How to hire an executive office assistant

How to hire an executive office assistant, step by step

Here's a step-by-step executive office assistant 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 office assistant job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new executive office assistant
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an executive office assistant do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The executive office assistant 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

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them an executive office assistant to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire an executive office assistant that fits the bill.

   Here's a comparison of executive office assistant salaries for various roles:

   Type of Executive Office Assistant	Description	Hourly rate
   Executive Office Assistant	Secretaries and administrative assistants perform clerical and administrative duties. They organize files, prepare documents, schedule appointments, and support other staff.	$13-32

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • PowerPoint
   • Expense Reports
   • Payroll
   • Financial Reports
   • Office Equipment
   • Meeting Minutes
   • Administrative Tasks
   • Word Processing
   • Event Planning
   • Telephone Calls
   • Front Desk
   • Office Management
   • Calendar Management
   • Office Operations

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Create and manage all listings on the MLS as well as all websites in regard to advertising.
   • Lead DoD team that assist Pakistan in gaining military capabilities to conduct counter-terrorism operations against the Taliban.
   • Support executive and director levels including travel arrangements, detailing agendas, expense reports and PowerPoint presentations.
   • Charge with accountability for accounting and bookkeeping in QuickBooks on a daily basis.
   • Prepare and track bills and vouchers for payment in QuickBooks process Medicaid and Medicare.
   • Assist in full-cycle of the listing process for seller and buyer, including updating MLS listings.

   More executive office assistant duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your executive office assistant job description helps attract top candidates to the position. An executive office assistant salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for an executive office assistant in Louisiana may be lower than in Hawaii, and an entry-level executive office assistant usually earns less than a senior-level executive office assistant. Additionally, an executive office assistant with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average executive office assistant salary

   $44,374yearly

   $21.33 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level executive office assistant salary

   $29,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 20, 2026

   Average executive office assistant salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$63,243	$30
   2	New York	$61,004	$29
   3	Connecticut	$58,597	$28
   4	District of Columbia	$48,585	$23
   5	Pennsylvania	$47,861	$23
   6	Massachusetts	$47,263	$23
   7	Maryland	$45,940	$22
   8	Georgia	$44,882	$22
   9	Colorado	$42,001	$20
   10	Florida	$41,716	$20
   11	Arizona	$41,640	$20
   12	Virginia	$41,604	$20
   13	Texas	$41,141	$20
   14	South Carolina	$40,392	$19
   15	Illinois	$39,590	$19
   16	Alabama	$39,310	$19
   17	Minnesota	$37,440	$18
   18	Ohio	$37,247	$18
   19	Wisconsin	$36,437	$18
   20	Missouri	$35,018	$17

   Average executive office assistant salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Goldman Sachs	$98,765	$47.48	26
   2	JPMorgan Chase & Co.	$93,283	$44.85	378
   3	City of Baltimore	$67,244	$32.33	8
   4	New York State Restaurant Association	$57,695	$27.74
   5	Georgetown University	$57,046	$27.43	4
   6	State of West Virginia	$56,507	$27.17	124
   7	Amazon	$54,745	$26.32	220
   8	Dexis Consulting Group	$54,745	$26.32	2
   9	Chicago Public Schools	$52,369	$25.18	9
   10	Minnesota State Fair	$52,180	$25.09	16
   11	Women's Business Development Center	$51,728	$24.87
   12	University of California-Berkeley	$51,404	$24.71	1
   13	City of Houston	$51,202	$24.62	7
   14	Texas Department of Transportation	$51,054	$24.55	44
   15	DEXIS	$48,075	$23.11	3
   16	The City University of New York	$45,784	$22.01	37
   17	State Bar of Michigan	$45,718	$21.98	13
   18	Latham Pool	$44,944	$21.61
   19	Hartford Public Schools	$44,865	$21.57	14
   20	University of Pennsylvania	$44,776	$21.53	12

4. Writing an executive office assistant job description

   A good executive office assistant job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of an executive office assistant job description:

   Executive office assistant job description example

   • Bachelor's degree preferred; Associates degree with commensurate experience may be considered
   • A minimum of five years' experience providing support at a high level; Previous executive and board of director experience is a must
   • Public company experience preferred
   • Confidence working with all levels of employees including external stakeholders and the Board of Directors
   • Proficiency in using a variety of software applications, such as Excel, Word, Outlook, Adobe and PowerPoint
   • Intermediate skills in Zoom and other meeting technologies
   • Strong editing skills and competency in compiling information in various software applications
   • Knowledge of standard office administrative practices and procedures: Bill paying, vetting phone calls, meeting requests, maintaining company supply levels, creating correspondence, presenting a professional office and meeting space, prioritizing critical needs, etc.
   • Experience with meeting and event management; travel planning; understanding event contracts and budgets
   • Must be available to work 8am to 5pm, Monday thru Friday, with availability after hours as needed
   • Occasional travel may be required for offsite meetings with overnights as needed ~ 10%
   • Physical demands: Minimal physical effort; Ability to stay in a sitting position for most of the working day while looking at a computer monitor; Ability to open filing cabinets, bend or stand; Minimal lifting required

   Key Competencies: Organizational and planning skills; Communication skills; Initiative and resourcefulness; Information gathering and monitoring skills; Independent problem analysis and problem solving skills; Ability to think ahead/anticipate; Financial capacity to process expense reports, budgets for meetings, etc.; Judgment and decision-making ability while multi-tasking in a deadline-oriented environment; Confidentiality, professionalism and discretion/judgment; Attention to detail and accuracy; Tact and diplomacy; Adaptability/flexibility and strong ability to manage stress and conflicting priorities.

   Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

   
   
   

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   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right executive office assistant for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit executive office assistants, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete 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 office assistant

   Once you've selected the best executive office assistant candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the 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.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new executive office assistant. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

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.)

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How much does it cost to hire an executive office assistant?