You are leading a busy life and want some relief by hiring an assistant, but may end up choosing the wrong one, as a special and executive assistant sounds similar to you.
The reason is that both types of assistants handle their boss’s tasks, have great communication skills, and handle confidential information. Despite these similarities, a special and executive assistant have differences in terms of specific responsibilities, and their authority in decision-making with salary range.
While a special assistant responsibility is managing family-oriented responsibilities, an executive one aims for executive professional tasks.
Today, we will be exactly showing you the difference between a special assistant vs executive assistant. This is for you to choose the right assistant for you and delegate more responsibilities to the right assistant.
What is a Special Assistant?
You have a strict schedule of work being an entrepreneur or handling business, and can not focus on household management or your kids. Here don’t you want to hire a personal assistant who will look after your home? The assistant will be known as a special assistant.
A special assistant who is also known as a personal assistant or personal aide, gives assistance to individuals or companies with personal errands. These assistants work in a more casual environment and help with managing personal daily tasks.
These special assistants’ responsibilities can vary with the location. When they serve some individuals they handle family needs, do grocery shopping sometimes look after the kids.
When they help managers or any low-level employee of a company they may do event planning, set reminders, make travel arrangements, or run day-to-day errands.
What is an Executive Assistant?
You are a senior executive in your company or the CEO and constantly struggle with administrative tasks, and scheduling meetings. Here your solution is an executive assistant who will be a helping hand with a solid understanding of the executive’s job.
An executive assistant can be called an administrative professional too. The assistant supports daily administrative tasks, and clerical tasks, and sometimes assists in decision-making and many important tasks.
The assistant works in a more professional environment and may dress professionally every day. However, this work environment is different for virtual executive assistants, who work remotely.
Besides, an executive assistant who works remotely or on-site may assist one executive if the company is large, or has more executives for smaller businesses. These professionals step into business owners’ lives to make things easier.
Key Differences Between a Special Assistant and an Executive Assistant
Special assistants and an executive assistant are quite different from each other regarding their responsibilities, skill, and expertise. Even when it comes to salary range, it also varies. Here are some key points we are discussing today to differentiate between these two types of assistants.
Scope of Responsibilities
When you start getting confused between a special assistant vs executive assistant, the scope of responsibilities will clear all your confusion.
A personal assistant finds helping their boss more enjoyable and works with a flexible schedule term. There are very less or no official tasks, and common mistakes more often do not cost a hefty price.
But executive assistants, in contrast, need to maintain strict office environments and work during traditional business hours. Some may work on their executive’s fixed working hours. Also, there is no room for making any mistakes.
Special Assistant Responsibilities
Check out some common responsibilities that a special assistant handles,
- Manage calendar and daily schedule
- Assist with household staff management
- Arrange domestic and international travel
- Oversee inbox, draft responses, and handle communications
- Book appointments and reservations
- Prepare and distribute memos
- Manage budgets and expenses
- Handle bill payments and financial administration
- Handle personal tasks and errands for the boss and family
- Run personal errands such as shopping or picking up items
- Draft reports, presentations, and business documents
- Maintain records and filing systems
- Assist with children’s care if required
- Set reminders for important dates, birthdays, and anniversaries
- Coordinate events and meetings
- Handle confidential information with discretion
- Liaise with vendors, suppliers, and service providers
- Manage home maintenance and repairs
- Plan and organize social functions and family gatherings
- Research and source gifts for special occasions
- Organize travel itineraries, including activities and accommodations
Executive Assistant Responsibilities
Being a bit more professional, an executive assistant handles a wide range of responsibilities,
- Manage executive’s personal tasks when needed
- Represent employer at events
- Act as a gatekeeper, managing access to the executive’s time
- Manage calendar, schedule appointments, meetings, and events
- Plan and organize executive-level meetings
- Arrange travel, book flights, and hotels, and manage travel documents
- Handle correspondence, respond to emails, calls, and draft documents
- Oversee project management, coordinate tasks and deadlines with teams
- Conduct research on market trends, industry news, and business partners
- Perform administrative tasks such as filing, data entry, and record-keeping
- Gather and analyze data, prepare presentations, and take meeting notes
- Provide follow-up on action items and deadlines discussed in meetings
- Prepare agendas, meeting minutes, and action item follow-ups
- Coordinate with external stakeholders, clients, and vendors
- Oversee special projects and initiatives on behalf of the executive
- Handle confidential documents and sensitive information with discretion
- Track expenses and process reimbursements for the executive
- Monitor and prioritize incoming communications, filtering critical issues
- Assist in preparing reports, proposals, and briefings for key meetings or presentations
- Provide support during high-priority events, conferences, and business functions
Reporting Structure
Since special assistants stay more involved in handling personal errands, they may report to the individual they work for. This reporting stays casual and no need to create spreadsheets or other reporting tactics. They can report simply by communicating.
But when it comes to executive assistant, he may report to the senior executive like CEO or high-level manager. The executive helper may have a fixed time frame and responsibilities and need to complete in the given time and report.
Strategic vs. Operational Focus
A special assistant has an operational focus as their responsibility is managing personal and household tasks for their employer. These assistants are great in freeing up employers’ time but do not have long-term support. They are less involved in strategic planning or decision-making. The main focus only stays on completing day-to-day personal tasks.
In contrast, an Executive Assistant has a balance of both strategic and operational focus. They help businesses with long-term business goals. They assist in high-level planning and provide decision-making support. Besides, managing daily tasks like scheduling, travel, and communications, they also contribute to the strategic responsibilities.
Autonomy & Leadership
The special assistant works for family-oriented responsibilities. They have the authority to organize personal events, manage household staff, or oversee family projects. This leadership is involved in a more personal context.
Executive assistants have less autonomy compared to special assistants. They work closely under the directives of executives. Thus need to follow specific instructions for managing schedules, organizing meetings, and handling administrative tasks.
However, their leadership skills show by managing other administrative staff or leading office initiatives. Their leadership is generally confined to administrative functions within the business setting.
Decision-Making Authority
Special assistants have the authority to make decisions when it comes to personal and family-related tasks to make their employer’s life run smoothly. They make choices about household management, personal schedules, and even minor children’s activities without consultation at every turn. But let the employer know about every change or decision.
The decision-making authority of executive assistants is generally more restricted to professional and administrative areas. They make logistical decisions like meeting arrangements, travel bookings, and daily office operations. Also, provides valuable insights. They require approval from the executive for matters outside routine tasks.
Involvement in Strategy
Salary
The salary range most often is higher for executive assistants than the special assistants.
Personal assistants can earn on average of $17 per hour or an annual salary of $33,000. This salary range is not fixed and can vary with the responsibility a personal assistant handles. If they handle more responsibilities like managing properties or others they get highly paid. Even the salary range is higher with the individual or family’s financial condition.
Executive assistant’s salary range is quite competitive and higher paid. The higher profile position means they get paid more. In the US, their annual salary may be around $64,000. The salary of an executive assistant is impacted by the metropolitan area, size of the company or business operations.
Skills & Competencies: Special Assistant vs. Executive Assistant
Most individuals or employers get confused between special assistant and executive assistant because of their similar skills in organizational or time management. But here a slight difference is present.
Special assistants mostly need to have organizational skills for managing personal tasks, or households. Also, they have family management skills and know how to manage personal errands. Their other skills are informal and do not need to adapt to modern skills or abilities.
However, an executive assistant needs to have strong organizational, communication, and decision-making skills. They need to be adept with modern software and tools. Their ability to manage multiple high-level tasks and professional-level knowledge decide their position in the company.
Also, when it comes to professional growth and competencies between special assistant and executive assistant, there are more opportunities for the executive helper. They are directly involved with executives’ professional life, which facilitates potential growth into higher roles. When it is about personal assistant, they stay confined within their personal management role.
Verdict
Though special and executive assistants may seem similar to many, they actually differ when it comes to responsibilities, leadership, and decision-making authority.
The special assistant is more helpful when you need someone to handle your personal errands like family or kids management, household management, shopping for you and so on.
But when you are a business owner or executive, you need help with scheduling meetings, daily administrative tasks, or other office work. An executive assistant helps with all these tasks.
So, when hiring a virtual assistant for you assess your needs first, then choose the right one.
