Admin Assistant, Executive Assistant, Personal Assistant - aren’t they all the same? According to the US Department of Labor the executive / administrative field is a lucrative field with job prospect expected to grow almost 11% by 2018. In my opinion there are great opportunities for people with great communication skills, advanced proficiency in computers, ability to work with ease on Windows and Mac and ability to grasp any new application thrown their way without breaking a sweat. I personally love Linux, Open Office, Google Docs etc., but it is tough escaping from the tight hold of Microsoft.
Executive Assistants support top executive(s) who have the authority to shape the direction of the firm. The role requires someone who can work independently, be very discrete and tactful dealing with people, know how best to leverage time of the said executive, has communication skills to operate on his/her behalf and make informed decisions in a tough situation. Each day can differ from the previous one and bring new tasks and challenges. I remember learning Salesforce and Google Analytics, all in one week. The role calls for flexibility and availability after work hours (at least on email) very frequently. Duties of an Executive Assistant can range from handling confidential paperwork, scheduling meetings, creating complex reports, conducting research, arranging travel, organizing company events, managing social network presence of the firm etc. One needs to be two steps ahead by anticipating needs of the the executive.
An Administrative Assistant generally does a lot of clerical work and is the go to person for smooth running of office functions. Duties include inventory management, purchase of supplies, distribution of office mail, preparing reports etc. They know how to get stuff done!
A Personal Assistant can be self employed or a business Personal Assistant. Duties can range from running personal errands such as grocery shopping, collecting dry cleaning of the executive and/or family, supervising housekeeping along with the duties as mentioned in the Executive Assistant role.
From my experience if you want to work with quality people and get paid well, look for a job in a Private Equity or Venture Capital firm. Don’t be disheartened if a job posting only asks for experience from similar firms. Most Venture Capitalist’s are simply looking for a smart, sharp, confident and personable person. As a starting point, try and be a pro in Outlook, Excel, Word and PowerPoint. Most of your day will be consumed in MS Office, so the faster you learn it, the better. There are tons of sites where you can watch tutorials on MS Office. That’s it. Now it’s time for me to doze off, so I can hopefully wake up on time to go to the gym. Why can I not eat a pound of chocolate a week? Why do I have to worry about my weight? Hahaha .. back to the topic .. all in all each role is unique, if you lack experience as an Executive Assistant make up for it with the desire to learn. I am certain your interviewer will notice. :)
