The top hard skills to look for in Executive Assistants

Executive assistants are not order-takers, they’re business partners who can make you more productive every day.

Hard skills are gained through education, experience, or training, and they can be tied to particular degrees, certifications, and prior work experience. Executives typically prioritize hard skills since most roles demand a specific set of capabilities. Regarding executive assistant's specific hard skills, they may differ based on your requirements. Nonetheless, in general, exceptional executive assistants tend to possess the following:

1. Research

When an executive requires research on a particular industry, client, or market trend, their EA can step in to manage this task, freeing up the executive's time to focus on analyzing the research findings and planning the next steps.

EAs must be capable of delivering key insights derived from their research promptly and effectively. At Viva, our remote executive assistants have supported their executives by researching various topics, such as standard operating procedures (SOPs), policies, and specific companies or industries. For instance, a recent task involved a customer requesting their EA to research hotels suitable for hosting a conference. The EA was responsible for identifying the best venues and rating them based on factors like location, price, and service to meet the customer's needs. Consequently, the executive could make a decision based on the EA's recommendations, allowing them to concentrate on the conference itself.

To evaluate candidates' proficiency in these skills, ask about their approach to researching a specific topic and have them outline how they would structure a report. This exercise will provide valuable insights into their organizational skills and how they structure information.

2. Calendar and email management

To prevent burnout, it's essential to meticulously organize and compartmentalize your calendar. A proficient executive assistant recognizes that the first step in ensuring their executive's efficiency is conducting a thorough calendar audit. This assessment helps identify any potential bottlenecks and opportunities for improvement. By understanding their executive's working preferences and patterns, executive assistants can tailor the schedule accordingly. For instance, if you're most productive in the morning, your EA can schedule meetings for the afternoon, allowing you to focus on tasks during your peak productivity hours.

When assessing candidates for this skill, prioritize their experience in calendar management. Evaluate their ability to optimize your schedule for productivity and success. Additionally, consider the calendar tools they're familiar with and how effectively they utilize them.

3. Meeting support

EAs streamline meetings by first creating a detailed agenda before a meeting takes place. This allows executives to have a clear idea of the points that will be discussed. Executive assistants are also tasked with making sure their executives are prepared for these meetings, whether by informing them previously of the topics being covered, the people they’re meeting with, or any additional information their executive should know beforehand. During meetings, EAs can take the lead and work as chairmen, guiding the team through the agenda and redirecting whenever needed. After a meeting is over, executive assistants provide the team meeting minutes.

Skilled EAs are experts when it comes to meeting minutes. Concise note-taking during meetings ensures that findings, decisions, next steps, and accountabilities are set, vastly improving the productivity of your team and letting their executive focus on strategic work rather than logistics when it comes to conversations. Asking candidates to take notes during a meeting is a straightforward way to assess this ability.

4. Travel and event planning

Executive assistants play a vital role in supporting their executive's schedule and travel arrangements, making research and event planning crucial skills for them. This responsibility entails coordinating schedules and logistics for meetings, offsites, conferences, and business trips. In addition, EAs manage pre-travel arrangements such as lodging, transportation, paperwork, etc. These capabilities are instrumental in ensuring that an executive's travel plans or events run smoothly, allowing them to focus on the objectives at hand without worrying about logistical details.

To assess this skill, present the candidate with a scenario involving a last-minute business trip and ask them to outline the steps they would take to ensure the trip's success. Focus on how they organize their approach rather than specific details, evaluating their ability to plan effectively for a successful outcome.

5. Project management

Executive assistants play a crucial role in project management, overseeing tasks, coordinating activities, and ensuring timely completion on behalf of their executives. In addition to establishing clear objectives and deadlines, EAs are responsible for managing team members to ensure projects progress smoothly. Strong project management skills in an executive assistant can also benefit executives by anticipating potential challenges and proactively addressing them.

To evaluate this skill, ask for references from the candidate regarding previous projects they have managed. Even if they lack professional project management experience, consider personal projects as well. Alternatively, present the candidate with a scenario involving a mini-project within the company, such as organizing trivia sessions to strengthen work culture.

What is the hard skill that you struggle to find the most during interviews? Let me know in the comments.