Working as an executive assistant is one of the most well-compensated, duty-filled, and respectable careers one can ever pursue. The nature of the job can be linked to the caliber of people they get to work with - Directors, CEOs, Business owners, Managers, and more. Their major obligations entail facilitating effective communication, arranging meetings, and handling several other administrative tasks. However, just like so many other jobs, there are two sides to the coin and we will discuss them in this article. But first, let's have an overview of who an executive assistant is, their responsibilities, and potential places of work. 

Who is an Executive Assistant? 

An executive assistant is a professional hired mainly by high-profile individuals such as Managing directors, Chief executive officers, Presidents, Founders, and Board members to oversee all forms of administrative tasks and ensure seamless operations within the organization. These high-level executives have a bulk of responsibility to attend to; to avoid missing out on any, they hire executive assistants who support them by running with the tasks and managing their schedules, ensuring that there is no flop in the processes. 

Responsibilities of an Executive Assistant

It is not new that executive assistants always have a long to-do list to tick off and it gets filled up each day because there is always something to do. Let's see what some of their responsibilities are: 

• They organize meetings and keep tabs on appointments and events for the executive ensuring that the executive is aware and constantly reminded of the schedule. 

• Creating documents and editing them as requested by the executive. 

• Managing phone calls, emails, and text messages that come in for the executive. 

• Keeping documents and important information confidential and completely out of reach from other people.

• Taking minutes of meetings held within and outside the organization. 

• Assigning tasks to employees who work for the executive.

• Filtering calls, messages, and visitors to eliminate distractions. 

• Assisting with projects, giving feedback and suggestions, and doing research that can contribute to the richness of the project. 

There are still many other responsibilities of an executive assistant because executives or organizations may have special duties for them. 

Where can an Executive Assistant Work? 

This is one interesting aspect of being an executive assistant because they can work almost everywhere. Sounds good? Yes! Let's not just assume that everywhere is everywhere. Here is a list of where executive assistants can work:

• Tech companies

• Consulting firms

• Startups

• Investment firms

• Government Agencies

• Educational Institutions

• Media and Entertainment

• Manufacturing companies

• Agricultural firms

• Telecommunication Companies

• Fashion Industry

• Law firms

• Public relations agencies

• Publishing companies

• Non-governmental organizations

The list goes on and on. Every type of organization needs an executive assistant to get some jobs done. 

Read also: Common Interview Questions and Answers for Executive Assistants

The Two Sides of the Coin

Naturally, jobs have their pros and cons and it's not any different with an executive assistant job. Let's explore the two sides! 

Pros of working as an executive assistant

This must be the interesting part!

Skill Development 

An executive assistant job opens you to a variety of tasks and responsibilities, even ones you didn't know you could do. On the job, you get better with your communication because you do it more often, your organizational skills take a notch higher and as the day goes by, you multitask effortlessly. Taking up responsibilities daily and practicing all of these skills helps you expand your knowledge of them. 

Exposure to high-class learning

You work with high-profile people as an executive assistant and this automatically means that you can learn from them. They are business-oriented, have more experience, have met several people, and solved various problems. So, if you are looking to improve your leadership skills, working as an executive assistant gives you that free ticket! 

Highly Sought Career

We stated earlier in this article that almost every type of organization needs the service of an executive assistant. This means that there is a high demand for executive assistants and there will be enough job opportunities for people who have the skills and are looking to get a job. 

Professional Growth

The executive-level work comes with different connections and exposure. So, if you continue to show up everyday, give your best support, and connect with new people - you may get to work with another top-class executive on some project, someone within your network can refer you to another executive, and along the line, chances are you can accelerate your professional growth. 

Transferrable skills

Majority of the skills learned or possessed as an executive assistant are transferable to other roles and industries. So, if you decide to transition from being an executive assistant to some other role, say product or product management, you can still apply these skills seamlessly to grow in your new career. 

Recognition

If you work as an executive assistant, you are the first point of contact for anyone looking to get through to the executive. This makes you important enough to roll in your contributions and suggestions which stands as your support to the executive. They see your impactful assistance each time and give you credit for being constantly wonderful. 

The job is not monotonous 

A lot of people are not a fan of monotonous jobs. Workers prefer to engage with different types of people while performing a variety of tasks and an executive assistant job gives you that luxury. You communicate with a whole lot of different people and commit to various tasks everyday. This keeps the job interesting and gives a positive and thrilling work experience. 

Cons of working as an executive assistant 

Of course, there are downsides to working as an executive assistant! Although there are not a lot, they exist. 

Administrative Burden

For executive assistants, obligations pop up every minute even while they are still struggling with wrapping up a task. There is a continuous flow of tasks, requests, and new obligations that can make the workload overwhelming. While there are pending tasks, balancing new responsibilities may be a struggle which can in turn lead to burnout or job dissatisfaction. 

Higher Expectations

Executives may sometimes have high expectations that require them to go out of their way even when it is not convenient. When you constantly feel the need to perform even better and exceptionally to suit the executive, pressure sets in and begins to take a toll on your mental health. 

Underappreciation

Sometimes, even when you are putting in your best and doing all that you can, if it doesn't suit the preferences of the executive you support, you may be undervalued. When this happens, you are less motivated and there is a high chance of being depressed as well. Therefore, while it is important to do all you can to be on the same page with your boss, take a stop now and then, reflect, get refreshed, and go at it again. 

Boundary Challenges

While it is somewhat easy to manage professional and personal boundaries with your colleagues, it is way harder when working with executives. The expectations of immediate responses and constant availability may sometimes come off as tiring and too demanding. Executive assistants can be called to attend to some tasks after the close of work hours, during weekends and holidays; all of these situations may bruise your ability to maintain a healthy work-life balance. 

In conclusion

Being an executive assistant is undoubtedly a vibrant career. However, on days you don't have it smooth, persevere, take a break, reflect, and review, but don't give up. No job exactly comes off as a perfect ride, but never stake your mental health! 

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