Executive Assistant 101 Template

This executive assistant 101 template has 10 pages and is a MS Word file type listed under our human resources documents.

Sample of our executive assistant 101 template:

Executive Assistant 101 How to Hire, Train and Communicate With Your Assistant Table of Contents Introduction 2 What Can an Assistant Do For You? 2 Characteristics of Great Executive Assistants 3 Traits of Great Assistants 3 Hiring a Great Assistant 5 Strategies for Finding the Right Assistant 5 Training Your Assistant 7 Training Techniques 7 Communicating With Your Personal Assistant 8 Tips to Enhance Your Communications 8 Additional Things an Assistant Can Do 9 Introduction An executive assistant isn't just a luxury anymore. It's a necessity. Whether you're a movie star, entrepreneur, or high-level executive, an assistant can easily double your productivity. We often spend our precious time on non-value-added tasks that would be better put in the hands of someone else. What Can an Assistant Do For You? Take meeting notes Attend meetings in your place Run errands Make phone calls Make travel plans Create presentations Serve as gatekeeper Sort and answer your email Deal with social media Deal with the press Handle important projects How could you best benefit by having an executive assistant? Imagine how much more time you would have to do what you do best in your career if you had someone else to do these other types of tasks. You could make more money and your life would be so much simpler! Characteristics of Great Executive Assistants While each executive or celebrity is unique with individual preferences and needs, there are several qualities that all great assistants share. Ensuring that an assistant has these traits greatly increases the odds of a positive and productive working relationship. Traits of Great Assistants They are anticipatory. A great assistant develops the uncanny ability to predict your needs. This requires an attentive mindset and a certain degree of experience working with you. Everyone has preferences and routines. It's the job of the assistant to learn and apply this information. They genuinely enjoy serving others. The best assistants don't have ulterior motives. Serving is the greatest motive. The ideal assistant isn't trying to further a personal agenda, such as pushing a movie script or looking for a backdoor to bigger and better things. A service-oriented mindset is key. They are organized. Many executives and celebrities are organized, but many are not. Regardless, they are extremely busy and rely on the assistant to maintain their schedule and keep them on track throughout the day. They are discreet. An assistant frequently has access to personal, and potentially confidential, information. There can be outside pressure to reveal details of your personal and professional life. A premium is placed on discretion. They handle pressure and chaos well. An assistant needs to be able to maintain a clear head and calm demeanor in all situations. They are assertive. There are times that an assistant needs to be able to say, "No" to a request or to share an unpopular opinion. This isn't always easy, but occasionally absolutely necessary. They are polite. Dealing with the public is a frequent part of the job. The assistant represents you and must keep this fact in mind at all times. One moment of indiscretion can cause great embarrassment. They are flexible. The rich and powerful can work unconventional and inconsistent hours. The ideal assistant can stay each night until the work is done. The need to travel on short notice is also common. These are the basic traits an assistant needs in order to shine. Each position is different and will require additional characteristics. Determine what the ideal candidate will bring to the table in your situation. What qualities does your assistant need in order to serve your needs effectively? Hiring a Great Assistant It's not too challenging to define the qualities you desire in an assistant. That doesn't mean it's easy to identify and hire an excellent assistant. However, there are many things than can be done to greatly increase the odds of finding the best assistant for the job. Hiring an assistant that's right for you will contribute to your future success! Strategies for Finding the Right Assistant Find someone with experience helping or serving others. A candidate should enjoy helping others, either in a volunteer or employment capacity. Someone that truly enjoys serving others will have experience doing so. Be clear regarding your needs. You don't just need an assistant. You need an assistant with a certain demeanor and set of skills. Make a list of the qualities your ideal assistant would possess. Also, create a list of things you won't tolerate in an assistant. Ask the candidate to describe their ideal working situation. Consider doing this before providing details about the position. It's possible their expectations and desires aren't a close match for the situation. Ask the candidate to explain to you, in detail, how they would handle a hypothetical project. Invent a project that your future assistant would be likely to face. See how the candidate responds. Get a background check. Confirm past employment, criminal history, and credit history, if applicable