Every business owner will agree that an organization cannot run smoothly without executive assistants. Yes, a lot of people are envious of executive assistants’ salaries. But very few realize the magnitude of responsibilities they handle or the role they play in the success of a company.
So, more than the executive assistant salary, you should try to learn more about their responsibilities. Then you can figure out if you are cut out for the job.
Executive assistants play a crucial role in an organization. They assist executives in their most critical tasks, including scheduling and organizing. A lot of executives will agree that they get to make the most out of their day due to their assistants. Hence, they don’t really mind how much they have to pay for executive assistant salary.
More About Executive Assistant Salary and Responsibilities
Before we talk about executive assistant salary, let’s shed some light on his role. How to use an executive assistant? To put it in simple words, the job of an executive assistant is to ensure that everything runs smoothly for the executive. Hence, they help their employers with tasks like scheduling, reviewing, organizing, and so on. They maintain records, take notes at meetings, and basically handle administrative tasks.
Whenever you find a listing for this job, more than the executive assistant salary, the focus will be on its responsibilities. The job description will include the skills and education requirements. And if the employer expects the assistants to handle any specific responsibilities, the job description will include that too. This enables the business owner to focus all his attention on his business growth.
Keep in mind that executive assistants do a lot more than handle administrative tasks. There’s a reason that they are commonly referred to as the executive’s right-hand person. The executive can focus on their bigger goals for the business because they are confident that their assistant is there to handle the rest. Why else would you find such high executive assistant salaries in prominent organizations?
When an executive looks for an assistant, they make it a point to provide the potential candidate with an overview of the company. Additionally, they also outline the key functions expected to be performed along with detailed information on skills and qualifications needed for the job. And if they manage to find the right fit, they wouldn’t mind paying an excessively high executive assistant salary either.
Responsibilities Executive Assistants Have to Handle
Of course, every organization and executive has some particular and unique requirements for executive assistance. Let’s not forget that every executive has his own way of working along with their priorities.
Therefore, when applying for the position, you have to ensure you are clear about the responsibilities you will have to handle. Let’s take a look at some of the tasks you will manage as an executive assistant.
- Scheduling the meetings for the company executives
- Drafting and reviewing communications like email or messages on behalf of the executive
- Preparing and organizing meetings ensuring all the documents are properly organized
- Responding to phone calls and ensuring that the executives get important messages
- Prioritizing emails and responding to them on time
- Making travel arrangements when needed
- Maintaining records and documentation
There’s a lot more you will have to do on the job. But this should give you a brief idea of what your employer will want you to do.
Skills and Qualifications Needed for High Executive Assistant Salary
If you want a good salary package, you will need to prove your worth. Typically, most executive assistants have high school diplomas. Some companies give preference to candidates with bachelor’s degrees. However, usually, skills will always have more importance than a degree for this position.
As an executive assistant, you must have:
- Impeccable communication skills, both written and verbal
- The ability to manage your time efficiently
- Ability to multitask and not miss anything
- Organization skills
- Understanding of commonly used software and programs in the organization
If a company expects the executive assistant to have some additional skills, they will usually outline them in the job description. For instance, companies in the digital media industry will want candidates who understand the processes and programs commonly used in the field.
Remember, there’s quite a bit of difference between an administrative assistant and an executive assistant. A lot of people get confused between the two. An executive assistant mainly works with the company executive. Yes, at times he might work for two executives simultaneously, but that’s about it. However, the administrative assistant has responsibilities related to the company as a whole.
How Much is the Salary?
At the end of the day, the salary matters. According to the data of May 2020 in the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean annual executive assistant salary was nearly $65,230. Usually, most executive assistants were paid somewhere between $39,000 and $94,000.
The lowest executive assistant salary was about $49,890, while the best-paid ones made around $78,500.
If you want to increase your executive assistant salary, you can consider moving to a new employer who will pay higher for your qualification and skills. Sometimes, you can also make an upward transition by increasing your level of education. Yes, advanced degrees can help executive assistants get further in their careers.
The noteworthy point is that as you gain more experience, your worth increases significantly in the field. So try to get more managing experience if you want to get ahead.
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