A good executive assistant is an important component for many professional businesses. An EA can help an executive stay on track, focused, and organized. They also become the face of the business to clients and other employees. So, how do you know that you have made the right hiring decision when it comes to an individual who is reliable, consistent, and professional? Here are four tips for hiring a world-class EA for your business.
- Discuss the details. You want to know every aspect about their experience as an executive assistant. Typically this opportunity is not considered entry level, so you want to see a candidate who has a number of years of experience in administrative assistance or other strong office and organizational skills. They should be able to handle even the tiniest detail for a manager. They also must work well under pressure as the needs of an executive can chance in an instant. Use behavioral interviewing to find out these details.
- Learn who they are. This individual will be spending a large amount of time with the executive so it is important that they get along well as people. Their personalities need to blend well together and not create tension which will ultimately not work. If hiring is not handled by the executive themselves, the candidate should have an opportunity to interview with them as well. This can provide insight on interactions.
- Verify their references. There is no more important role to verify than an executive level assistant. Make sure they provide reference information for their most recent supervisors and make those phone calls. Don’t settle for dates of employment. Talk to as many coworkers or managers as you can. Also, be sure to review their LinkedIn profiles. A strong professional will have more than one recommendation on the website.
- Hire for your replacement. You want to hire an executive assistant who can fill these shoes when a time comes that there is a big change within the corporation. This could be for a short term absence or for eventual retirement. The EA knows everything about this job and the role in the company and will be the logical next step for this position in the future. Hire someone you can trust with these responsibilities.
Are you looking to hire an executive assistant for yourself or your business? If you are looking for assistant recruiters in Michigan, contact us today.