How To Become The Best Executive Assistant | pocket agency (2023)

Worked as an assistant to the managementIt is one of the most rewarding and challenging branches of the secretarial world. Especially in executive offices, the office environment is often stressful, demanding and fast-paced. Additionally, the Executive Assistant job requires a lot of multitasking, excellent communication skills and the knowledge to function well under pressure. Developing good working relationships with your colleagues is essential to getting the job done. Here are 14 things to help you become a better executive assistant.

Learn to anticipate your boss's needs before they arise.

The best executive assistants don't respond to requests from their bosses. You anticipate them before they happen. That means keeping an eye on their calendars and making sure everything is set up for them before they need it.

Think about how you can help your boss save time instead of doing what you're asked to do. For example, if you have a meeting at 4:00 p.m. m., make sure that all materials are ready on time.

Do this so you don't have to worry about being on time or, worse, running out of supplies during the meeting because you forgot something important like a laptop charger or another file you need to check.

Develop and maintain a system for tracking tasks.

It helps you get more done in less time because you don't have to constantly communicate with your boss. Use software like Microsoft Outlook or Google Calendar to create calendars and reminders to remind you when things need to be done.

Learn how to use these tools effectively so you don't waste time checking your email after every meeting or phone call. Having a place for notes is important to keep track of what needs to be done and who said what during an interaction.

Collaborate with other departments whenever possible

As an assistant, there's nothing quite like involving others in projects to get work done more efficiently and effectively. So if another department has more experience with a specific task, ask them if they're willing to help and let them.

Be proactive instead of reactive

Don't wait for your boss to tell you there's a problem. Let them know so they can fix it before it gets out of control. If there is a solution that needs to be implemented, step in as well and take care of it yourself if necessary (with permission). This saves your boss time and energy, which he spends on other things that need his attention instead of dealing with smaller problems.

Always have the support of your boss.

An executive assistant needs to be able to protect her boss from everything from unnecessary meetings and emails to phone calls and emails from angry customers. Also understand your boss and how he likes things.

Then use this information to anticipate what they need next and how they would like the information provided: whether they like it in bullet points or paragraphs, email threads forwarded or copied, etc.

Edit emails like a pro.

A great executive assistant will do anything from scheduling meetings and sending thank-you notes to answering emails and calls. But one of the most criticalDuties of an Executive Assistantreplies to the correspondence.

It means communicating effectively and professionally with your boss, colleagues and customers every day. It also means sorting through piles of documents, keeping track of important deadlines, and managing multiple tasks.

Know how to delegate responsibility.

You need to know how to delegate responsibilities to get your job done and make sure other employees are getting their jobs done. When delegating, start by listing all the tasks that need to be done in a spreadsheet or document.

Search each item and assign it to someone else. Assign the hardest things first as they take the longest. After you've distributed all the tasks, review each one to make sure you've done everything correctly.

Make sure you delegate work to people who are able to complete tasks professionally, in detail, and accurately.

Manage social media profiles

Make sure your boss's social media profiles are up-to-date and engaging.Post links to contentrelevant to customers, industry news, and other topics related to your company's goals or mission.

They also need to be quick to respond to comments and messages so customers feel like they can reach out if they need help or have questions about a product or service. To do this, use automation tools like Hootsuite or Buffer to schedule posts in advance so they don't get caught up in other tasks at work.

This is also another great area of ​​delegation, especially when you don't have time to interact with customer responses.

Create the perfect itinerary.

If your boss travels a lot for business, you probably need help planning every trip, whether it's an upcoming conference or a quick day trip to another city.

A complete itinerarymust contain information on flights, hotel reservations and transportation between the airport and the hotel and between hotels on different days of travel (if applicable).

Know the goals of your company

If you don't know your company's goals, you're not helping your company or your boss. They should be familiar with the business strategy and how it relates to the mission statement and the overall operation.

Even if your boss doesn't openly share this information with you, keep asking questions until they do! The more information they provide, the better equipped you are to get tasks done effectively and efficiently.

Learn to research like an expert

Being a good researcher means more than just knowing how to use search engines effectively. It takes practice, patience, and the ability to ask the right questions to get the most accurate answers. Here are some tips to help you become a better researcher:

Ask for clarity.When researching for a new client or company, start by asking them what they want from your research project. Don't assume you know what they want. It's your job as an executive assistant to understand their needs and wants before responding to their requests. Knowing what they want will help you get started quickly and avoid unnecessary arguments between you and your boss later.

Use different sources of information.There are many types of resources available online including:

Blogs

They were

The Social Media Platform

Websites

Make sure you use all of them when searching on behalf of your boss or client. This helps ensure you get accurate results and adds context to your results so others can easily understand them.

Be tech savvy

It's not just about doing a job; it's about making sure it's done right. One of the best ways to do this is through the use of technology. Be a tech-savvy assistant and you can save your boss time, money and make his life easier. Here are some tips for using technology in your role as executive assistant:

Useproject managementTools like Basecamp, Trello or Asana to manage your workload in an organized way.These tools help you stay organized with projects, tasks, and deadlines, so you don't have to constantly ask other team members for updates.

use googleapplicationsand documents as far as possible.If you use Word all day and hate it, try Google Docs. It has everything you need to create important documents and collaboration tools to quickly collaborate with others. It's even possible to take notes on a document with your collaborators in real time via Google Hangouts, making collaboration much easier than sending and receiving emails like it used to be.

Be organized, calm and confident at all times.

You must ensure that your desktop is always neat and clean. You should also keep track of any important documents with filing systems such as manila binders, hanging files, or binders. So you know where everything is when someone urgently needs a document.

You should also have an organized inbox so that people who email you with their problems or concerns can easily find their answers when they return from lunch or after work.

If possible, store everything in separate group folders so that your inbox doesn't get cluttered with unimportant emails. And remember to back up your data.

Always be presentable.

Your demeanor says a lot about your professionalism. So always dress appropriately for work, even if it's just for a client meeting. Wear clothing that fits comfortably but is not too tight or too loose; Avoid wearing flip flops or sandals and bold colors as these colors distract people in meetings and presentations.

Get started today!

There is no lack of advicebe a hands-on executive assistant. There are many guides and books on the subject and other articles like this one. But at the end of the day, your performance as an executive assistant depends heavily on you, your relationship with your boss, and your ability to get things done. So do what works for you and always strive to be productive - it's the best way to ensure success.

Fuentes:

Add Links | edublogs.org

Free Itinerary Templates to Edit and Print | edit.org

10 Essential Project Management Skills | Forbes Advisor