To all the Executive Assistants and Virtual Assistants out there, put your hands up in the air! We salute you. You keep the world organised. If it weren’t for you, countries will fall into chaos, kingdoms will fall, and all will descend into an unorganised pile of papers and unscheduled meetings.
This is for the EA/VA peeps. The ones who keep the company running and never get tired of manning the fort. The ones who are always on top of the situation and know which thing goes where and who gets to do which task. This is for the This is for the EA/VA who keeps us all on track and organised, ready to do our jobs. We already know you’re fabulous, and here are a few more competencies you can work on in order to continue to be the fabulous assistant that you are.
Communication
As an EA/VA you have to be able to learn to cut through all the noise and get to the heart of the matter. With all the things going on with your client, you have to be able to get the important points and get the gist across minus the fluff. Your client only need to know the gist, so get to the point. Clients have a whole range of different personalities and diverse backgrounds and each EA/VA should be able to adapt to the client’s communication style. Flexibility is essential in order to relay messages effectively and efficiently.
Attention to detail
Yes, there are a host of technologies, applications, and tools to help you scan, narrow down, compute, double check, correct, and go through just about any document, email correspondence, or presentation. But EA/VA’s have to make their clients look good, and it is imperative that all the small details are taken care of. For example, you can spell and grammar check documents but if you forget one part of the instructions – that could spell disaster for the project. You can have all the documents ready and looking fantastic but if you miss the deadline because you missed a schedule change in the meeting, then your client could look bad. Small details matter and will always be an area where EA/VAs can add value.
Flexibility
Clients, especially executives, have a packed to do list. EA/VAs have to be able to make decisions on which tasks are a priority and which ones can be delegated. Handling multiple priorities will be an EA/VAs job and it is up to them to be able to juggle those priorities.
Self motivated
To be able to excel in every industry EA/VAs should be self motivated. They should not be afraid to take the reins and be able to put themselves forward for projects, tasks, challenges, and anything that will get them seen and heard. EA/VAs are vital to every organisation, let them know that you are.
What are your EA/VA experiences? What competency are you looking for in
Written by Jaie O. The Help