The big organization has a huge amount of data and tasks to be operated. This procedure is as difficult as it is necessary because it can affect the growth of the organization. Hence skilled people are required to perform such tasks. Administrative assistant and executive assistant are two positions in every organization that need to be filled with well-experienced people.
Administrative Assistant vs Executive Assistant
The main difference between Administrative Assistants and Executive Assistant is that administrative assistants are generally related to the legal industry and execute basic tasks of the authorities. While executive assistants belong to the business industry and assist their supervisors in the basic tasks of the organization. Both types of assistants require to have enough experience and knowledge to be hired.
The administrative assistant is referred to a person who works within an office and his basic duties involve keeping records, making appointments, corresponding, and other similar tasks. He assists in the distribution of information and managing the data of the relevant authorities. An administrative assistant can also receive and interact with customers or clients.
A professional who assists executives of a certain organization in high-level tasks of administrative activities is known as an executive assistant. In other words, an executive assistant is hired to assist senior administrators or executives of the office. The duty of an executive assistant is a little bit different from administrative assistant.
Comparison Table Between Administrative Assistant and Executive Assistant
| Parameters Of Comparison | Administrative Assistant | Executive Assistant |
| Meaning | The position of an administrative assistant is for those who can manage the everyday activities of the office. | The position of executive assistant is for those who are capable to satisfy the needs of their supervisors. |
| Education | To become an administrative assistant, a person is required to have a high school or general education development certificate. | To become an executive assistant, a person is required to have a bachelor’s degree, computer diplomas, communication skills diplomas, etc. |
| Skills | An administrative assistant should have skills like time management and writing skills, verbal communication, flexibility, and versatility, etc. | An executive assistant should have skills like Computer skills, Interpersonal skills, writing skills, communication, and organization skills. |
| Duty | The main duties of an administrative assistant are to collect and distribute information within organizations or authorities. | The main duties of the executive assistant are to update and assist the supervisor of the company or organization. |
| Field of work | Administrative assistants mostly work for legal authorities since they have more knowledge and skills. | Executive assistants mostly work for the business industry because they have relevant experience and skills. |
What is Administrative Assistant?
The administrative activities such as circulating information, managing files, assisting colleagues and seniors, receiving customers, are done by administrative assistants. An administrative assistant is expected to have multiple skills and some of them are Communication, Adaptability, Computer literacy, Work ethic, Teamwork, Organisation, Foresight, planning, Resourcefulness, etc.
Since if a person secures himself the position of administrative assistant, he is expected to interact with several industries. It has been noted that administrative assistant who belongs to the legal industry, is more professional and skilled than others. An administrative assistant also makes the schedule and does event planning such as board meetings.
Also, he is liable to keep records and monitor the expenditures of the office. The administrative assistant is responsible to make spreadsheets Keep genuine records and reporting to the head or manager of the office. The office members or employees can always look for an administrative assistant to get assistance in the official documentation.
Because an administrative assistant is required to have a lot of skills he is sometimes required to edit, proofread, and type certain official documents. Some administrative assistants are expected to have specialized skills to perform extensive professional activities.
That is the main reason, legal administrative assistants are considered to be superior to others because they have a vast understanding of legal procedures and terminology.
What is Executive Assistant?
Executive assistants are generally employed in an industrial area. They are connected to the highest board of the company by assisting them. Typically an executive assistant is there to help his boss and make schedules for him, coordinate meetings, and handle email and messages. Executive assistants provide their services for the top executives of the organization.
An executive assistant should have a proper education because he has to be involved in multiple tasks. His duties can vary from time to time depending on the particular needs and he has to fulfill them. Executive assistants are suggested to at least have a bachelor’s degree in the associated area.
Also, some diplomas in computer proficiency, general business administration, speaking influence, communication skills are recommended to get the position of executive assistant. Some organizations prefer experience over higher education when it comes to hiring an executive assistant.
While some organizations provide training periods or probation for the newly hired executive assistant to be able to perform specialized duties. An executive assistant is someone who interacts directly with the second party whether his boss, the company’s higher executives, clients, etc. An executive assistant is required to sit at a desk while some executive assistant has their setup of phone or computer to do the job.
Main Differences Between Administrative Assistant and Executive Assistant
- When it comes to knowledge, administrative assistants are considered to be more intellectual while executive assistants generally get trained for certain needs.
- Administrative assistants, based on their abilities, usually work for legal authorities. On the other hand, executive assistants provide their services for organizations that run businesses.
- To become Administrative assistants, people are suggested to get a GED certificate while people should have a bachelor’s degree to become an executive assistant.
- The administrative assistants receive clients and circulate information within the workplace while executive assistants gather information and assist their supervisors.
- An administrative assistant should be great at writing and he should be versatile. Executive assistants are required to have strong communication skills because sometimes they represent their senior executives.
Conclusion
Supervisors and other higher levels of administrator can not be able to perform every single task yet several activities shouldn’t be handled by an ordinary employee of the office.
So to get these certain activities and tasks, administrative assistant and executive assistant are the two members of the accountable company. They are skilled enough to assist their seniors and capable of handling major tasks related to the company.
Both administrative and executive assistants can speak for their supervisors to satisfy several needs. They have a wide range of knowledge about the personal data of the organization and are as important as the boss himself.
References
- https://www.bemidjistate.edu/offices/human-resources/wp-content/uploads/sites/99/2021/01/Vacancy-Notice-OAS-Sr.pdf
- https://www.chconline.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Executive-Assistant-022417.pdf