Considering Career College? 4 Characteristics of a Great Executive Assistant

Posted by AOLCC | 11th July 2023

An executive assistant is a key figure in the workplace, doing much more than just supporting the managing executive. The work they do goes a long way in ensuring an organization’s success, especially since they perform various office management tasks—from providing clerical support to training staff. To do this job well, aspiring executive assistants need to develop the rights skills and qualities through executive assistant training. 

Wondering what that entails? Here’s an overview of the top skills and characteristics that make up a successful executive assistant!

1. A Great Executive Assistant Has Strong Organizational Skills

Organizational skills are necessary for the success of an executive assistant. These skills enable them to complete numerous tasks efficiently while never compromising on the quality of the results. Being able to prioritize the appropriate tasks and accurately estimate how long each task may take are valuable executive assistant skills that can help you get farther ahead in the field. 

Executive assistants with those qualities are also able to streamline their team’s activities. This gives them the ability to delegate tasks, schedule meetings, and meet deadlines efficiently—creating a positive workflow.

Executive assistants rely on their organizational skills to manage different tasks simultaneously.

2. Successful Executive Assistants Use Their Excellent Communication Skills

Executive assistants who are able to navigate professional conversations and successfully connect with others are incredibly valuable in today’s diverse workplace. Excellent communication and strong interpersonal skills are not only desirable but expected in this role. That’s because you’ll likely be directly interacting with members of your own team, other internal departments, as well as prospective and current clients. This involves carefully listening, empathising, and anticipating the needs of others.

In order to create a positive work environment and culture, you’ll need to depend on your communication skills. Using these skills, you can better coordinate business efforts as well as provide accurate and necessary updates to upper management. As an executive assistant with this quality, you’ll be in a better position to nurture your team’s growth and promote your company’s success. 

Executive assistant training provides students with key business communication skills.

3. Rely on Resourcefulness after Executive Assistant Training for Career Success

Executive assistants who are resourceful and adaptable are especially effective in the field. These characteristics allow them to become efficient and flexible problem solvers who can overcome obstacles and deliver the necessary results. By using the available resources and their own sound judgement, these executive assistants can develop plans to solve budgeting issues, adapt their interactions to better please challenging clients, and more. With these executive assistant qualities, you can become a more desirable candidate—able to take on various tasks and handle unexpected situations with grace and success.  

4. Independence is a Key Quality in a Productive Executive Assistant

In order to support the managing executive, executive assistants need to be able to work independently. There are times where they may be required to take initiative and oversee certain activities in the absence of upper management. Similarly, they may be responsible for making judgement calls in order to streamline the workflow for their supervisor. They may also need to rely on their own skills to get certain tasks done, especially those involving technology and critical thinking. 

Your executive assistant training can help you gain the skills and qualities you need to work independently with confidence. This includes handling different tech software and operating systems as well as learning key business skills and management fundamentals. Through your program, you can begin honing these characteristics and preparing for a career as an executive assistant.

Are you ready to level-up your skills for an executive assistant role?

Contact AOLCC BC to begin your training!

Frequently Asked Questions Related to our Topic

What is the characteristic of executive assistant?

An executive assistant characteristic includes having strong organizational and communication skills. Other executive assistant characteristics also include being resourceful and independent, completing tasks efficiently and productively.

What skills do you need to be a great executive assistant?

Successful executive assistants need to be independent and resourceful to accomplish tasks without heavy supervision. They also need to have organizational and communication skills to prioritize tasks and interact with others.

What are the top 3 skills of an executive assistant ?

The top three skills executive assistants need to develop include strong organizational skills, excellent communication skills, and the ability to be resourceful. With these qualities, executive assistants can better complete tasks