I would like to ask if anyone has noticed, experienced, or simply accepted as the new norm these heightened and advanced job requirements for Executive Assistants. I have 3 degrees and 25 years of experience. I am not a novice. Neither do I lack skills or intelligence, but the interviews I've been having over the past year has made me feel completely incompetent and clueless as to how to even polish up for today's demands and responsibilities that seem irrelevant to the EA role. For example, there are now demands for strong project management, IT, accounting, data analyst, metrics, and other skills. While in some EA roles the executive you support may require more assistance and operation in those areas, which better prepares and equips you for more advanced and miscellaneous functions, it has never been a mandatory requirement. My background is executive assistant in banking and banking investments. Due to certain legalities most of my execs did not need, nor want, my involvement or knowledge regarding our department or what they did. My job was simply to keep them organized: calendar management, expense reports, travel, email management, and maybe a few other ad hoc projects. Today that seems to be a thing of the past. Now that IT and project managers who were making high 6 figures are being laid off, and the roles and responsibilities seem to be merged into EA's hands while paying us anywhere from $35k - $220k depending on who you work for. I interviewed extremely well for a well-known company here in GA, and it was for their DE&I dept. I was taken through 3 rounds of interviews and questioned on almost everything DEI and IT related. I was declined the job and told they needed someone with more DEI experience. After some research of my own I discovered the person in the Administrative Assistant role, not even EA, was actually titled as a DEI Coordinator, but when she got promoted they made the role AA but interviewed solely on DEI skills and knowledge. I am so confused as to what companies are really even looking for these days. After being laid off along with 3,000 others, I fear having to take a pay cut or seemingly not be able to perform at the level of expectation of these new companies, especially tech companies. Are traditional EAs outdated and irrelevant for the times?

11 Comments

1. AnonymousMay 22,2024 at 5:09PM UTC

   Yes, this role has evolved to meet the needs of the business and the business drivers, technology and project acumens are key in making this a success. The transition from secretary to executive assistant is now in the current culture of business more of a driver role and not a 'collector or admin' role. DEI is imperative to at minimum be able to speak to and to understand how it adds value to the growth. IMPERATIVE. DEI is not just hiring different races. Lots of resources to build that knowledge of understanding.

2. AnonymousMay 22,2024 at 5:14PM UTC

   What's crazy is the role has evolved, but the pay hasn't. What differentiates a Project Manager and IT Specialist from an EA if they all have to have the same responsibilities with such a vast difference in pay, if that's the case? Why wouldn't the EAs just go get the certification to become an actual PM? It sounds like corporate trickery.

3. AnonymousMay 22,2024 at 5:11PM UTC

   ...Forgot to mention

   I was making $85k before the layoff. Apparently to get remotely close to that you have to do and be everything I listed in the post and they want you to come in with very intense knowledge and insight of the operation and be able to know the functionality of the execs, with little to no training, in order to properly direct them from day-to-day. Again in banking your execs pretty much tell you to stay out of their way and out of how they do their jobs. Maybe because of the confidentiality of the things they handle they also feel it would be over your head anyway. They were in meetings 6 hours out of the day so all you could do was make sure meetings didn't get crossed up and travel and expenses were properly handled. Now I'm hearing people say they need the EA to pretty much be a side-by-side partner with their execs, in the loop, speaking their language. Then I recently spoke to a more traditional COO who still requires the basics and does not require all of that, but pays his EA 6 figures. What's been you all's experience.

4. AnonymousMay 23,2024 at 1:02PM UTC

   This is very much in line with the “do this proposal for your interview” type of getting a lot for free.the way things are now is you do the executives work and get paid fractions of what they’re supposed to do - clear abuse of their staff plain and simple.

5. AnonymousMay 22,2024 at 6:06PM UTC

   You applied and interviewed for a position in the DEI department. You were questioned about DEI and declined because you didn't have enough DEI skills.

   Nothing about this raises any red flags for me - what am I missing?

6. AnonymousMay 23,2024 at 3:39AM UTC

   The red flag is the role was for an Administrative Assistant to the HR Director who also happens to work with and in the DEI department. AA roles are typically even viewed as entry level. Not a single question was asked about the actual responsibilities related to an AA. The other red flag is the role was previously a DEI coordinator but switched to AA, perhaps for lower pay. DEI is its own specific job function. One can be an AA or EA in any department without having to be an expert or coordinator of the role. The question is did they want a DEI Coordinator or an AA to support the DEI department. One would have to have a DEI background to be an expert at the questions that were being asked as well as IT specialist. They are simply combining roles and responsibilities that are unrelated.

7. AnonymousMay 22,2024 at 6:26PM UTC

   I think the titles of EA and even AA have not caught up with actual new job descriptions. Few companies accommodate the need for "assistance ' in any managerial role like back in the day. Gone are the days when leadership was supported by assistants to keep them organized. Only the extreme top echelons are now allowed this type of favor. It is viewed as an extravagance in most scenarios. Instead, top EA roles are expected to manage their own contribution roles along with assisting their Executive as more of a Chief of Staff. You are actually expected to work at a level of individual output on par with the coordinator or associate manager level at a minimum. So the work of the EA is now included with individual contributor roles. So yes, the days of the traditional EA are dwindling.

8. AnonymousMay 23,2024 at 3:33AM UTC

   Thank you! This is my exact point. It's ridiculous.

9. AnonymousMay 23,2024 at 12:56PM UTC

   I’m so happy you said this - I’m dropping down from a career in IT for a change (the IT world has become so toxic I want out). I’ve seen these types of job descriptions and I’m shocked what they expect for that salary and I’m not entertaining that. Thank you for bringing this out - I thought it was just me!

10. AnonymousMay 23,2024 at 10:15PM UTC

    I would go to a temp agency and just work temp jobs because these get you employed quickly, and gets you into companies. Providing your exposure. I'm on the other side in higher ed, and honestly, it's less pay than my former recruiting years, but I am always able to take HR or professional development classes, and state jobs are just safer right now. Most of us have to work. It's great if you want to try to climb a ladder, but sometimes you have to step on the first rung to get to the top. Keep looking, keep networking and ask for help. Go back to you alma mater if you are degreed and look at their recruiting system, if they have one, like Handshake. There are tons of companies looking. Good luck to you!

11. Mark BanishMay 26,2024 at 10:03PM UTC

    Where did the executive(s) you worked with and their compatriots go after the layoff? Many banking executives 'have their person' and the EA goes with them when they relocate. And think of non banks, all the fintechs like fiserv for example. Maybe with your banking experience you could find something here.