Executive Assistants who are genuinely excellent are hard to come by. Many people mistakenly believe that Executive Assistants are just responsible for minor administrative chores such as procuring supplies or scheduling meetings. While this is true, a superb Executive Assistant acts as a partner and gatekeeper for their senior manager rather than only completing tasks.
They quickly and accurately manage their executives’ day-to-day activities while also taking their work to the next level—all while making their boss appear excellent. Finding an assistant is simple, but finding a truly exceptional Executive Assistant is difficult. Read further to know about how to hire an outstanding executive assistant.
1. You Should Know What You Require
It may appear straightforward, but you must first determine what you require before employing the most competitive executive assistant for the job. Executive assistants usually fall into one of three categories.
Level one executive assistants are responsible for more basic duties such as answering phones and conducting errands. Expanded responsibilities for a level two administrative assistant may include project assistance and trip planning. Executive assistants at the third level offer strategic counsel, participate in meetings, and lead projects.
2. Make a Captivating Job Post
It’s up to you to market your open position in the most enticing way possible to attract a qualified pool of candidates. First and foremost, the job description should be pretty detailed. Otherwise, you risk getting unqualified individuals who don’t understand what you’re searching for. If you require a specific level of schooling and particular abilities, be very precise in your job posting.
You’ll save everyone time. Strong communication skills and the ability to work efficiently and rapidly deliver messages are some of the skills and traits required for executive assistant employment. Time management is crucial, as is trustworthiness. Executive assistants deal with a lot of confidential information.
3. Narrow Down The Number Of Candidates
It’s critical to notify candidates that their application has been received when solicitations begin to flood in. After a few weeks (or even a month, depending on how many locations you advertise the position), you should have a large number of applications to choose from.
Begin by ranking your Executive Assistant applicants using the dream profile you generated in step two of this process. Once you’re sure, you’ve had your candidates rated from top to bottom, inform the bottom half that they weren’t picked for the job.
4. Hire A Professional To Assist You
You might hire a third party to help you discover a qualified candidate for a higher-level role, such as an executive assistant. A staffing agency can assist with candidate screening, and you’ll be far more likely to connect with the correct person than if you try to do it on your own. To locate the appropriate worker faster, consider employing a specialist professional employment service like C-Suite Assistants.
For executive assistant jobs, recruiters have access to a larger pool of prospects. They can also expedite the vetting of applications and bring you up to date on the newest administrative hiring and salary trends. If you go this route, make sure someone from your firm is directly connected with the executive assistant recruiter who leads the search – either you or the hiring manager.
5. References Should Be Checked
It’s tempting to rush through the process of checking references. On the other hand, top candidates have a lot of options these days, and few are willing to put up with a lengthy interview process. However, obtaining reliable information from past supervisors and colleagues is a vital element of avoiding a disastrous hire. Don’t forget to verify your top candidate’s references.
Make it evident to candidates right at once that your firm will check their references. It ensures that the answers they provide during the interview are accurate. Also, this step should not be delegated. Calling someone on your level could result in a more direct and informative reference.
6. Make Your Job Interview Questions More Precise
Make sure you give yourself enough time to prepare for the in-person interview. After all, you’ll be working closely with the person you select, so you’ll want to learn everything you can about their abilities and talents. Phrase your questions in such a way that you get the most illuminating responses. The following are ten examples:
- What kind of work atmosphere allows you to perform at your best?
- What would you say your dream boss looks like?
- What about our organization and this particular executive assistant position appeals to you?
- Can you tell me about a workplace conflict you faced while working in an administrative position and how you dealt with it?
- How can you stay current with technology by learning new software programs?
- What strategies do you use to anticipate the demands of the senior leader you’re assisting?
- Tell me about a project that you’re incredibly proud of.
- What is your motivation for leaving your current position?
- As a team member, how would your coworkers describe you? As a team leader, what are your responsibilities?
- What have you done to save time or money at your current company?
After the interview, be explicit about what candidates can expect from you and your company. If you say you’ll call them with a choice either way, then follow through and do it promptly. You don’t want to build a lousy employer brand because it will limit your potential to recruit top personnel in the future.
Conclusion
When hiring an executive assistant, the goal is to find someone who will grow with you and the company, so take the time needed straight away to find the appropriate fit. You’ll be able to recruit a fantastic Executive Assistant if you follow all of these procedures thoroughly!
