Executive assistants are often more important than the CEO at the top of the organizational chart. Executive assistants do more than answer emails. In addition to executing their boss’s vision, EAs can also be strategic sounding boards.
Whether you know it or not, you wield power. “As an executive assistant, I rarely use my boss’s name,” said Maggie Jacobs, director of administration at 6sense. “Using their name makes people jump.”
In many offices, they also serve as unsung heroes. It is unclear how they operate, what they do, and how they are treated in 2022. You should know this from executive assistants:
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It’s Not Your Fault If You’re Not On The
Calendar.
A LinkedIn executive assistant, Lindsay Robinson, said people sometimes think the executive assistant is out to get them. Robinson, however, laments the lack of time behind the scenes. “If they knew how many meetings I looked at to possibly, potentially move, and it just didn’t work out.”
Be gracious when you ask for something, because it’s not just you. You’re thinking about what you need to do. However, the assistants are trying to fit you and 30 other appointments in.
Image Credit: Pexels/Sora Shimazaki
It Can Be A Well-Paid Career And Not Just
A Intermediary
Executive assistants may see themselves as stepping stones to chief of staff or other roles, but if they choose to, it can also be a rewarding career. Being an EA can create afuture with training and self-investment.
The jobs of EAs can be infinitely versatile. The role allows you to do whatever you want. If you can’t achieve your goal at your current company, there are others. EAs are also well-compensated, depending on industry.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, they can earn an annual salary of $84,230 to $95,350 in industries such as computer manufacturing, water transportation, data processing, and banking.