In any establishment or any business, an executive assistant job has a key role to play. The executive assistant job is like an executive administrative job who are the support system of the senior leaders in the business. The senior leader usually assigns a senior executive staff of the establishment to fill in the job description of the executive assistant. As per the job description, executive assistants are required to have some prior knowledge of the business or establishment and fulfill a certain amount of responsibility. The executive assistant job entails someone with flexibility and foresight along with maintaining a high level of confidence during the operations in the establishment.
Who is An Executive Assistant?
An executive assistant is the support system of the executives/senior leaders and is the prime member in supervising the duties of the office. The executive assistant is similar to the executive administrative assistant assigned to the establishment’s high-level executives. Usually, a very knowledgeable person or a senior executive staff chooses to fulfill the executive assistant job in a business. As per the job description, an executive assistant requires to have problem-solving skills and good communicational abilities.
What Does An Executive Assistant Do?
According to the job description, the executive assistant handles the executives’ and senior leaders’ work and supervises the offices’ duties. That can also include training the office staff in the business. The executive assistant job requires the person to have dynamic problem-solving skills and excellent communicational abilities. In addition, the executive assistant is required to take on certain administrative duties. The executive assistant job requires the person to be highly reliable, flexible, and foresight for the upcoming. The utmost confidence with the high-level operations should be maintained, also comes with the executive assistant job description.
What Are The Duties of An Executive Assistant?
The duties of the executive assistant in a business /establishment include:
- Supporting the CEO or senior executives in any work, supporting the executive staff whenever directed to accomplish the objectives and goals of the business.
- As per the job description, the executive assistant is the communicator between the management in the upper level and the employees in the office.
- The executive assistant works as a link between the internal and external executives in various operations in the business.
- Planning and coordinating the work so that the various priorities of senior executives are met properly. This is important for achieving the goals of the business.
- Coordinating the internal and external resources and processes to sustain the workflow.
Job Brief for An Executive Assistant
According to the job description, the executive assistant is the support system of the CEO and the senior executive staff in the business. They also have to fulfill a certain amount of administrative responsibilities and are also a part of the management team. The executive assistant job also entails that the person will supervise the office staff per the operations in a business. As the executive assistant job comes with coordinating the work of the senior executive and supporting the high-level management, they must maintain the utmost confidence. Being reliable and flexible comes under the executive assistant job.
What Are The Responsibilities of An Executive Assistant?
The responsibilities in an executive assistant job include-
- Coordinating and managing the professional as well as the personal schedule of the CEO. This includes calls, mails, emails, agendas, interviews, client management, travel arrangements, and any other work related to the business.
- Managing and coordinating extensive calendar activities and complex scheduling.
- Managing the flow of information and various content to the senior executives and the CEO
- Performing administrative roles and supporting the staff in the office. It includes typing, creating spreadsheets, dictation, faxing, and maintaining the filing system.
- Arranging and coordinating the travel itineraries of the senior executives and the CEO. It includes ticket booking, hotel booking, meal coordination, transportation, etc.
- Organizing and maintaining team and staff communication. It also includes planning events that can be both internal and official.
- Exercising discretion during various interfaces in the business.
- Maintaining professionalism on all grounds and extreme confidentiality with all the operations in the business.
What Are The Requirements for An Executive Assistant?
The requirements of the executive assistant job are-
- Having at least 4 years of experience in the administrative position.
- Having excellent writing and verbal communication skills with the office staff.
- Having proficiency in computers such as Microsoft Office, Microsoft Excel, and other office productivity tools.
- Having excellent time management skills.
- Having the ability to organize and coordinate various projects and operations at the same time.
- Being flexible every time so that the work can be done at any cost. It suggests being adaptable and reliable.
- Keeping utmost confidence in the office and with the high-level management.
Related Interview Questions:
Average Salary for An Executive Assistant
The average salary for executive assistants in Malaysia can vary based on experience, location, and specific employer.
General Salary Overview
- Entry-Level (0-2 years of experience): Approximately RM 30,000 - RM 48,000 per annum.
- Mid-Level (3-5 years of experience): Approximately RM 48,000 - RM 72,000 per annum.
- Senior-Level (5+ years of experience): Approximately RM 72,000 - RM 120,000 per annum.
Salary by City
| City | Average Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Kuala Lumpur | RM 60,000 |
| Petaling Jaya | RM 55,000 |
| Johor Bahru | RM 50,000 |
| Penang | RM 48,000 |
| Kota Kinabalu | RM 45,000 |
Salary by Industry
| Industry | Average Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Information Technology | RM 70,000 |
| Financial Services | RM 65,000 |
| Consulting | RM 60,000 |
| Healthcare | RM 58,000 |
Salary by Top Employers
| Company | Average Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Maybank | RM 90,000 |
| CIMB Bank | RM 85,000 |
| Telekom Malaysia | RM 80,000 |
| Accenture | RM 75,000 |
This overview indicates that executive assistants in Malaysia can expect varying salaries based on their experience and the type of employer. The demand for skilled administrative professionals is significant as organizations seek to improve efficiency and support for executives.
Key Skills of An Executive Assistant
The key skills that are essential for the executive assistant job are-
- Communication skills – Executive assistants often work as a communicator, in which they need to decide which content and information should be passed over to the senior executives and which has to be handled in other alternative ways. This helps the senior executives to prioritize the work that demands the most attention.
- Trustworthy attitude and being reliable – The executive assistant usually has access to the sensitive information of the office. For this reason, the CEO and senior executives will need to be able to trust the executive assistant to work efficiently in the office.
- Proper management of time – As per the job description, the executive assistant manages the professional and personal time of the senior executives and the CEO. They also coordinate different events and prioritize work as per the demand.
- Multitasking – Executive assistants need to properly handle various tasks and manage events at the same time. Along with this, they also need to manage the senior executives’ schedule and their own time.
Why Should Anyone Pursue An Executive Assistant Career?
To have an executive assistant career as an option allows one to work and experience a lot of benefits in this field. This position in the office comes along with variability, excitement, opportunities, and independence. As the executive assistant works with the office staff and the senior executives, they will get to do and experience a little bit of everything. Eventually, the executive assistant, having worked with every nook of the office, can expand their role with new skills and interests. In addition, being the executive assistant will give one the advantage of knowing every decision and liaising with the teams of different companies.
How to Become An Executive Assistant?
To become an executive assistant, one must have the following qualifications that are discussed below-
- Having a secondary school certificate.
- Complete a Certificate III in Business Administration or a certificate IV in Business Administration or a higher qualification such as a Bachelor of Business Administration.
- Having advanced level computer software skills.
- Having had an entry-level position such as an assistant to an executive assistant.
Conclusion
The executive assistant job is one of a kind job in any business or any establishment. They can have communication access to the office staff and the high-level management in the office. This gives the opportunity of experiencing things almost at all levels of the business. They can also have access to the decisions and operations earlier to anyone in the office. All in all, the executive assistants have experience in almost all jobs and operations in the office and provide support at all levels in the office.
People Also Interested In:
