How to hire an executive associate

How to hire an executive associate, step by step

Here's a step-by-step executive associate hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an executive associate job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new executive associate
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an executive associate do?

Post an executive associate job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   The executive associate hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect executive associate also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list presents executive associate salaries for various positions.

   Type of Executive Associate	Description	Hourly rate
   Executive Associate	Secretaries and administrative assistants perform clerical and administrative duties. They organize files, prepare documents, schedule appointments, and support other staff.	$21-78
   Administrator Secretary	Administrator secretaries are assistants to managers or higher officers in charge of administrative tasks. Their responsibilities include liaising with an organization's internal departments and in communicating with the general public... Show more	$12-22
   Administrative Support	Administrative support specialists provide different types of governmental assistance. They carry out varied clerical duties in almost all industries... Show more	$12-25

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • PowerPoint
   • Provides Administrative Support
   • Project Management
   • Expense Reports
   • SharePoint
   • Calendar Management
   • Meeting Materials
   • Booking
   • BMS
   • Video Conferencing
   • Financial Reports
   • Meeting Minutes
   • Database Management
   • Administrative Functions

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage online committee sites and documents via SharePoint.
   • Manage department attendance using PeopleSoft.
   • Compile, manage and organize travel and expense reports processing and submitting reports using PeopleSoft for reimbursement.
   • Prepare payroll instructions, tax gross up calculations, hypothetical tax calculations, specific relocation and vendor payment requests.
   • Process require payroll compensation paperwork.
   • Compose and edit correspondence, as well as assisted with development of PowerPoint presentations.

   More executive associate duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your executive associate job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. An executive associate salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, executive associates' average salary in nebraska is 64% less than in new york.
   • Seniority. Entry-level executive associates earn 73% less than senior-level executive associates.
   • Certifications. An executive associate with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in an executive associate's salary.

   Average executive associate salary

   $85,371yearly

   $41.04 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level executive associate salary

   $44,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 19, 2026

   Average executive associate salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$143,792	$69
   2	Connecticut	$140,379	$67
   3	District of Columbia	$134,054	$64
   4	Virginia	$117,387	$56
   5	Pennsylvania	$110,733	$53
   6	Massachusetts	$107,841	$52
   7	New Jersey	$107,465	$52
   8	California	$99,702	$48
   9	Maryland	$95,726	$46
   10	Michigan	$93,840	$45
   11	Ohio	$92,941	$45
   12	Washington	$92,836	$45
   13	Illinois	$85,033	$41
   14	North Carolina	$83,393	$40
   15	Georgia	$83,248	$40
   16	Arizona	$77,142	$37
   17	Indiana	$76,160	$37
   18	Minnesota	$71,344	$34
   19	New Mexico	$65,948	$32
   20	Texas	$65,655	$32

   Average executive associate salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Covington & Burling	$173,869	$83.59
   2	VMware	$168,427	$80.97
   3	Goodwin	$163,171	$78.45	3
   4	Regeneron	$156,741	$75.36	2
   5	Connecticut Children's Medical Center	$154,894	$74.47	2
   6	Presbyterian	$146,881	$70.62
   7	Bristol-Myers Squibb	$146,416	$70.39	66
   8	Campbell Alliance	$139,363	$67.00
   9	J.P. Morgan	$114,717	$55.15
   10	JPMorgan Chase & Co.	$112,698	$54.18	410
   11	Bank of America	$111,108	$53.42	23
   12	Heidrick & Struggles International	$107,967	$51.91	11
   13	Management Leadership for Tomorrow	$104,731	$50.35	2
   14	James River Ins	$101,410	$48.75	4
   15	SkyWater Technology Foundry	$98,546	$47.38
   16	TechStyle Fashion Group	$97,556	$46.90
   17	James River Group	$97,008	$46.64	1
   18	Comcast	$93,768	$45.08	261
   19	The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights	$91,968	$44.22
   20	Michigan State University	$89,198	$42.88

4. Writing an executive associate job description

   A job description for an executive associate role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's an executive associate job description:

   Executive associate job description example

   Whether the count is 10 employees or 10,000, companies throughout the United States depend
   on Goodwin for strategic and effective advice on all aspects of ERISA and executive
   compensation programs. We work with clients and investors in a range of industries, both public
   and private, including technology and life sciences companies, banks and other financial
   services companies, REITs, hospitality companies, and private equity and venture-backed
   companies.
   
   We are seeking a highly qualified mid-level or senior associate (class of 2018 +) to join the
   ERISA and Executive Compensation practice in our Business Law Department. Candidates
   must have general experience both working in teams and in managing some components of
   transactions independently, along with specific experience representing public and private
   companies with respect to tax and securities law issues in connection with equity-based
   arrangements and other types of incentive compensation plans. Additional experience with
   ERISA, employee benefits or general employment law matters is a plus, but it is not required.
   
   Candidates applying for associate positions with Goodwin should have outstanding academic
   credentials, comparable law firm experience, and excellent written and verbal communication
   skills. Relevant admission preferred.
   
   Goodwin Procter LLP is an equal opportunity employer. This means that Goodwin Procter LLP considers applicants for employment, and makes employment decisions without unlawful discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender, gender identity or expression, age, religion, national origin, citizenship status, disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, or other legally protected status.
   
   Please note: Various agencies of the United States government require employers to collect information on applicants and employees. The National Association of Law Placement (NALP) and certain clients request us to keep track of certain aggregate information regarding lawyers. EEO information requested on this application is for purposes of compliance with these record-keeping and reporting requirements and to determine recruiting and employment patterns. Submission of this information is voluntary and refusal to provide it will not subject you to any adverse treatment.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right executive associate for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with executive associates they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit executive associates who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your executive associate job on Zippia to find and recruit executive associate candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with executive associate candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new executive associate

   Once you've decided on a perfect executive associate candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new executive associate. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire an executive associate?