Executive Assistant’s Day to Day: How is it like to work as an Executive Assistant?

The question we are answering today is, what does an executive assistant actually do? What can we expect their nine to five to look like? The true answer: there is no “typical” day to day” as an Executive Assistant. That’s why this position can be mysterious.

While we can (and will) go through typical roles and responsibilities, it’s impossible to tell you what a *typical * day is like because if we’re being honest, that’s not the kind of job Executive Assistants have. One day you could be scheduling travel itineraries and the next day you could be preparing financial reports. While Executive Assistants are similar to Administrative Assistants, they are different in their own regard. EA’s are typically assigned to one senior staff member like the CEO, COO, CFO for example, and they act as their right hand person when it comes to a number of tasks and responsibilities.

At Robertson, our Business Administration – Executive Assistant Diploma Program both offered at our Calgary campus and online, prepares students for advanced administrative roles in an office environment, including comprehensive duties and planning, and assisting with events on both an organization and individual level. Continue reading to learn what it’s like to work as an Executive Assistant. 

Hint: No day is ever the same.

 

What do Executive Assistants do?

Alright. Let’s get into the good stuff. What do EA’s do? We will discuss some of their typical responsibilities. But, it is important to remember that roles and responsibilities will change depending on where they work and who they work for within the company.

Executive Assistants work directly with specific members of upper management and are generally responsible for the following: accounting and bookkeeping, calendar management, client relations, design and maintain filing systems, arrange travel plans, and much more.

 Here are some of the tasks EA’s can find themselves doing day to day:

• Managing calendars (professional and sometimes personal)
• Acting as a point of contact
• Client relations
• Organizing meetings
• Arranging travel plans
• Typing
• Planning events
• Preparing reports
•  Accounting
• Bookkeeping
• Processing expense reports
• Taking meeting minutes
• Keeping records
• Drafting communications materials (PowerPoints, speeches, etc)
• Conducting research

On top of the typical administrative assistant tasks they are required to do, they often act as representatives for their execs, working with clients and organizations on behalf of executives. This may also include coordinating public relations activities. Depending on the size of the company, EA’s will work with the communications and marketing teams to oversee these types of duties.

 

Where do Executive Assistants work? 

Working as an executive assistant isn’t specific to one industry. If one thing’s for sure, it’s that you shouldn’t have any trouble finding work as an Executive Assistant, no matter what industry you are interested in – by that, we mean that whether you are looking to work in finance or entertainment, there are typically always Executive Assistant’s.

Executive Assistants commonly work in office settings but can often find themselves travelling or working out of office for work. Don’t be surprised if you are working overtime or extra hours on weekends or evenings. That’s just what the life of an Executive Assistant can be like.

 

What’s a typical day like?

Like mentioned earlier, asking what the typical day to day is like is so hard to answer because there never really is a typical day. There are typical tasks, like we listed above, but there isn’t a typical day. Executive Assistants are usually working on specific projects, so each day they will do different tasks to complete those projects. When their executives are out of town or busy with other tasks, EA’s will usually sit in for them at meetings. 

 

Who is best for the job?

As you can probably tell, working as an Executive Assistant isn’t for everyone. You need to have thick skin for the job. It requires a lot of multitasking, patience, long hours, and hard work. If you are someone who is looking for that fast-paced environment, a career as an Executive Assistant may be perfect for you. It also helps to be someone who has a creative mind—someone who has a solution-first mentality. 

Check out our handy resource and learn more about becoming an Executive Assistant here.

 

How do you get a job as an EA?

Experience and proper education. When hiring for an Executive Assistant, companies look for people who fit in well with their company and who have the proper experience. Since it is such a communicative role, whether the executive gets along and trusts the assistant is very important. The executive must trust their assistant and feel confident with your abilities. This comes with time, which is why Executive Assistants typically have to work their way up to that position. Most college programs have work practicums too, which is a great way to gain work experience.

 

Conclusion

If you don’t want the classic nine to five type of gig, consider a career as an Executive Assistant. You get to work alongside executives and learn how the back end of a company works. You will learn patience, confidence and be put in very high stress situations. If this is something you are interested in, consider studying at Robertson in our Business Administration – Executive Assistant Diploma Program. Students in this program will learn everything they need to know to jumpstart their career as an Executive Assistant.