If you ask someone to describe a great executive assistant (EA), you’ll most often hear words like “Rock Star”, “Magician”, Chaos Tamer”, “Cat Herder”, etc. I have often heard it said, “She just has that “je ne sais quoi”!
These words are meant to be complimentary, but they point to a very realistic hurdle that EAs everywhere face – most people have no idea what we do, how we do it, and what qualities make up a great EA.
“Je ne sais quoi” literally translates to “I do not know what”. However, I DO know what! Typical job ads look for skills such as organization, communication, teamwork, problem solving. All relevant, but the real magic comes in the form of leadership, emotional intelligence, intuition, curiosity, creativity, collaboration, composure, responsibility, boundaries, a robust network, and a healthy dose of gumption – just to name a few.
Great EAs are like beautiful mosaics crafted from skills and character, often coming from some of the most unlikely places and experiences. For example, you won’t see restaurant server on my resume these days, but that was where I first learned customer service, how to manage multiple, competing priorities, how to deal with difficult people, and valuable communication skills.
Most of the best EAs I know did not develop these skills by being an EA. They were camp counsellors, military personnel, non-profit workers, receptionists, retail and hotel managers, event planners, parents and caregivers, and community volunteers. They gained invaluable experience through a multitude of experiences that prepared them for this unique role.
A great EA may not stand out on your typical resume metrics of formal education, years of EA experience, and AI filtered key words. Look past this for the mosaic masterpiece. This is where you’ll find the gold!
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