What to Expect When Starting a New Job as an Executive Assistant (EA)
Congratulations! Landing an Executive Assistant (EA) role is no small feat. Your organizational prowess, communication skills, and ability to juggle multiple priorities have propelled you to this position. But as you step into your new role, you may quickly realize that being an EA comes with a blend of excitement, challenges, and a need for adaptability. Often, there’s little formal training provided, and you’ll need to hit the ground running, supporting your boss’s productivity and ensuring everything runs smoothly.
In this blog post, we'll break down what you can expect when starting a new job as an Executive Assistant, along with tips for how to succeed in this fast-paced and dynamic role.
1. Start with a 1:1: Building a Strong Foundation
Your boss is your most important stakeholder, and understanding their preferences, priorities, and working style will be critical to your success. The EA-boss relationship is the backbone of your role, and establishing strong communication right from the start is essential. By getting to know their expectations early, you will be in a better position to anticipate their needs and manage their time effectively. For example, if you learn that your boss prefers highly detailed agendas for meetings, you can proactively prepare these in advance, saving them time and showing that you’re already on top of their needs. You’ll also be able to learn their preferred communication methods—whether they like to receive information via email, instant message, or face-to-face updates. By observing and adapting to these preferences, you’ll quickly become a trusted and invaluable part of their team.
Pro tip: Take the initiative to schedule a 1:1 meeting with your boss to discuss their communication style and priorities. This will help you align expectations and set the tone for a productive working relationship.
2. Conduct a Company "Deep Dive"
When you start as an EA, you might feel like you’re piecing together the puzzle of how things work within the company. It’s common for the role to require learning unwritten rules, discovering key players, and understanding office dynamics. A great way to get up to speed quickly is to conduct a “deep dive” into company processes, systems, and culture. Take the time to familiarize yourself with how information flows, where files are stored, and who to contact for specific needs. For example, during your onboarding, you might discover that your boss’s calendar is color-coded by project. By studying the past meetings and noticing which stakeholders are involved in each initiative, you’ll be able to anticipate potential scheduling conflicts and plan accordingly. The more you understand how the company operates, the more effectively you can do your job, saving time and reducing the need for clarification down the line.
Pro tip: Dive into tools like Slack channels or shared drives. These spaces often hold a wealth of information about ongoing projects and key stakeholders, which will help you learn the ins and outs of the organization.
3. Build Relationships with Your Team
As an EA, you’ll often work across departments, meaning your success depends on building strong relationships within the company. Whether you're coordinating travel, handling administrative tasks, or assisting with project management, knowing the right people to contact and building rapport with them can save time and frustration. For example, if your boss needs a quarterly report from finance, having a relationship with the finance team will allow you to reach out and get what you need promptly. Not only will they be more willing to help, but they will also see you as a collaborative team member, making future interactions smoother and more efficient. These relationships can also help you gain insights into office culture and improve your understanding of how to navigate the work environment.
In fact, getting to know your coworkers and understanding their unique work styles can help you adapt and build better working relationships. You can learn more about the different types of colleagues you'll encounter and how to work effectively with them by checking out my post, The 5 Types of Co-Workers You’ll Meet in Every Job (and How to Work with Them).
Pro tip: Building relationships doesn’t have to be formal—casual coffee chats or brief introductions are often enough to establish goodwill and set the stage for productive collaborations. These informal interactions are often just as valuable as scheduled meetings.
4. Master the Tools of the Trade
As an Executive Assistant, technology will play a huge role in your success. From project management tools to communication platforms and calendars, becoming proficient with your company’s tech stack is crucial. The more comfortable you are with these tools, the more efficiently you can manage your tasks and support your boss. For example, if your company uses Asana for project management and Concur for expense tracking, it’s essential to familiarize yourself with these systems. Look for tutorials, attend training sessions, or even ask a colleague who’s an expert to show you the ropes. Being tech-savvy not only helps you stay organized but also demonstrates your adaptability, which is a key trait that managers value in an EA.
Pro tip: Create cheat sheets for commonly used tools. By organizing the steps for frequent tasks, you not only save time but also create a valuable resource for future team members.
5. Document, Document, Document!
One of the best practices you can adopt as an EA is documenting your workflows and processes. Having clear and accessible documentation will make it easier to manage complex tasks and reduce the risk of mistakes. For instance, if you’re handling onboarding for new hires, creating a shared Google Doc with step-by-step instructions can help streamline the process and prevent confusion. This kind of documentation ensures consistency across the team, making it easier to onboard new colleagues and avoid redundant questions. The more you document, the less you’ll need to repeat information, which is especially useful when you need to track multiple tasks, events, or reports.
Pro tip: Use tools like Notion or Evernote to organize and store documentation. These platforms allow you to create searchable, accessible files that can be easily updated and shared.
6. Be Comfortable Asking Questions
Starting a new job as an Executive Assistant can be overwhelming, especially when you’re expected to learn quickly and adapt. One of the best ways to accelerate your learning curve is by asking thoughtful, clarifying questions. Asking questions doesn’t show weakness; it demonstrates a commitment to getting things right. For instance, if you’re managing a meeting for the first time, you might ask your boss or a coworker what documents or reports should be prepared in advance, or what the protocol is for following up with attendees. By asking for clarification, you ensure that you understand the processes and avoid costly mistakes.
Pro tip: When asking questions, phrase them in a way that shows curiosity and initiative. Instead of saying, “I don’t know how to do this,” try asking, “Can you share more about how this process works?”
7. Embrace the Learning Curve
Starting a new EA role means navigating a learning curve. While you may feel like you’re expected to know everything from day one, the reality is that everyone makes mistakes in the beginning. Mistakes are not only inevitable but also essential learning opportunities. For example, an EA might accidentally double-book their boss for a meeting. Instead of panicking, the best course of action is to quickly reschedule one of the meetings, notify the attendees, and make sure the calendar is updated with buffer time to avoid future conflicts. How you handle mistakes is more important than the mistake itself—demonstrating accountability, resilience, and problem-solving will build trust with your boss and team.
Pro tip: Keep a "lessons learned" journal where you can track mistakes and what you’ve done to fix them. Reflecting on these experiences will help you avoid repeating them and improve your performance in the long run.
8. Leverage Your Transferable Skills
Many EAs come from diverse backgrounds and bring valuable skills from previous roles. Whether you’ve worked in event planning, customer service, or project management, your previous experience can be an asset in your new role. For example, a former event planner may excel at handling complex scheduling and managing last-minute changes—skills that are directly transferable to the EA position. Recognizing and leveraging these transferable skills will give you an edge in your new role and help you adapt quickly.
Pro tip: Reflect on the skills you bring to the table and think about how you can apply them to your new EA role. Your previous experience can help you solve problems in creative ways and add value from day one.
9. Stay Organized from Day One
An essential skill for any Executive Assistant is staying organized, especially when you’re juggling multiple priorities on tight deadlines. The more organized you are, the more efficient you’ll be in managing tasks, tracking projects, and ensuring nothing falls through the cracks. Use tools like Trello or Airtable to create task boards that can help you stay on top of your to-do list. Color-coding tasks, setting reminders, and breaking larger projects into smaller tasks can all help you stay focused and productive.
Pro tip: Start each day by reviewing your task list and prioritizing your most urgent items. This will ensure that you stay on top of deadlines and manage your time effectively.
10. Celebrate Small Wins
Starting a new job can be overwhelming, especially when you're adjusting to a new environment and responsibilities. It’s easy to feel like an imposter, focusing on what you don’t know yet or doubting whether you belong in the role. However, it’s crucial to step back and celebrate the small wins along the way. Successfully scheduling your boss’s first week, mastering a new tool, or helping with an important project are all milestones to acknowledge. These small victories help build confidence and serve as reminders of your growth as you settle into the role. Over time, you’ll begin to see how much you’ve learned and how much value you bring to the team.
Pro tip: Take a moment each week to reflect on your achievements, no matter how small. Acknowledging your progress will keep you motivated and focused on your long-term goals. By celebrating these wins, you can quiet the feelings of imposter syndrome and shift your focus to your growing expertise and contributions.
Becoming an Executive Assistant is a rewarding career for those who thrive on organization, adaptability, and making an impact. By building strong relationships, mastering tools, and embracing challenges, you can excel in this dynamic role. Starting out can be challenging, but by following these tips and embracing your new responsibilities, you’ll set yourself up for long-term success.
What’s your best tip for thriving as a new EA? Drop it in the comments below—I’d love to hear from you!