An executive assistant performs several administrative tasks and supports the company’s senior-level managers. Typical administrative duties for these high-level cadre employees include managing calendars, making travel arrangements, and preparing reports for the managers. The position of an EA demands a well-organized person with excellent management skills and self-drive to enable them to act without guidance or supervision. As such, you need a unique job description when hiring a talented EA. The ideal EA job description summarizes the responsibilities, skills, qualifications, and activities for the role of the EA. This article will discuss the primary job descriptions and tips to help you write an excellent job description when hiring your EA.
What to Include In an Ideal Job Description for an Executive Assistant
A job description helps you attract the most qualified candidate for your EA opening. There are many EA jobs listed, and a great job description will help your position stand out from the rest of vacancies to attract the best talent. The key to writing a compelling job description is finding a balance between providing essential details of the job and keeping it concise. Include the following details when writing a job description:
Job title
The first item to include in a job description is the job title. Ensure you make the title to be specific and concise. However, it should also include keywords that accurately describe the role. You should also avoid internal lingo as this may confuse job applicants. Use standard terms that are understandable across the board.
Company details
An excellent job description should also carry essential company details. These may include company culture, mission, and vision. Company details may also include the values of the company which every employee should uphold. You may also include the benefits an employee enjoys if they work with the company.
Job summary
You can use a robust and appealing summary to summarize an overview of the company and the specific expectations for the position. You should pay more attention to this section because a well-written job summary will hook the reader and capture their attention. Make sure you have provided all the details that make your company unique. Such details as the company culture can convince exceptional talent to work with you. Finally, under this section, ensure you provide the exact location of the job to help optimize the job posting for better rankings on search engines.
Responsibilities and duties
This section is arguably the most crucial part of a job description. It carries the core responsibilities of the position. Consequently, you should ensure you make a list of detailed and concise responsibilities that come with the EA position. It is also vital to emphasize the specific duties that are unique to your company. Detailing these duties will help potential candidates to understand all the requirements and decide whether they qualify.
Executive assistant requirements/ Qualifications and skills section
Under this section, make sure you include the soft and hard skills that come with the position. You should also indicate all necessary requirements, such as education level, job experience, certifications, and technical requirements needed for the role. Other details to include in this section are the personality traits you are looking for, and the specific soft skills such as problem-solving and communication skills.
Executive Assistant Job Description Sample
Executive assistant job description template
We are a top-tier company seeking a competent Executive Assistant to join our team. Your duties primarily involve handling business-related tasks for senior-level managers. These may include creating reports, taking minutes, organizing travel and accommodation, and other related organizational tasks.
Executive assistant roles and responsibilities
Some of your key responsibilities include:
- Preparing financial reports statements, memos, invoice letters, and other office documents
- Filing and retrieving corporate tasks
- Accurately recording minutes of meetings
- Answering all calls and routing them to the right offices
- Using various software such as Word processing, databases, spreadsheets and presentation software
- Reading and analyzing memos and submission
Executive assistant requirements
- Substantial experience as an assistant executive or expertise in other related administrative support position
- Excellent working knowledge of the MS Office suite
- High school diploma
- Ability to work under pressure while organizing daily workload by priorities
- Ability to meet tight deadlines in a fast-paced working environment
- Problem-solving, and decision making skills
- Professional level communication skills
- Handling basic bookkeeping tasks
Tips for Writing a Job Description Overview Sections
The following are the tips to employ when writing a winning job description:
- Use a clear, concise title– After writing the title, read it a few times to yourself to determine if it contains awkward phrases. If it is not clear to you, it could be too long and thus needs editing to remove obscure wordings.
- Give out a clear picture of the position– the job description should tell the potential candidates all they need to know about the position they are applying, including their key roles.
- Describe the work environment– give out all the crucial details of the work environment. For example, does it contain a gym? Is it quiet or noisy? Is it located on the last floor of a multi-storied building? All these details will enable the candidates to know what to expect.
- Emphasize the skills that matter most– ensure to include the top skills which a candidate must bring on the table
- Use descriptive wordings– you should also use interesting, engaging adverbs and adjectives to describe the duties the candidates are expected to perform. These details will help excite and attract top talent.
- Include compensation– you should also indicate the salary that is commensurate with the experience. You may have to research how much pay the EA takes home in your city.
How to hire an EA for full time or part-time
A highly skilled EA is more than just an assistant. They are your partners that offer immeasurable support. They know your tastes, likes, and dislikes, and priorities. Executive assistants are an integral part of your office that enables you to achieve your career goals. EA’s role is also evolving with changing work environments that often require trust and unique chemistry. Here are the tips to help you net that exceptional talent:
Create an excellent job posting
An excellent job description guarantees you attract exceptional talent. You need to put more considerations when updating and tailoring an existing job description. It should be engaging and exciting enough to get the attention of the right candidate.
Seek help from experts
If you have little knowledge of the hiring process, seek advice from the ideal hiring specialist. The right recruiter can access a broader range of candidates. They also have the tools to identify exceptional talent. Besides, they can vet candidates more quickly, owing to their vast connections and broad experience.
Check references
You should get reliable information form the recommendations provided to you by the candidates. Don’t be tempted to skip reference checking, especially when hiring remote EA. You should not also delegate this part of the hiring process.
Use the Zirtual recruiting platform
There are many excellent recruiting platforms form where you get the right EA. One such platform is Zirtual. Zirtual is a platform that matches up busy professionals with virtual executive assistants. The platform provides you with an alternative option to hire exceptional talent for your projects.
Bottom line
Recruiting the best EA need not be a daunting task. With the right planning and an excellent recruitment process, you are sure to net exceptional talent that brings a difference in your work and office. If you need a smooth hiring process, ensure you get it right with the job description that you create. Use the tips we have provided to create an engaging top-notch EA job description that attracts suitable talents.