position typically deals with unexpected situations and changing priorities. An executive assistant must be able to quickly shift gears and adjust to new circumstances in order to support their executive and keep the operations of the organization running smoothly.
Adaptability also means being comfortable with uncertainty and ambiguity. An executive assistant may be asked to take on tasks that are not well defined, or they may have to work with limited information. In these situations, an adaptive mindset allows them to remain calm and find creative solutions.
Furthermore, an executive assistant who is adaptable is better equipped to handle rapid changes in the workplace, such as changes in management, company structure, or technology. They are able to pivot and adjust their approach to work to meet new demands and expectations.
Adaptability is a key asset for an executive assistant to have because it enables them to work effectively in a dynamic, fast-paced environment, respond to changing priorities and unexpected challenges, and support their executive in achieving their goals.
20. Research Expertise
Research expertise goes far beyond simple Google searching to leverage industry connections, local data sources, academic databases, and specialized networks. An executive assistant seeks to cultivate an extensive network of resources in order to locate hard-to-find data or discover insider market intelligence and trends.
For example, they may tap local university librarians or chamber of commerce data to uncover hyper-focused regional statistics. Or work with their contacts at various professional associations to gain access to members-only industry analysis or salary benchmarking reports.
Additionally, expert executive assistants are familiar with niche data tools like Thinknum for alternate data, SimilarWeb for digital trends, or PrivCo for private company financial insights. They understand how to leverage specialized search operators and filters to maximize the usefulness of results.
Even more value is provided when they can analyze and synthesize unearthed data into compelling takeaways for the executive. Combining a persistent drive to uncover every last informational gem and skilled discernment into what matters most, an executive assistant accelerates decision-making through first-rate research services. It’s no understatement to equate them to a personal research ninja!
People Also Ask These Questions About Executive Assistant Skills
Q: What does an executive assistant do in 2024?
- A: The EA function has transformed from a supporting role to more of a strategic partner. Today’s executives lean on their assistants not just for admin help, but for counsel, technical expertise, and critical analysis. EAs are expected to dabble in things as wide and varied as project management, event planning, and internal communications. SnackNation has interviewed 1,000s of EAs to bring you the top Executive Assistant Skills In 2024!
Q: How can I improve as an executive assistant?
- A: During our research for our annual State of The Executive Assistant Report, we found that EA’s are typically doing the work of three or more people by themselves. A demanding role like this requires expert-level skills. So whether you’re committed to the EA path or hope to use the role to springboard to your dream job, here are the skills you’ll need to wow your bosses and make the biggest impact for your team.
Q: What are the most important skills to learn as an executive assistant?
- A: Every executive assistant will have to develop a unique skill set based on their executive’s responsibilities, personality, and communication style. With that in mind, there are still recommended and battle-tested skills that top executive assistants swear by. Some examples that we cover in our article are Tech Prowess, Ruthless Prioritization, Ironclad Discretion, Strategic Multi-Tasking, and Knowing All the Best-Kept Secrets.
Want to hire an Executive Assistant? Check out this article to get started and this article to find the best job board.
Want to outsource an Executive Assistant? Check out this article to get started.
(P.S. – Get more sh*t done with The Assist — the #1 free weekly newsletter trusted by thousands of assistants.)
What about you? What’s the one skill that has been most responsible for your success?
Anything we missed? Sound off in the comments below.
This was great! no sugar coating and mater of fact details. I enjoyed reading this and it didn’t seem condescending or the opposite with tasks being unattainable.
I should have proofed it. Sorry for the typos.
Great Article! Thanks for writing and posting!
This is an awesome read.
Great read!
Another recommendation is to communicate priorities when you are working for more than one Executive.
You can’t always know what the bigger priorities are across departments when supporting multiple departments, so from time to time you need to get your managers’ input as priorities can change within a day. Being proactive helps everyone.
True that, Thanks for that addition.
Just finished one one Sean Kelly’s webinar for Executive Assistants. One of the most painless I’ve ever experienced. Sign me up. I want more.
This is probably one of THE BEST EA articles I have EVER read. It was specific. Many EA articles/books give very generic advice with no real supporting materials to accompany it. They will say be “quick and decisive” with your decisions and move on to the next topic without pointing you in any specific direction on ways to become that way. This was a very good read after a very trying day at work, at a new company that has no real direction.
Great information and we’ll worth my time to learn and refresh on EA Skills.
A great report on the work of Executive Assistants. Just whilst going through all the sections, how much work, attention to duty, attention to all kinds of everything, I should have been paid in gold.
Thanks for sharing this with us. I really enjoyed reading this and it makes me (again) feel proud being a PA. We could not be in this job if we didn’t really enjoy what we’re doing. I will share this within my network as I often get asked what it is that I do… 😉
This is a fantastic article. I would add one item. Be kind, be positive. Perhaps this is part of the networking or communication items – but I’ve found that when people think you’re kind, they are much more likely to negotiate with you, work well with you and be willing to do favors when you need them.
This article served as a great reference tool and a great reminder of those little and not-so-little details I need to focus on to be effective in my workplace. Thanks for sharing!
Very good article! Describing the EA as well as you did, makes us feel worthy of our jobs. Not always easy at times, but you have to love your job and I do! And yes Vanessa L. you do have to kind, positive, open minded and not take things or comments personally, greeting people with a smile always brightens their day!
Coming late into the game. Good read and resources that I will be going back to again and again. Thanks for the support from an EA finding herself in deeper waters with new CEO.
Great article. Very resourceful and on point. Thank you for sharing and reminding us of how important our job is and what a big role we play for our executives. Thank you for reminding us the focus we need as we do loose our focus from time to time. Best read ever.
So glad you found this article helpful. Thanks, Amerilda!
Great Article! Thanks for writing and posting!
Thanks, Christie!
Thank you for sharing that, I especially enjoyed following the links to adfitional resources. You’ve re-inspired me to stick with my challenging EA role.
Tania
New Zealand
Excellent article! After reading this, I am able to determine the areas/skills I want to focus and work on so that I can become a stronger, more efficient EA. Thank you for the additional resources included. They are a great place for me to start on my developmental journey.
Thanks, Jessica! Keep crushing it!
This was a fantastic read. I now know the areas where I need to improve.
Thank you for the tips and the resources opportunities out there. I’ll be checking those out.
Thanks, Angela! Happy to help!
LOVE this. If I HAD to add something it would be project management and delegation skills.
Great adds, Dani! Oftentimes Executive Assistants are seeing projects through from beginning to end, and working with different departments to get things done.
This was a great article! Very helpful and succinct. Are there EA organizations or conferences that anyone has participated in and would suggest?
Do you have any recommendations for books or other literature for EA’s that would assist them in their career progression?
Hi Susan! We do! Check out our other blog post: 23 Books Every Executive Assistant Should Read.
Sorry link doesn’t work
Great catch, Lilly! The link is fixed. Here it is again: 23 Books Every Executive Assistant Should Read
Check it out!
Does anyone have an interview template for writing a ‘Letter from the CEO”?
A fantastic article, just what I was looking for. It has highlighted the areas that I want to develop and given some great resources to start developing those skills.
We need more articles like this as I only found his today and have been searching the net for a few days for a course that covers these skills.
Great Article. Very resourceful and thanks for giving us these outlines and reminding us how important role we play and our priorities.
Excellent read.
That’s a hell of a lot to do for how much pay? Why is it always about what the worker does for the employer?
Hi Jen! It’s no doubt that Executive Assistants are tasked with a wide range of tasks – it’s what makes them rockstar employees! Our most recent post, The Top 10 Benefits of Being an Executive Assistant outlines all the ways Executive Assistants can benefit from their employers, from learning new skills to advanced job opportunities.
GREAT ARTICLE
A great read ! Thanks for the information.
Great Article! Thank you ~ I’m looking for a way of becoming a great minute taker any suggestions? I am also responsible for taking Board Meeting Minutes and I’m struggling a bit. Thank you in advance.
Excellent content! The ideas you’ve shared will be helpful for future purpose and reference.
New at EA , this article is very helpful. Thank you!
Congratulations Merita on your new role and good luck! Hope these tips are helpful!
Great article! I’m exhausted reading it. 😉 I’ll add my two-cents Be humble and remember that everyone is integral to your company, from the janitor to the CEO.
Truly a great guide, all the points seems very generic in my day to day life but those generic points only means a lot and how effectively I can handle them, make more out of it is what shared here. keep posting more information on this. thank you.
Thank you and great article.
May I add another tool that I use daily even more that outlook and have taught to colleagues; the tool is OneNote especially for live agenda and minutes.
GREAT info and timeless. Most of these I use, a few I will start doing.
Thank you so much Jeff.
Thank you! I have been doing some quick research on PA/EA’s and the services they provide. I do not have a background that would typically lead one into this position. However, an opportunity to enter into this field has literally arisen out of nowhere. It is not yet official but I have an interview – via phone – in a few days. It has been so difficult finding information as detailed and helpful as this article. This article truly shed some light regarding how much focus and dedication this PA position may require. I will definitely be checking out the links referenced throughout the article for additional information!
Thanks Madison! Good luck on your opportunity!
It’s a pity you don’t have a donate button! I’d definitely donate to this
brilliant blog! I guess for now i’ll settle for book-marking and adding
your RSS feed to my Google account. I look forward to new updates and will
talk about this website with my Facebook group. Talk soon!
Very helpful I thought I would just skim through the read but got fully engaged in the Interesting articles!
Good read.
Thanks Lisa. Excited to hear that the list was helpful!
I learned a lot from this article. thank you for sharing such informative and worth reading topics. Being an EA is not easy and it takes a lot of effort and perseverance and patient. Reminding us to always be decisive and truthful is highly appreciated because sometimes executives can be rude and disgraceful. Of course we are all humans and sometimes we commit mistakes. Being honest and patient is important in this role.
Who are you people? Your blog is mind-blowing. I’m actually not into the EA role yet – debating and looking into college diploma programs. Big career change but this blog is inspirational. It’s illustrating the positives and the draw-backs of this profession yet somehow making it an intriguing challenge. Thanks for the many resources!
You are so kind Lisa! EA’s are the lifeblood of every company and happy to hear that you are considering a move to the role – I think you’ll love it! Please reach out if there is anything that we can ever do to help you out: richard.fendler@snacknation.com
Like always filled with full of invaluable info Awesome hi
and amazing article. You are simply amazing.
Keep sharing more like this. We wish to read often and more frm you!
Finally! Someone that understood the work of an EA and lays it out clearly and beautifully. I was an EA for 7 years and yet I struggle to answer that question: What does an EA do. I could not really put into context all that I did – it was a lot (internal communications, project management, event planning, stakeholder liaison, support for board of directors, etc.) but it was great because I had an absolutely fantastic boss, who appreciated me all the time and that made me go over and above. We were a great team. I agree that being kind is key. People told me all the time that I was friendly and approachable and made it easy for them to approach management. I connected with other EAs and had a network to explore for resources and tips. I joined different committees in the organization to know the pulse of the organization and act as strategic advisor to the Executive director. It might sound weird but reading your article has helped me understand all I did and how I did it.
Very informative. I especially like the one about negotiation skills.
Great article! It explains with simple words what the profession is about. Many of our executive protection operatives (bodyguards) are seeking training for
EA courses. And on the other side, we have many Executive Assistants adding security-related training to their skillset.