An executive assistant’s duties are far more complex and inclusive than those of an ordinary administrative assistant. At various times he/she must act as strategic counsel and technical expert. Moreover, executive assistants are expected to dabble in things as wide and varied as project management, event planning, and internal communications, and much more. As the staff here at A List Associates is continually striving to improve the job performance of our employees, we present 5 skills that employers value the most in an executive assistant.

  • An excellent communicator: An executive assistant is often called upon to act as a liaison between his/her employer and other members of an origination as well as with clients. In this capacity, they answer phones, greet clients in person, answer questions and handle complaints from customers and vendors alike. They must remember that they serve as the first point of contact within an organization. He/she must therefore be diplomatic, calm and articulate.
  • Resourceful: Executive assistants are often called upon to practically perform miracles. A good executive assistant knows that the “impossible” can be accomplished with just a little hard work and planning.
  • Calm under pressure: Some days as an executive assistant will be hectic. Often, employers will call upon their assistants to keep several balls in the air at the same time. It is at times like these that executive assistants must demonstrate an ability to stay calm and tackle the challenges that come their way.
  • Master of time management: Effective time management is one of the most important skills required to be a superior executive. You will be asked to accomplish several tasks at the same time and knowing how to manage your time will help you reach your goals while remaining organized.administrator
  • Tech prowess: One of the many hats that an executive assistant must wear is that of a personal IT person. Executive assistants may be called upon to use professional tools like Microsoft Office or Google’s G-suite as well as have knowledge of Slack, Calend.ly, Evernote, Hootsuite, Salesforce, and Zuora, just to name a few. By keeping yourself up to date on these technologies you will give yourself a competitive advantage over your peers.

There you have it. These are just a few of the skills that make up an excellent executive assistant. There are many others such as curiosity, discretion and good judgment that help as well. As an executive assistant staffing company in NYC, we can tell you that employers highly value these skills and depend on new hires to bring them to the table when they start out. Our executive assistant staffing firm in NYC works with some of the top firms in the area.