Current job title: Executive Assistant
Industry: Financial Industry
Department: Affiliate Bank President
Years worked in this industry: 5
Years worked in this department: 4
Special training or attributes needed or helpful to
get job in this industry (or specific department): Although I
did not have any prior experience in the financial industry, I’m quite an
inquisitive person able to see ‘patterns’ and easily establish
relationships and support systems quickly. Having worked in a corporate
environment before, understanding corporate structure was very helpful. I
actually entered the company through a temp agency and quickly acclimated
myself which I believe was a benefit in gaining employment. Some of the
talents that I possess that aided in the transition to my current position
are:
Quick to learn
Ability to handle large work load
Excellent customer service
Efficient
Skilled at communicating at all levels
Ability to handle highly confidential material
Project management skills
Number of
managers and/or staff supported: I have one manager,
but support 2/3 others. I always answers my calls with ‘How may I help
you’ – and mean it!
Typical work hours: Typically,
8:00-5:00; I will add there have been many nights when I’ve been at work
till 7pm.
Weekends or overtime hours: It is not a
job requirement for overtime, but it does occasionally happen. Usually
depends on what projects we’re working on at the time. I do not typically
claim overtime for payment, but could.
General salary range
(Note: This is a general figure or range provided by survey respondent and may
NOT be an exact salary in order to
give survey respondent some privacy. Also you must take into account that
the number of years worked in industry/department may contribute to this
salary as well as criteria such as level of position and person reports
to, required hours and geographical location.): $41,000 -
$58,000
Benefits (direct or indirect): I do
feel that we have good benefits, but this is an area that is continuously
being examined for ‘expense control’. Some of our benefits include:
health, dental and life insurance; vacation, 401K, profit sharing, on
staff financial guidance.
Lingo you might hear in this industry:
Prime rate, bps (basis points), participations, derivatives, structured
financing
A typical day on the job: There is no
typical day and that is one of the reasons I like my job – variety! The
typical things I deal with everyday are phones, email, mail, travel,
meetings and a ton of scheduling issues. My boss usually starts his day at
7/7:30am and typically goes till 8/9:00pm. If it is not scheduled, he has
no break time or ‘strategic’ time. I am usually the ‘gestapo queen’ that
prevents unnecessary traffic out of my boss’s office.
Positive things about being an administrative
professional in this industry:
Variety
Ability to make my job what I want
Flexibility ( can take on as much or as little as I want )
Negative things about being an administrative
professional in this industry:
Pay is low in comparison to
the amount and type of work that I do.
People tend to have limited thinking as to what your skill level is
Little room for growth unless I take another career path
Type of workspace/office:
I actually have a wonderful roomy workspace. Because one of our (my boss &
I) mantras is customer service, I have a very customer-friendly open
space, accessible to those that may need my services.
Primary responsibilities as an administrative
professional in this position:
Keep my boss on schedule
Assist my boss with being prepared for his day
Maintain reports
Process expense reports / maintaining zero balance on his credit card
Event planning (which involves my boss)
Top thing(s) incumbent admin would require of job
applicants seeking to be her/his position replacement:
Ability to maintain confidential material
Handle a large variety of work
Flexibility at the drop of a hat
Work well under pressure
Great customer service / smile
Office machines or equipment operated regularly:
Computer (all Microsoft Office programs) – Expanded phone system –
Blackberry – Copiers – Cell phones – Jeeter Filing
Technology (hard) skills used regularly:
Computer skills (Microsoft Office)
Blackberry
Expanded Phone system
Critical soft skills:
Excellent
customer service – because everyone is a customer. This doesn’t mean that
I say ‘yes’ to everyone; it does mean that the person opposite of me will
always get my best.
Ability to change course at the drop of a hat
Composure
Consensus building
Teamwork
All of these skills are important due to the fact that no one actually
works for me, they work for my boss; but, in order for me to get things
done, people need to respect me for my ability/skill not because of who I
work for.
Pace of this position: Very fast
Geographical region: Midwest U.S.
roduced by Karen Porter, The Administrative Professional Job Performance and Career Success Coach™ and Founder and President of The Effective Admin:
"My specialty is
serving administrative professionals like you with job performance and career
management advice. I have 24 years experience interacting with the 'real'
workplace and working administrative professionals."