It’s no secret that executive assistants are the backbone of any highly-functioning executive team. These heroes dressed in business attire create order everywhere they go and are the epitome of highly-skilled individuals who can almost create something out of nothing. 

If you’ve survived a career as an executive assistant, then it means one thing: you are a well-rounded individual who can put on any hat that merits the situation. While that can seem daunting for others, these are the kinds of situations that you truly thrive in. Being a master of many trades definitely has its perks; one of them is enjoying your skills not just within the confines of an office but even outside of it. 

After all, when excellence is your identity, it only makes sense that it overflows even in other aspects of your life, too, right? 

But in case you’ve yet to tap into your maximum potential in the free world, we’ve listed five of the most unique (and useful) executive assistant skills that you can take with you anywhere.

1. Resourcefulness

Let’s try doing a little activity: try to remember the last time your boss asked you a question that you weren’t able to provide the answer to.

Chances are, that doesn’t happen a lot. And even if you don’t have an answer in the moment, you’ve quickly thought of a solution shortly after. EAs are great at what they do because they are very resourceful and output-driven.

If you’re a seasoned executive assistant who’s got years of experience under your belt, you probably know your way around airlines, hotels, services, and contacts that your team is most likely to encounter even with your eyes closed! 

Figuring things out in advance is second nature to you. You’re always one step ahead and because of this, you’re more likely to be able to navigate the world with more ease.
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2. Organization and Prioritization

Let’s face it, you make juggling multiple tasks and processing big volumes of information on any given day look easy. Though we know, it’s anything but!

Keeping track of important details, prioritizing your boss’s schedule, and even providing deliverables for your team calls for some serious organizational skills. Of course, on a personal level, this can be really handy when you’re traveling or even managing your own household.

You probably can’t help but make travel itineraries, right? Maybe input your travel budget on Excel or present the locations you’ll see via PowerPoint?

Either way, you’re traveling with a pretty good idea of what to expect and ready for it.
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3. Negotiation and Communication skills

Executive assistants don’t just speak with clarity, they can also speak persuasively when needed, too.

Those instances when you had to negotiate discounts with suppliers or secure special favors for your boss can become useful. Once you master the art of winning people over with your words, you’ll have gained one strong tool in your arsenal that can serve you well in any situation.

4. Emotional intelligence

Phone calls. Meetings. Events.

Your day-to-day consists of multiple human interactions that require really good people skills. That’s why EQ is one of the best skills you could possibly gain from your experience as an EA. Being able to smoothly deal with people is one thing, but the ability to forge positive relationships is what really takes the cake.

Most, if not all, executive assistants understand the value of relationships and connections for their careers. That’s why they take networking seriously. In fact, there are executive assistant tools like Cabinet that even provide virtual forums for EAs so they can interact and exchange notes! 

This goes to show that when leveraged well, emotional intelligence can lead to plenty of open doors.
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5. Decisiveness

Being a CEO assistant, you’re also tasked to make dozens of important decisions every day with minimal supervision. One of the hallmarks of a great EA is independence and strong decision-making skills. You naturally know what should be done and how it needs to be done.

Of course, it’s not without hiccups. However, the very learning curves you encounter contribute to building your knowledge and confidence to make better decisions every time. More importantly, the lessons you gain from those experiences will inevitably help you grow in wisdom which you can apply in all aspects of your life.