HOW TO HIRE
Executive Assistant
Complete with job descriptions, skill profiles and interview templates. Use this executive assistant hiring guide to help you make the right decisions, fast.
HIRING GUIDES
What does an executive assistant do?
At a glance, the role of an Executive Assistant is similar to an Administration Assistant in many ways. They’re responsible for managing the information flow and performing administration tasks for their assigned executive or executives.
Depending on the executive, the organization and the employee’s skill set, Executive assistants may also deal with basic financial management, prepare reports or meeting briefs, conduct market research or act on behalf of the executive or leader.
Day to day tasks of an Executive Assistant
- Act as a gatekeeper and manage communication for an executive
- Conduct market research and prepare information for an executive
- Being a point of contact between executive and internal colleagues
- Organizing meetings, travel arrangements and itineraries
- Producing or reviewing reports and presentations
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An executive assistant is often the first point of contact for clients and visitors to your company. It’s important to hire the right person for this role to leave a great first impression of your business.
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
An executive assistant is often the first point of contact for clients and visitors to your company. It’s important to hire the right person for this role to leave a great first impression of your business.
BUILD THE IDEAL CANDIDATE PROFILE
Skills needed for an Executive Assistant
An executive assistant must have developed organisational and scheduling skills to manage both their own time and their executive’s. As the go-to person between the executive and internal and external contacts, the executive assistant needs to have advanced communication skills and be able to handle sensitive information. They should also be able to manage the high-pressure nature of the role.
How to write an Executive Assistant job description
Once you’ve determined the skills required for the role, you can write the job description to advertise for your executive assistant position. Here’s what to include in an executive assistant job description:
Job Title: An overview of the role’s day-to-day activities, and how the position contributes to the organisation.
Summary: What makes your company unique? What would it be like to work for you?
Responsibilities: An overview of the role’s day-to-day activities, and how the position contributes to the organisation
Requirements: Skills a candidate must have to perform the job successfully.
Benefit: Details of compensation, benefits and any perks on offer.
PRO TIP #1
Ensure you provide details about what it’s like to work for your company, which executive this role reports to, and what your company values are so applicants know whether your company is the right fit for them.
PRO TIP #2
In building your candidate profile, you’ve already identified what skills are needed to be successful in the role. Here’s where to list your “must-have” skills and maybe a couple of “nice-to-have” skills. For example, an executive assistant must have a high level of attention-to-detail, but it might be nice to hire someone that has experience in preparing financial reports, or conducting market research.
PRO TIP #3
In building your candidate profile, you’ve already identified what skills are needed to be successful in the role. Here’s where to list your “must-have” skills and maybe a couple of “nice-to-have” skills. For example, an administration assistant must have a high level of attention-to-detail, but it might be nice to hire someone that has experience in managing office supply budgets and ordering.
Sample skill tests for an Executive Assistant
Question 1
Scheduling
Question Type: Multiple Choice
You need to schedule a video conference between participants in Melbourne, Hong Kong and San Francisco. What is the most appropriate time window?
Question 2
Attention-to-detail
Question Type: Spreadsheet
Bob thinks he many have accidentally used his private bank account for some travel related work expenses. He has given you a spreadsheet and asked you to check if any of the items are work related. Please go through the spreadsheet and highlight in yellow any rows you think may be work related expenses.
Question 3
Communication
Question Type: Text
Peter has asked you to edit a draft email and send it on his behalf. Normally Peter is an excellent writer, however, on this occasion he was in a rush and had to draft the email while rushing to his gym class. Please edit the email to make it more professional and succinct.
INTERVIEW TOP PERFORMERS
How to interview an Executive Assistant
This interview guide is intended to be used in conjunction with the Vervoe skills assessment. Where a candidate has scored Low - Medium on a skill, focus on asking more questions from that skill to gain deeper insight into their level of competency.
DOWNLOAD GUIDE
Download our PDF interview guide to complete the hiring process.
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