Tips for Finding an Executive Assistant for LA Startups

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Instead of viewing an executive assistant as a luxury, startup founders should recognize their importance in achieving early wins. Some CEOs hesitate to hire an assistant, fearing it portrays them as out of touch, self-absorbed, or overly bureaucratic. Startups are seen as independent, go-getters, and resilient. So, why would a CEO consider delegating tasks to an executive assistant?  The executive assistant remains your right-hand person, handling everything outside your limited time. If your finances allow adding one new team member, prioritize executive assistant staffing in Los Angeles. Here, we will discuss how to find skilled EAs for your organization.

How to Hire the Top-Performing Executive Assistants

Startups need to be extremely cautious about spending money, and one of the most strategic ways to ensure you stay laser-focused on high-impact objectives is to bring on an EA to work as your close collaborator. If you have yet to recruit an executive assistant, you might think their role is limited to ordering office supplies, answering calls, or remembering your coffee preference. Indeed, those tasks might be part of an EA's responsibilities, but they are only a small fraction of their overall contribution. Many startup owners need clarification about why they need to hire an executive assistant.

To stay on top of their ever-growing workload, especially time-consuming chores, busy executives rely on executive assistants.  These assistants can be tailored to fit specific needs.  For instance, they can manage routine emails, answer and screen calls, represent the executive in meetings, handle administrative duties, manage schedules, and safeguard sensitive information.  An executive overburdened by daily tasks and constantly feeling behind should strongly consider hiring an EA.  Executive assistants free up corporate leaders to focus on their core business functions by taking care of non-essential tasks. 

However, the question remains: How exactly do you recruit an executive assistant? Let’s explore essential strategies for executive assistant staffing in Los Angeles.

●      Clearly Define Your Needs

Now that you know what an assistant can do, think about what you need help with. Every CEO needs help with emails, calendars, and booking trips. But what about you? Ask yourself these questions: What things do you often forget to do? What tasks are a waste of your time? What parts of your job do you dislike the most? What projects have you put off because you are too busy? This list will help you figure out what your assistant should focus on.

●      Evaluate their Skills and Experience

A candidate can't learn most of the skills you need for executive assistant staffing in Los Angeles if they have the right approach and are willing to put in the effort.  A few things will make it easier to learn these skills, though. It is a plus if the candidate has at least two years of experience working in a fast-paced company. Recruiters also prefer someone with 2-4 years of experience as an executive assistant. Other jobs can teach these skills even if you have not been an assistant.

●      Analyze Essential Hard Skills

Candidates can not learn and get good at hard skills through practice, like skills you use for a specific job. Here are some essential hard skills for executive assistants:

➔    Being an all-around office administrator: This means handling unexpected situations, saving your boss time, figuring out the best way to do things, and managing other people who help you.

➔    Have sufficient technical skills: This means being good at using computers to enter information, write things up, understand charts and graphs, and work with others on reports and presentations.

➔    Project management skills: This means understanding how projects work in your company and being able to assign tasks to other people on the CEO's behalf.

Conclusion

Finding the perfect assistant can feel overwhelming, but there are a few ways to make the search smoother. You can advertise the opening online on Indeed or LinkedIn for executive assistant staffing in Los Angeles. These platforms allow you to browse profiles and contact potential candidates directly. Another option is to tap into your network! Ask colleagues, people in your industry, or even your employees if they know someone who might be a good fit.  Finally, staffing agencies specialize in pre-screening candidates. You tell them the skills and experience you need, and they find qualified people to recommend for the job.

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