Why Work with an
executive assistant recruiting agency?
The development of new technologies enabling this growth has ironically made us simultaneously more productive as individuals but at the same time made our lives more complex. Expectations are higher in terms of response time, travel, events and homes. With these higher expectations and condensed time frames, it seems that more needs to be done in a shorter time frame.
Many people also find it hard to keep up with new technologies or just keep the older technologies running smoothly. Trying to get help and find a phone # from a website is almost impossible sometimes and so we find ourselves relying on help online dealing with automated prompts or chatting with someone in another country. If you do manage to find a phone number, you are often left on hold until you hear the voice of a helpful person. This is why the role of the Personal Assistant has become so important.
Why hire a
personal assistant?
Many High Net Worth(HNW) Individuals, CEOs, and Entrepreneurs hire Personal Assistants to help them navigate their busy lives, boost productivity and reduce stress. If you are someone who enjoys working with others to make their daily life better and can “make the trains run on time” for a household or business while remaining unflappable with a smile on your face, the Personal Assistant role is for you.
Our clients are demanding, however, and all require previous experience related to the many responsibilities of a Personal Assistant. We recruit Personal Assistants for positions in cities like New York, Miami, Atlanta, Boston, Denver, Austin, Houston, Dallas, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego and other cities nationwide.
What We Look for When Recruiting for Personal Assistant Jobs
Essential Qualities Needed for a Personal Assistant
Maturity and the ability to make decisions and work independently are essential qualities of a good Personal Assistant. Depending on their employer, they may need to be available 24/7 and have the flexibility to deal with any type of situation. The job takes tremendous resourcefulness, mental agility and interpersonal skills.
Skills Our Personal Assistant Recruitment Agency Looks for
- Self-motivated with the ability to work in a home environment if required
- Polished demeanor, energetic and positive
- Strong attention to detail, forward thinking, highly organized
- Strong Microsoft Office Suite skills
- High level of discretion, confidentiality and integrity
- Exceptional interpersonal, professional and communication skills
- Ability to work and make decisions independently
- Familiarity with local restaurants/hotels (knowledge of other major cities worldwide is also a plus)
- Must be able multi-task
- Excellent memory/recall abilities
- Fluency in other languages is a plus
- Ability to foresee and avert future problems
- An unflappable demeanor
The Responsibilities of a Personal Assistant May Include
- Managing complex calendars, coordinating business and personal
- Answering/screening telephone calls
- Taking calls and following through on responses
- Monitoring emails and drafting correspondence with consistency
- Sorting through mail and responding to invitations
- Basic Tech Support
- Event planning
- Booking domestic and international personal travel as needed (both commercial and private), and creating itineraries
- Supervising renovations and home repairs
- Researching and hiring vendors for various services
- Wardrobe maintenance
- Personal & gift shopping
- Holiday decorating
- Staff supervision and hiring
- Coordinating calendars with the corporate EA
- Art cataloging
- Preparing summer homes for visits
- Making restaurant reservations
- Procuring tickets to shows, concerts and other events
- Assisting with philanthropic interests, meetings and events
- Basic bookkeeping
The Hybrid Executive Assistant/ Personal Assistant Position
More and more, CEO’s and other C-level executives find that combining the role of Executive Assistant and Personal Assistant is the optimum solution for their busy lives. In today’s world, it is almost impossible to separate business and personal calendars, travels and other interests, so an EA almost always needs to consider their executive’s personal life in order to allow them to succeed in their business life.
Depending on the size of their company, the extent of their responsibilities and business and philanthropic activities, some executives have both an EA and a PA and a special person, often a Chief of Staff or Chief Administrative Officer, who oversee and coordinate the responsibilities of all administrative staff. Sometimes the EA supervises the PA. Sometimes the EA and PA have equal roles and are required to work seamlessly as a team, a consideration that we, C-Suite Assistants, must take into consideration when identifying the ideal candidate for either role.
Personal Assistant Interviews
Although C-Suite’s process for interviewing Personal Assistants is the same as the process for interviewing Executive Assistants, there is usually one final interview that is usually not part of the EA interview process. If the PA will be supporting a family and not just an executive, an interview with the key family partner or other family members is almost always required.
Of equal importance to skills, is the cultural and chemistry fit with the executive and their family (if the role also supports a family). The PA may often spend many hours a day with a family member and often work from a home office, so the intangible attributes often described as “chemistry or cultural fit” can be the determining factors for success in the role.
What Our Clients Look for
when hiring a personal sssistant
Because we work for senior executives, entrepreneurs and philanthropists, all of our clients require Personal Assistants with prior experience and the skills listed above. Prior experience could be as an Executive Assistant, a Project Manager or in a hospitality or service role, but must have included many of the responsibilities and skills we have detailed.
Our clients also need to know you not only have the skills but also the desire, ability and flexibility to work with a variety of personalities and will always be positive in your interactions. Reliability is also a key trait and often, but not always, the ability to be flexible with hours and on weekends if required. Excellent references and a clean background check and driver’s license are also important.
If you’re interested in a personal assistant, executive assistant, office manager, or other administrative support role, submit your resume below.