How to Recruit an Executive Assistant

Once you've come to the decision that you are going to recruit an Executive Assistant, it is important that you undertake research in order to establish what most support professionals are looking for with regards to a role. Having a better insight into what EAs want will set you apart from other companies within the market and help you to ensure that the role and the package you are offering are both competitive and attractive to the top talent out there. 

Money Matters

Two-thirds of the EAs we surveyed in our 2020/21 Salary & Market Insights Survey would seriously consider leaving their current role if they were to be offered a 5% pay rise elsewhere. 54.3% of EAs stated that an annual discretionary bonus would make them stay in a role for longer, with 32.4% saying that it may well influence their decision.

Competitive benefits continue to remain a hot topic when it comes to attracting high calibre candidates, with professionals continuing to receive more perks in the last 12 months, and the majority of respondents preferring to receive benefits over a cash equivalent. To recruit the best Executive Assistant, it's imperative that the salary you are offering is competitive and not below market rate; consider offering an annual discretionary bonus, as well as an annual or bi-annual salary review, where possible. 

Flexible and Remote Working Opportunities 

EAs are increasingly looking to work for companies that offer flexible and/or remote working opportunities. Both result in healthier and more productive working habits, as well as reducing staff turnover within the workforce, so this is something to bear in mind when looking to recruit an Executive Assistant. 

Culture 

The key to attracting and retaining talent is to foster an open and dynamic culture. Company culture is another important factor that EAs consider when weighing up a potential job offer, with 58% of the employees we surveyed stating that they have left a job, or would consider leaving a job, if they felt that the culture and social environment were permeated by negative office politics. A positive culture can result in clearer thinking, higher productivity, a bigger picture mindset, innovation and empathy, as well as fostering loyalty. All of these, in turn, contribute to pushing the company forward.

What's more, an inclusive culture is more likely to make its employees feel heard, supported and empowered to do their best work, share ideas, and fulfil their potential. It is important to highlight your company culture in job specifications, on your company website and across your social media platforms in order to attract the right Executive Assistant for you and your business.

Training and Development 

Over half of the support professionals we surveyed felt that their employer did not offer enough training or the ability to upskill within their role. This is a key point to consider when recruiting new employees as, if your company does not offer EAs the chance to upskill, you are more likely to lose out on top talent to competitors within the market. Make sure that any potential opportunities for extra training and upskilling are detailed within the job description or outlined to the agency that you are working with, as this will be very appealing to a lot of candidates within the market and may set you apart from other companies who are hiring.

Once you have decided to recruit an Executive Assistant and have taken into consideration what EAs within the market are looking for, you can begin the search for your perfect EA. The next steps to consider are how to sell the position available and what salary the role you are offering will warrant. An informative, well-written job description is key when trying to entice the top talent. However, ensuring that the salary you are offering is in line with market rates is also an important factor to consider when looking to attract the right calibre of candidate. A good Executive Assistant recruitment agency will be able to provide job description templates and accurate salary information.

Executive Assistant Interview Questions 

The only thing standing in your way of hiring your perfect Executive Assistant now is a successful interview process. Ideally, after conducting interviews, you should come away feeling confident that you have gained an honest insight into the candidates, their personalities, their skill sets and whether they are the right fit for your company culture. In order to ensure that you finish the interview process with the right candidate for the job, we recommend that you take the below approach to interviews.

We appreciate that due to COVID-19, face-to-face interviews may be unlikely for some time, however, the following process can be applied to both video and face-to-face interviews:

1. Implement a CV-based discussion.

2. Ask the Executive Assistant questions relating to cultural fit and personality.

3. Ask questions relating to cultural fit and personality.

Asking interview questions like this will give you a better understanding of the candidate’s thought process, as well as their problem solving, time management and communication skills. It should also give the interviewee the opportunity to highlight their professional experience, abilities and personal strengths in order to overcome challenges and attain goals in their career.