The Executive Assistant Guide: Skills, Guides, Courses

An executive assistant works directly with top executives in a company or organisation, fulfilling high-level administrative needs and standard assistant tasks. You will find opportunities to enter this field in most major cities throughout the United Kingdom, with the highest pay rate in London. According to Glassdoor, the average national salary is £42,208 [1], while the base pay for executive assistants working in London averages £45,437 [2].

Learn about the different types of assistants and what sets them apart, as well as the required skills, experience, and education. 

What is an executive assistant?

An executive assistant plays a major role in a company's structure by providing clerical and communication assistance to high-level executives. Working directly with these executives requires discretion and organisation, as they rely heavily on an executive assistant's ability to handle most contact with clients, partners, and subordinate employees.

What does an executive assistant do?

A day as an executive assistant typically involves various tasks such as scheduling, drafting memos, interacting with others, and record-keeping, depending on the company and executive’s needs. Your duties will likely include, but are not limited to: 

• Performing administrative tasks such as writing emails, creating memos, and drafting communications 

• Maintaining comprehensive records and creating accurate reports

• Completing payroll and other accounting needs 

• Planning meetings by managing schedules and sending reminders

• Answering the phones in a timely and helpful manner

• Being the face of the company for anyone entering the office

• Managing the executives' calendar, appointments, and travel details, with a critical focus on the organisation

What do employers look for in an executive assistant?

Employers look for candidates who can handle a large workload of varying tasks and projects. If you can multitask and prioritise assignments, a role as an executive assistant may be a natural fit for you. Here are some skills that employers may look for in this role. 

1. Time management and ability to meet deadlines

You will be responsible for managing your time and the executives' time. Activities include scheduling meetings, appointments, and travel arrangements, freeing executives to focus on their responsibilities and keep the workflow on track. 

In addition to managing executives' time, managing your own time will be equally important for your success. The company relies on you, so maintaining a track record of arriving to work on time and completing projects within their deadlines will reflect well when you're looking to advance your role.

2. Verbal and written communication skills

Daily tasks include crafting emails and reports, making phone calls, and networking. Therefore, employers expect an executive assistant to have strong written and verbal communication skills. Using a clear and consistent tone will often help you maintain your professional relationships and those of executives.

3. Strong organisational skills and ability to multitask

In this role, you will be responsible for noting a large amount of information, making organisation a critical skill needed for the position. Administrative, organisational tasks include filing, categorising emails, sorting mail, and screening phone calls. For executives, you must have an organisational system for calendars, appointments, reports, and budgets.

4. Problem-solving and proactivity

Companies have an executive assistant to free up an executive's time, prioritise their workload, and delegate responsibilities. To do this effectively, you must make decisions independently. It requires confidence in your abilities and a high level of strategic thinking. You'll also need to be able to proactively assess a project, predict a wide range of possible outcomes, and plan contingent solutions. 

5. Interpersonal skills

In this role, you'll be in contact with people with various personalities, both external and within the company, making patience and kindness vital. Often, an executive assistant will be the first line of defence against unhappy clients and in-house employees, so it's essential to diffuse situations before involving executives. You represent both the executives and the company, allowing you to set the tone for the workplace.

How to become an executive assistant?

When entering into an executive assistant role, it's essential to consider the industry you'll be working in. While a higher national diploma or foundation degree can be enough qualifications for an entry role in some companies, medical, tech, and legal industries often require additional courses in industry-specific terminology.

Higher national diploma or foundation degree

An entry-level position in this field usually requires a minimum of a higher national diploma or foundation degree. Your qualifications and experience in word processing and spreadsheets can set you up for success. Some executive assistants have either a college diploma or bachelor’s degree; some employers may expect this. However, it is not usually a requirement, and years of work experience can often substitute for education requirements.

Training courses

When considering whether to take training courses, it's important to research the industry you would like to work in and its requirements. The medical field, as well as legal and tech, usually has industry-specific needs you can meet after gaining experience or completing training courses. In any industry segment, it's vital to have computer skills, including word processing and data entry. Newly hired executive assistants will receive on-the-job training in the first weeks or months.

Work experience in a related occupation

To advance to an executive assistant position, you may start as an office assistant, secretary, or administrative assistant. These roles provide critical work experience needed to move into an executive assistant position. This job depends on your interpersonal and organisational skills, which should develop over time through relevant work experience.

Professional certificates and registrations

Beyond work experience and education, Professional Certificates are usually optional. However, they can help demonstrate your competency and increase your earning potential. You might consider various certifications offered by Microsoft to show your proficiency in using its Office products. You can also pursue certifications specific to executive or administrative assistant roles.

Advanced Certificate for the Executive Assistant

The Advanced Certificate for the Executive Assistant is a five-day intensive training program accredited internationally by Qualifi, an official UK government-regulated awarding body. During the five days, you will learn practical skills and a deeper understanding of operational business needs.

Certified Administrative Professional

The International Association of Administrative Professionals offers the Certified Administrative Professional Certification. You'll need a foundation, bachelor’s degree, or two or three years of relevant experience to qualify for this certification. Four years of relevant experience will qualify you instead of a college degree. Once deemed eligible, an exam is required to demonstrate your knowledge. 

Jobs in similar positions

If you have yet to gain administrative experience but want to become an executive assistant, consider these positions as a starting point to gain experience.

*All average salary data is sourced from Glassdoor UK as of May 2024.

Administrative assistant

An administrative assistant's role is similar to that of an executive assistant but usually less specialised. Tasks often include scheduling meetings, screening phone calls, managing deadlines and projects, and preparing travel itineraries.

Average annual salary (UK): £23,888

Administrative officer

An administrative officer tends to work for an entire office instead of assisting one person's day-to-day needs. Typical tasks involve stocking paper and supply needs, managing payroll, working the front desk, and additional general office needs. 

Average annual salary (UK): £22,782

Administrative manager

This is a managerial role in companies that require a team of administrators to run smoothly. Larger organisations tend to have a team of administrative assistants or clerical aids. The administrative manager is responsible for the entire team and training new administrative assistants.

Average annual salary (UK): £32,857

Executive assistant professional job overview

This role is common in large companies located in popular metropolitan areas. The highest-paying executive assistant jobs are in the London and Cambridge urban areas. 

Average earnings per year

The national average salary for an executive assistant is £42,208 [1]. Depending on your education and work experience, you can find significant room for growth and higher pay.

Job and career outlook

This job can be an opportunity for someone without formal education beyond a higher national diploma or foundation degree who has the technical skills for a business organisation. Due to its fast-paced nature, this career offers growth and challenges. Every day is different, and it can be a fulfilling career for the right person.

Typical career advancements in executive assistant roles

As you gain more experience as an executive assistant, you will often have the opportunity to work with higher-level executives up to the CEO. Another move for an executive assistant is to aspire to advance into larger and larger companies. A large company tends to offer more room to grow and higher pay. If you’re interested in becoming an executive, this role can serve as a mentorship with the executive you’re assisting. 

Build your skills as an executive assistant.

If you’re interested in building your organisational and communication skills, a career as an executive assistant could be your next career move. To develop these essential skills, consider taking one or more Courses or Specialisations on Coursera. For example, the University of Pennsylvania’s Improving Communication Skills course and the University of California Davis’s Professional Skills for the Workplace Specialisation offer personal and professional growth options. 

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