What is an executive assistant and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
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An executive assistant provides support to executives or senior-level managers within a company by managing schedules, arranging travel, coordinating meetings, and handling correspondence. They also act as a gatekeeper for their executive, screening calls and visitors and managing their email inbox. A successful executive assistant must have excellent communication and organizational skills, be able to multitask effectively, and maintain a high level of professionalism and discretion.

ScoreExecutive AssistantUS Average
Salary
3.9

Avg. Salary $50,539

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
3.6

Growth Rate -8%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
2.8
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.40%

Asian 5.00%

Black or African American 7.62%

Hispanic or Latino 11.22%

Unknown 4.80%

White 70.97%

Gender

female 86.88%

male 13.12%

Age - 51
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 51
Stress Level
3.6

Stress level is moderate

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
5.7

Complexity Level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
7.9

Work Life balance is good

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being an Executive Assistant?

Pros

  • Opportunities for professional development and networking

  • Potential for advancement within the company

  • Competitive salary and benefits packages

  • Chance to be involved in important decision-making processes

  • High job security and stability

Cons

  • High stress levels and demanding workload

  • Long hours and potential for overtime or weekend work

  • Need to maintain high levels of confidentiality and discretion

  • Difficulty balancing multiple priorities and tasks simultaneously

  • Limited opportunities for creativity or innovation in role

Executive Assistant career paths

Key steps to become an executive assistant

  1. Explore executive assistant education requirements

    Most common executive assistant degrees

    Bachelor's

    60.9 %

    Associate

    20.3 %

    High School Diploma

    7.2 %
  2. Start to develop specific executive assistant skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    PowerPoint12.80%
    Customer Service8.15%
    Phone Calls5.67%
    Calendar Management5.62%
    Administrative Tasks3.38%
  3. Complete relevant executive assistant training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New executive assistants learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an executive assistant based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real executive assistant resumes.
  4. Research executive assistant duties and responsibilities

    • Manage and maintain AVP calendar and schedule using independent judgment.
    • Manage and review WinStar (KRONOS) time clock hours for hourly union employees.
    • Organize and manage administrative, audio/visual (WebEx, GoToMeeting), and catering of department meetings.
    • Manage the scope of accounting processes including billing, bookkeeping and expense data management with strong oversight of A/R and A/P.
  5. Get executive assistant experience

    Generally, it takes 2-4 years to become an executive assistant. The most common roles before becoming an executive assistant include administrative assistant, office manager team lead and internship.
  6. Prepare your executive assistant resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your executive assistant resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an executive assistant resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Executive Assistant Resume templates

    Build a professional Executive Assistant resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Executive Assistant resume.
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  7. Apply for executive assistant jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for an executive assistant job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Executive Assistant Job

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Average executive assistant salary

The average Executive Assistant salary in the United States is $50,539 per year or $24 per hour. Executive assistant salaries range between $35,000 and $71,000 per year.

Average Executive Assistant Salary
$50,539 Yearly
$24.30 hourly

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How do executive assistants rate their job?

4.4/5

Out of 5 Executive Assistant reviews, 80% were positive.

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Based On 5 Ratings

Work/Life Balance
3.0
Career Growth
3.0
Pay / Salary
4.0
Overall Rating
4.4

Executive Assistant reviews

profile
4.0
A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2024
Pros

Depending on the org & boss, can be a nice variety & challenges

Cons

Depending on the org & boss, position can become stale & boxed in


profile
3.0
A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2020
Pros

Working on special projects and data collection for division chief medical officer

Cons

Scheduling meetings


profile
5.0
A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2020
Pros

I enjoy the diversity of assignments.

Cons

Micromanagement from our umbrella agency.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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