What does executives look for when employing assistants?

Dawson

I am a 38 y.o. man, 10-plus year lawyer with general office skills and I am focused on career change. I want to work as a bilingual executive assistant (a businessman, businesswoman or a group of executives.) I am openly gay but don't talk about it for a lifetime or hide it when asked about. Can it all influence badly in my recruitment and admission process? What does executives exactly look for when employing assistants? Thank you so much for your HR technical answer.

Answer
They look for efficiency and excellent organizational skills.

When I first had an assistant 24 years ago, I happened to have been assigned a 40+ year old woman that had been with the company 17 years.

I was 24 at the time, and a little embarrassed.

Naturally, I gravitated to the relatively brainless young cuties parading around Executive Row, but after about three months, you couldn't pry me away from the woman who scheduled me, apprised me of political concerns, educated me about company culture, researched things that I should have known about, and protected me when it was appropriate. Everybody - and this included the cuties - respected her. When she retired four years later, I was pleased to be the first signature on the company's departing gift -- a three week trip around Europe with her husband.

I've decided, and I pass the word on this -- that you definitely want someone mature to deal with the immature. So if you can do that as a teammate to the executive that you front, your political capital will rise. Your value -- and pay -- will rise as well.

American Women You've Got To Do Better *PLEASE READ EVERYTHING*?

Charity Va

I Really Would Like A Woman To Answer This Since I'm Talking To Women. And If This Doesn't Pertain To You, Then Don't Answer. That Being Said, Let's Get On With The Story/Question.So, I'm Having Some REALLY Bad Experiences With American Females In My Life. I'm 21 And My Brother Is 29. So Far He's Already Had 4 Bad Relationships. He's A Nice Guy And Everyone Knows "Nice Guys Finish Last" or Whatever That Bullshit Quote Says. He Had His First Girlfriend When He Was 16. He Was Making Money Then, So He'd Get Her Valentine's Day Presents, Birthday Presents, 1 Month Anniversary Presents, And 6 Month Anniversary Presents.(They Broke Up After 6 Months) The Thing That Disgusted Me Was, She Didn't Get Him Not 1 Thing. And She Didn't Think She Was Supposed To! I Asked Her Why She Didn't Get Him Anything, And She Said "Because I Didn't ASK Him To Give Me Presents." How Ungrateful. His Next Girlfriend Basically Did The Same Thing. He Was 17 At This Time, And They Broke Up After Two Months. Same Thing Happened, He Got Her EVERYTHING, She Got Him Nothing. When He Was 22 He Had Another Girlfriend. I Expected Because They Were Older That This Time His Girlfriend Would Do Something For Him...Same Thing....Just A Different Girl. They Stayed Together For 2 Years. He'd Get Her Presents...She'd Get Him Nothing. His Fourth Relationship Seemed Like It Was The One...He Was 24 And He'd Finished College And Became And Financial Executive. Her Name Was Desiree And He'd Do For Her...Then She'd Do For Him. But A Year Later...They Got Married And Things Changed. She Had Stop Buying Him Gifts, She Never Really Cooked Or Cleaned , She Started Spending His Money And Got Mad When He Confronted Her About It, He Was Telling My Mom That She Started Using Sex To Get What She Wanted, And She Would Argue With Him And Make Scenes In Public. One Time He Forgot To Give Her A Valentine's Day Present, And She Flipped! She Went Off! She Made Him Sleep On The Couch, And "No Sex" Was His Punishment. Despite All Of This He Still Stayed With Her. Eventually She Had A Child Whom Is Now 4 Years Old. When She Turned 4 They Divorced. She Got Custody Of My Niece, And Now My Brother Has To Child Support And Alimony(Whatever The Hell Alimony Is). He's 29 Now And Currently Decided To Date A Filipino Woman. I've Never Seen Him So Happy! She Treats Him Right, Goes The Extra Mile(Messages His Shoulder, Clips His Disgusting Toe Nails, etc.) But His Ex-Wife, Desiree, Still Gives Him Hell. And Just The Other Day He Was Complaining To Me About American Women...Then I Realized...He's Right. You Girls Aren't Submissive, You Don't Do What Wives Should Do (Cook,Clean), You Wanna Be BETTER Than Men, You Are Gold Diggers,You Are Spoiled, You Expect Men To Do For You While You Do Nothing For Them, You Love Drama, You Date Jerks On Purpose Just To Complain About Them, Then Make Comments Like "Men Are Useless Dogs"....I KNOW THIS DOESN'T APPLY TO ALL WOMEN...SO IF IT DOSEN'T...HOLD YOUR COOL...BUT IF IT DOES....PLEASE TELL ME WHY YOU ACT THIS WAY....???!!!!!
Ummm By The Way....I Said If This Doesn't Apply To You Don't Comment...So If You've Commented....It Must Apply To You :) Oh....And I Start Everything With Capital Letters Because I Want To...Ya Know.....Just Like Some Of You B*tches Do Whatever You Wanna Do.....Yeah! By The Way...I Am A Girl....What Dude Do You Know Has The Name Charity?

Answer
Wow, it sounds like those women were just taking your nice brother for granted because he was nice. That's how a lot of women are though. They don't like nice guys too much, and then complain once they get a 'bad boy'. It's good that he found someone different who treats him right. But it's good that you know that all American women aren't the same. And please don't have that type of attitude once you start dating women, because if you do then you're asking for failure. Don't let your brother's situations make you bitter.

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