His place in the management system is often spoken about, his role in modern business a lot has been written, its sphere of influence is expanding, and the functionality is becoming more complicated from year to year. Only its status remains unchanged. Assistant - who is he? What does he do? Why is his humble persona getting so much attention?
From the history of the profession
It is believed that the first assistants appeared in Ancient rome... Roman jurisprudence, which developed formulas for legal transactions, needed to be clothed in traditional written form. Gradually, the mechanical work on legal materials becomes not only more independent, creative, but also almost exclusive. Its representatives in the era of the republic were scribae and exceptoreset notarii - scribes who were engaged in putting legal material into documentary form. Scribae were in the public service, exceptores et notarii in the service of private individuals. The office of scribae could only be held by Roman citizens, not deprived of civil honor, but by persons subjected to belittling civil rights did not have access to this post. Their election was for life and was not limited to the term of service, but extended to the successors. The Scribae could give up their seat to another person for a fee.
Of the more capable scribes, the magistrates chose assistants for themselves, whose duties included the production of public documents (tabulae publicae) and the maintenance of public accounts (rationes), as a result of which they were called scribae librarii. The assistants held a high social position. One of the names that have come down to us from the depths of the centuries is the name of the close assistant to the ancient Roman emperor Augustus - Maecenas, who carried out diplomatic, political and private assignments. His patronage of poets, artists and scientists made the name "Patron" a household name.
Who are hired as assistants?
A leader today is, first of all, a leader who is distinguished by intelligence, flexible thinking, ability for analysis and introspection, emotional maturity, organizational skills and amazing performance. Naturally, such a leader cannot exist in a vacuum. He needs a connecting link, a conductor of his ideas, tasks, a person who will take on the solution of many problems, relieve him of the burden of routine. The faster the business develops, the larger the company and the more successful the leader, which means that the need for a serious assistant becomes urgent.
Choosing a personal assistant for himself, a successful leader declares the maximum high requirements not only to his education, professional qualities, work experience, practical skills, but also to personal characteristics. A personal assistant is not so much a position as a special status of a confidant that a manager needs. A personal assistant is a professional, a responsible person who is able to take on enormous responsibilities to ensure the activities of a manager, free him from wasting his time.
It is difficult to find a truly professional assistant. An experienced recruiter approaches the choice of a personal assistant to the manager with all responsibility: he does not even consider the proposals of applicants who often change jobs, without education, work experience, and CVs, drawn up with grammatical and stylistic errors, will not arouse his interest.
There is an opinion that a person between the ages of 25 and 30 can be an assistant. Many experts are very skeptical about the establishment of such boundaries. Work that requires high stress and great concentration of attention makes special demands on professionalism, psychological stability, and communication skills, which are acquired exclusively through knowledge, experience, and reputation. That is why in recent times the position of personal assistant has “matured” significantly. Focusing on the totality of objective and subjective parameters and characteristics, a person who has reached full personal and professional maturity can be considered a reliable assistant. From this point of view, the 30th anniversary is not the final stage of the assistant's career, but rather its starting point.
More recently, mostly women have become personal assistants. A male helper is no longer uncommon today.- he is distinguished by purposefulness, decisiveness and emotional restraint, he has intelligence, the ability to strategic thinking... In turn, female helpers are more resistant to stress, adapt better, feel the nuances of relationships more subtly due to their flexibility, quickly find a way out of difficult situation, are attentive to details and have the ability to listen, are more patient when performing routine work. Therefore, the choice of an assistant should be based not on his gender, but on professionalism, a set of skills.
The requirements for the education of a candidate for the position of a personal assistant are not too strict: they can be a specialist who has higher education in any area, the main thing is the presence of other components necessary for the implementation of the functionality for this position. Most often, humanitarians succeed in the role of assistants - specialists in the field of tourism business, public relations and management documentation, historians, translators, journalists, philologists. The assistant can have a technical, economic or legal education - such specialists often have an analytical mindset, demonstrate their abilities when preparing reviews, reports or supervising projects, and perform tasks of increased complexity. And of course, education that matches the profile of the company is always encouraged.
At the same time, the requirements for work experience and professional skills of an assistant are very high. Those are wrong who think that it is enough for a personal assistant to have secretarial skills - to know a foreign language, own a computer, have experience in compiling business letters and providing business trips, booking tickets and organizing business meetings... In addition to all of the above, the assistant needs:
● have an analytical mindset and the ability to systematically logical thinking;
● have a good memory, have a quick reaction;
● be hardworking, resilient, stress-resistant;
● have a broad outlook, competent speech;
● be able to take responsibility;
● have good taste;
● be committed to the corporate interests and personal interests of their manager.
Responsibilities of the assistant
Among the main responsibilities of an assistant manager are the following:
● administrative support of the head;
● planning the manager's working day, coordinating and organizing meetings and receiving visitors;
● information and analytical support of the head: search and processing of the necessary information; preparation of information, analytical and presentation materials, reports and speeches, analytical reviews, reports, etc .;
● maintaining business correspondence the head;
● preparation of meetings, councils, meetings conducted by the head, formalization of the results of business meetings / negotiations;
● participation in negotiations, business meetings, receptions; accompanying the head at meetings, on trips, etc.;
● organization and provision of business trips and meetings (logistics of optimal routes, booking tickets, hotel rooms, transfer; visa support; registration of participation in conferences and seminars; organization of leisure activities);
● implementation of relationships with representatives of companies, enterprises, organizations, authorities state power and management to address issues that do not require the direct involvement of the manager; receipt of documents and information from state authorities and management on behalf of the head;
● oral and written translations, linguistic support of business negotiations and meetings;
● organization of presentations and protocol events, representation activities;
● preparation of reports on expenses;
● fulfillment of personal orders of the head.
This list is not complete; specific company Assistant responsibilities may vary.
About trust
The issue of trust is the very cornerstone, the basis of the foundations on which the entire system of the "assistant-leader" relationship is built. For many leaders, an assistant is not just a confidant, a person exposed by the secret of knowledge, but also almost a member of the family. The degree of trust is sometimes so high that he is trusted with confidential information, bank account numbers, payment cards and pin codes, large sums of money, safe codes, company seals and personal secrets. That is why many assistants provide not only the organization of the manager's official activities, but also solve his family and home problems: they buy gifts for family members, order baskets of flowers for loved ones, select domestic staff, organize children's holidays, etc.
It is important to remember that trust is given to a helper who:
● is proficient in business communication skills;
● knows how to hear and listen;
● maintains subordination;
● maintains neutrality and confidentiality;
● maintains a balance between confidence and compliance, has his own opinion, is ready to defend his position, but understands well when it is necessary and where it is necessary to retreat.
Pros and cons of the profession
Let's start with what they usually end up with, modestly leaving "for later" - with the question of wages. The very high requirements for candidates for the “personal assistant manager” vacancy, as well as the serious proposals of the candidates, have significantly raised the bar for salary expectations and proposals. In Moscow, the approximate average wage assistant manager varies from 40 to 60 thousand rubles, in the regions - from 20 to 30 thousand. Availability of work experience, recommendations, knowledge foreign languages allow a candidate to qualify for higher remuneration.
Daily managerial experience, an increasing level of responsibility, a change in the nature of the tasks being solved allow the assistant to acquire invaluable knowledge in this position. Assistant - a position that involves constant growth and self-realization, improvement of personal qualities, abilities, talents; opening up real prospects for professional activity. Considering all of the above, a professional assistant in the future can apply for at least the position of head of the secretariat, chancellery, business management, but a different development of events is also possible - an executive, administrative, managing director or organizing your own business.
The flip side of any profession is the price we pay for mastering professional skills. The assistant's working day lasts longer than the manager's working day, so it often starts early in the morning and ends in the late evening. In addition, a personal assistant should be available to his boss almost around the clock. If the manager has only one assistant, sometimes it is difficult even to take a day off, to go on vacation - the assistant is strictly limited by the vacation framework of his manager.
In addition, the established relationships, harmony, personal attachment to the leader often play against the desires and aspirations to change something, make the assistant hostage to a specific official, and hence the profession.
The position of an assistant should be considered as a launching pad, and his career and personal growth depends on dedication, a clear awareness of his capabilities, desires and the amount of effort made.
Name in history
The names of the figures who have left their mark on the history of world politics, culture, science, diplomacy are known to everyone, but the names of their assistants, who took upon themselves the hard and sometimes thankless work, contributing to the birth of many achievements, history does not always preserve for posterity.
Pavel Ivanovich Yaguzhinsky ( 1683-1736) - assistant to Peter I, statesman and diplomat. An active and energetic man, since 1701 he became a constant companion of Peter I on all campaigns and trips abroad, found himself everywhere in his place and earned the Tsar's favor. IN different years served as Prosecutor General of the Senate, Minister Plenipotentiary at the Polish Seim in Grodno, Cabinet Minister, was envoy to Vienna, Ambassador to Berlin. Peter I repeatedly entrusted him with important diplomatic missions. Pavel Ivanovich conducted very difficult negotiations with the kings of Denmark and Prussia. Yaguzhinsky, as a personal confidant of the tsar, took part in all European congresses without exception. Including because he spoke English, German, Spanish and French, not to mention Polish and Lithuanian. The Emperor was not mistaken in his choice of the Prosecutor General. Yaguzhinsky zealously and very promptly carried out all the orders of Peter I. He never delayed execution, as other nobles often practiced, and, having received any task, after a day or two reported to Peter I about the results.
Contemporaries who watched Yaguzhinsky in the service were unanimous in their assessments: “A prominent man, with a wrong face, but expressive and lively, with a free attitude, capricious, proud, was smart and very active; he did as much in one day as he couldn’t do in another in a week ”.
Petr Petrovich Konovnitsyn(1764–1822) – assistant to Mikhail Kutuzov, adjutant general, count. Unusually brave and reckless in military affairs, Peter Petrovich was at the same time an excellent staff worker, extremely accurate, diligent and punctual.
Contemporaries assessed him as "an extraordinary type of Russian nature." After the retreat from Moscow, Kutuzov appointed Konovnitsyn as the duty general of the headquarters of the Russian army, on whose shoulders lay a huge burden of organizational work in the army: the supply of ammunition and food, fodder and medicines, uniforms and transport. This appointment was not accidental: Mikhail Illarionovich, despite the general confusion after the loss of Moscow, needed a balanced and firm person nearby. In addition, honest Konovnitsyn, as it were, neutralized the chief of staff L. Bennigsen, who was intriguing against Kutuzov. Since that time, Pyotr Petrovich became the first speaker for the commander-in-chief, all combat correspondence between Kutuzov and the commanders subordinate to him passed through him.
In 1815-1819. Konovnitsyn held the post of Minister of War, since 1819 - member of the State Council, head of military educational institutions, chief director of Pages and others cadet corps and the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum.
Charles Maurice Talleyrand-Perigord (1753–1838) – assistant to Napoleon Bonaparte, an outstanding French commander and statesman. An entire era is associated with his name: royal power, revolution, Napoleon's empire, restoration, July revolution. Fate tied these people for 14 years. Napoleon appreciated Talleyrand: "He is a man of intrigue, a man of great immorality, but a great mind and, of course, the most capable of all the ministers I have had." Talleyrand became a knight of all French orders and almost all foreign ones. Back in 1807, at the height of Napoleon's power, Talleyrand wondered how long the emperor's triumph would last. A sophisticated politician, Talleyrand felt that it was time to leave, and left the ministerial post. The experienced diplomat was not mistaken in anticipating the collapse of Napoleon. Talleyrand, showing miracles of diplomacy, convinced the allies to leave the throne not to the heirs of Napoleon, but to the royal family - the Bourbons, and, once again in favor, became minister of foreign affairs and head of government for the third time.
Alexey AndreevichArakcheev(1769-1834) - assistant to three kings - Paul I, Alexander I, Nicholas I.
He served in the Gatchina garrison, which was transferred into full control to Tsarevich Pavel Petrovich, the future Emperor Paul I. At one of these reviews, the future emperor noticed the executive lieutenant Arakcheev. Soon, Arakcheev became the commandant of the palace, treated his duties with diligence and diligence - he was on duty at any time of the day. Under Paul I, at the age of 28, Arakcheev rose to the rank of commandant of St. Petersburg and received the baron's coat of arms, in which, with the permission of the emperor, he inscribed the motto: "Betrayed without flattery." Under Alexander I, he began to widely plant military settlements, the idea of creating which had long occupied his thoughts, since 1815 he actually concentrated in his hands the leadership of the State Council, the Committee of Ministers and his own imperial majesty Chancellery, was the only rapporteur to the king for most departments. From 1817, during the reign of Nicholas I, he held the post of chief commander of military settlements. Arakcheev refused to take part in the suppression of the Decembrist uprising, for which he was dismissed by Nicholas I
Friedrich Engels(1820-1895) - an assistant to Karl Marx, one of the founders of scientific communism. The meeting with Marx, held in Paris in 1844, marked the beginning of a creative community that lasted until the death of Marx. Engels actively participated in the organization and activities of the "Union of Communists", together with Marx wrote the program of the Union - "Manifesto The communist party”And published the“ New Rhine newspaper ”, in 1849 he participated in the armed uprising in southwestern Germany. Having inherited from his father, Engels provided constant material assistance to Marx. Together with Marx, he directed the activities of the First International. After his death, he began publishing volumes of Capital, compiling the final text from Marx's draft manuscripts.
Nicholas Roerich(1874-1947) - Russian artist, philosopher, scientist, writer, traveler, public figure, politician. He wrote about 7000 paintings and created almost 30 literary works, the author and initiator of the International Treaty on the Protection of Artistic and Scientific Institutions and Historical Monuments (Roerich's Pact), the founder of the international movement in defense of culture. At the age of 24 he became assistant director of the museum at the Imperial Society for the Encouragement of Arts and at the same time assistant editor of the art magazine "Art and Art Industry". Three years later he was appointed secretary of the Imperial Society for the Encouragement of the Arts.
Evgeny Petrovich Petrov (Kataev)(1903–1942) - assistant to the Russian prose writer Ilya Ilf, writer. Together with I. Ilf he wrote the highly popular novels "The Twelve Chairs" and "The Golden Calf". In 1932-1937, Ilf and Petrov wrote feuilletons for the newspaper Pravda, during this period they traveled across the United States, the result of which was the joint book One-Story America.
The creative collaboration of the writers was interrupted by the death of Ilf in 1937. Petrov goes to work in the newspaper "Pravda", writes screenplays.
During the Great Patriotic War works as a correspondent for the newspapers Pravda, Krasnaya Zvezda, Sovinformburo. He was awarded the Order of Lenin.
Igor VasilievichKurchatov(1902-1960) - assistant physicist Abram Fedorovich Ioffe, an outstanding physicist, academician of the USSR Academy of Sciences, the first and long-term head of the Soviet nuclear program.
In Kurchatov, the talents of a physicist and an organizer were organically combined. It was on him that the choice of Academician A.F. Ioffe, who obtained permission to organize a department of nuclear physics at his institute and recommended that Kurchatov be appointed the head of the atomic program - and this largely determined the rapid success of the development nuclear weapons... In 1943 Igor Vasilievich founded and headed the Institute, which later received the name of the Institute atomic energy Academy of Sciences of the USSR. Under his leadership, the first cyclotron in Moscow was built, the first nuclear reactor in Europe, the first Soviet atomic bomb, the world's first thermonuclear bomb, built the world's first industrial nuclear power plant and the largest installation for research on the implementation of controlled thermonuclear reactions. 104th element periodic system Mendeleev is named after him Kurchatov.
Yuri Mikhailovich Baturin(Born 1949) - Assistant to the President Russian Federation, Russian politician, scientist (lawyer and political scientist), pilot-cosmonaut (382nd cosmonaut of the world and 90th cosmonaut of Russia), Hero of the Russian Federation, Secretary of the Union of Journalists of the Russian Federation.
1993 to 1994 worked as an assistant to the President of Russia on legal issues, in 1994–1996 - on national security issues, in 1996–1998 - assistant to the President of Russia. In 1998 he was appointed to the post of test cosmonaut of the Russian State Scientific Research Testing Center for Cosmonaut Training named after V.I. Yu.A. Gagarin. Since 2000 - deputy commander of the cosmonaut corps for research and test work... This is the first time a civilian has been appointed to an administrative position in a military cosmonaut unit, which is the CPC unit. Since 2008 - member of the Scientific Council under the Security Council of the Russian Federation.
M.E. Tarasova,
head of organizational and administrative service
NK Rusneftekhim CJSC
Job description is a document that establishes the tasks performed by the employee, defines his job responsibilities and the limits of his
Although the development of job descriptions for each profession or position in the Russian Federation is not regulated by labor legislation, in the overwhelming majority of employing organizations (both state-owned and private), this document is necessarily available.
The job description of the assistant manager contains as much information as possible
Feasibility of preparation job description is explained by the fact that in the event of a trial, without it it will be difficult to prove the employee's failure to comply with his own (and their exhaustive list is established in the instruction document), because the employment contract with the employee in accordance with Part 2 of Article 57 Labor Code RF contains only the position and its general labor function.
The job description allows the employer to:
- Justify the refusal to the applicant for a position due to non-compliance with the requirements established in it
- Clearly delineate responsibilities between individual employees
- Evaluate performance both during and after the trial
- Justify the inadequacy of the employee to the position he occupies (taking into account the results of certification).
The presence of a job description is also useful for the employee himself, since it sets the limits of his duties and responsibilities, and no one should perform functions that are not provided for either by an employment contract or by job duties.
Development and instruction sections
When drawing up instructions, they usually use the provisions of GOST R 6.30-2003 and the qualification reference book of the positions of managers, specialists and other employees (approved by the Ministry of Labor of Russia in 1998). The instruction in the form of a draft is endorsed by the developers, agreed with the representative body of employees (if any), and approved by the head.
The instruction is put into effect from a certain date, and the employee must be familiarized with it against signature. It is advisable to give the employee a copy of this document (also against signature). According to established practice, the instruction includes standard subsections:
- General Provisions
- Job responsibilities
- Responsibility
It is important to remember that the instruction is not drawn up for any employee, but for a specific position / profession. Therefore, taking into account the specifics of a particular position, the instruction establishes the range of duties that the employee will perform in this particular position.
Features of the job description of the assistant manager
Assistant Manager - Responsible Position
The assistant manager is a special position. Labor function assistant manager is to build the work of his manager, both technically and organizationally.
Scheduling meetings and events, scheduling a working day, a week, a longer period, organizing trips and events, monitoring the execution of important documents - these are just a small part of the responsibilities of a qualified assistant manager.
It is wrong to identify the positions and, accordingly, the duties performed by the secretary, assistant, office manager and assistant manager. If the first positions imply more support functions, then organizational and administrative functions are required from the assistant manager. Not by chance, qualification handbook classifies this position as a manager.
Accordingly, the requirements set for an employee hired for the position of assistant manager are imposed as to the leadership: from the level of education to qualifications and previous work experience. Personal qualities are also very important.
Since neither the employment contract nor other documents contain a detailed description of the competencies of the assistant manager, they must be reflected as accurately as possible in the job description. Features of the instruction for the position "Assistant to the head":
- Detailed definition of terms of reference
- Drawing up instructions by analogy with the instructions of the head (excluding, of course, the function of direct management and making individual decisions)
- Consideration of the confidential nature of certain responsibilities
- Increased liability for bad faith (taking into account possible consequences causing damage to the employer)
- The ability to perform functions delegated by the head additionally.
General requirements for a manager's assistant
Often special requirements are imposed on the position of an assistant manager.
The section "General Provisions" may include, in addition to listing the requirements for experience and education, also the necessary skills, subordination and the procedure for substitution. Most often, the following conditions are established:
- Higher education
- Experience (usually at least 1 year, and sometimes more)
- Knowledge of foreign languages.
- Business communication, writing and etiquette skills
- Office equipment possession
- Stress tolerance
In addition, an employee in this position must know the local acts of the enterprise, get along with employees and management. As for foreign languages, it is worth requiring from knowledge only in those cases if the assistant will use them practically in the course of performing his duties.
A person holding the position of an assistant manager must be able to use and store confidential information.
Duties and rights
Typically, the responsibilities of an assistant manager include:
- Execution of direct tasks of the management
- Planning and coordination of the manager's working time
- Control and organization of negotiations (both telephone and oral)
- Drafting and editing
- Control of confidentiality and safety of documentation
Functions such as copying, maintaining information databases, other technical and auxiliary work usually performed by the secretary (secretary-assistant). For successful work the assistant manager is endowed with fairly broad rights:
- Represent the interests of the organization in meetings and telephone conversations
- Request any necessary information, documents from employees to carry out orders from the head
- Within the limits of delegated authority, carry on correspondence and negotiations, endorse documents to resolve current issues.
Of course, each organization, taking into account the nature of its activities, supplements and modifies the list of rights granted to an employee.
Limits of liability
The job description of an assistant manager avoids future litigation
When establishing responsibility, one should remember about the legal norms:
- For non-fulfillment of official duties - in accordance with the Labor Code
- For - within the limits of administrative, civil and criminal legislation
- For - in accordance with the norms of the Labor and Civil Codes.
Having developed the job description of the assistant manager, taking into account the norms of the current legislation and the specifics of the activities of a particular organization, you can not only select the most suitable employee for such a responsible position, but also avoid possible litigation in the future.
An expert lawyer's opinion:
Article 81, clause 3 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation contains grounds for termination employment contract at the initiative of the employer. It is related to the professional suitability of the employee. This basis must be confirmed by the results of the attestation. When compiling a job description for an assistant manager, it is necessary to write in detail everything in it. qualification requirements to a specialist.
The working conditions of a person and his or her effectiveness may depend on the degree of detail and specification. Ultimately, the leader needs a real conscientious assistant. We should also draw the attention of our readers to the fact that the manager may have several assistants. They can be specialized, technical, financial, etc.
There is a type of managers who do not have deputies on the staff. He does everything himself, and several assistants just help him with this. He makes all decisions alone. To draw up a high-quality job description for an assistant manager, it is necessary to involve the manager himself in the process. Otherwise, it will be just a piece of paper.
The video will teach you how to become self-confident and pass a job interview:
They tell a story, they say, in the old days, before giving an employee a day off, one boss told her to plant seven rose bushes under the windows, wash the floors, weed the beds, grind coffee for seven weeks, and much more. Who knows, maybe they are lying. It’s a long time ago.
"Competence is the ability to discover and satisfy the personal tastes of superiors" (Lawrence Peter).
But with regard to rose bushes, people are still divided into two categories: the first dutifully go to the garden, and the second try to figure out what the boss really meant.
To interpret the orders of the chief is an art, but he can and should be learned. Any production task should be approached consciously. And this also applies to the sacred directives of the boss: best successes sometimes the one who reads between the lines and correctly interprets the tasks of the bosses achieves.
Useful when the question "Why?" ahead of all "How?", "When?" and "What will I get for this?", but it is not necessary (and sometimes harmful) to ask this first question to the boss directly. Ideally, the goal is to learn to work ahead, discarding obviously unnecessary tasks, but at the same time not harm yourself and your business.
I guess myself
Once I broke free to have lunch with Tanya. We studied together, and then I turned onto the path of journalism, and she confidently walked through life as an assistant to the general director of a large travel agency. The hotter hadn't arrived yet, but her mobile had already insistently raised a voice from her purse.
Tanya opened her diary with lightning speed and began to write something down, repeating from time to time: "Yes. Okay. I will do everything ... Yes! Surely! Surely!" After completing two pages, she ended the conversation and asked for another minute to put the notes in order.
For 10 seconds she carefully read, and then crossed out a good third of the points, and marked half of the remaining with a plus. I was surprised, but Tanya quickly dotted the i's.
When asked how to become a manager's assistant, she replied that she was guided by simple principle: Before starting a task, it is worth asking yourself why you need it. The answer to it automatically transfers a number of instructions to the list of optional ones.
For example, if the boss asks to analyze prices among several companies in the region, then he is probably going to renovate the premises, but he is not yet ready to tell her about it. Not ready - and not necessary, she guessed herself.
She also has an acquaintance at a construction agency who will find best office on best price, which means that analysis is not required (the main thing is to correctly formulate your proposal). The result is minus a few hours of painstaking work.
How to become a manager's assistant: a psychological portrait
Personal assistant to the manager - a profession in this moment quite popular. This is primarily related to development market economy, since in a highly competitive environment financial condition any firm depends on correct and timely management decisions.
The success of the director largely depends on the skills, business management skills and personal qualities of the trustee. The executive assistant, whose responsibilities range widely from trivial office tasks to operational decisions, will become an indispensable employee, “ right hand»The chief, and most importantly, the guarantor of the fulfillment of the assigned tasks at the scheduled time.
When choosing the right hand, the director of a company often pays attention not to education, but to personal human qualities. Most likely, preference will be given to a person with less experience, but with a similar opinion, than a specialist with excellent references, but different life convictions.
An assistant manager, whose responsibilities are almost impossible to formulate, must have the ability to read minds and at first glance determine the mood of the boss. To carry out all tasks, regardless of the specifics, can be assignments of a personal nature. If you are a sentimental person and always take everything personally, then this is not a job for you.
The executive assistant should not pay attention to the boss's frustrations and frustrations. The assistant must be loyal and loyal to his superiors. His work, in addition to monetary remuneration, is motivated by a single goal - increasing the welfare and competitiveness of the company as a whole.
The assistant manager, whose duties are to negotiate and conclude contracts in the absence of the first person of the company, is to some extent the face of the company. It is by him that competitors judge the state of affairs, and clients and partners make decisions about cooperation.
Video materials on the topic of the article
What every leader should be able to do:
Responsibilities of a personal assistant:
How is the interview going:
What psychological qualities must have an intelligent executive assistant. Psychological picture.
Psychological portrait of a manager's assistant
What qualities should a manager's assistant have?
"Competence is the ability to discover and satisfy the personal tastes of superiors" (Lawrence Peter).
They tell a story, they say, in the old days, before giving an employee a day off, one boss told her to plant seven rose bushes under the windows, wash the floors, weed the beds, grind coffee for seven weeks, and much more. Who knows, maybe they are lying. It’s a long time ago. But with regard to rose bushes, people are still divided into two categories: the first dutifully go to the garden, and the second try to figure out what the boss really meant.
To interpret the orders of the chief is an art, but he can and should be learned. Any production task should be approached consciously. And this also applies to the sacred directives of the boss: the best success is sometimes achieved by the one who reads between the lines and correctly interprets the tasks of his superiors.
Useful when the question "Why?" ahead of all "How?", "When?" and "What will it be for me?", but it is not necessary (and sometimes harmful) to ask this first question to the boss directly. Ideally, the goal is to learn to work ahead, discarding obviously unnecessary tasks, but at the same time not harm yourself and your business.
The success of the director largely depends on the skills, business management skills and personal qualities of the trustee. The Personal Assistant to a Leader is the right hand and sometimes both hands of the Leader. Good personal assistant - irreplaceable a highly valued employee. The manager's assistant, whose responsibilities vary widely from trivial office matters to operational decisions, will become an indispensable employee, the boss's “right hand”, and most importantly, the guarantor of completing tasks at the scheduled time.
The executive assistant, whose responsibilities are almost impossible to formulate, must have the ability to read minds and at first glance determine the mood of the boss. To carry out all tasks, regardless of the specifics, can be assignments of a personal nature. The executive assistant should not pay attention to the boss's frustrations and frustrations. The assistant must be loyal and loyal to his superiors. His work, in addition to monetary remuneration, is motivated by a single goal - increasing the welfare and competitiveness of the company as a whole.
Thirteen qualities that a manager's assistant should have:
1. Loyalty. A great helper is someone who makes the boss look good. Never hire someone who does not demonstrate a willingness or desire to be loyal.
2. Willingness to question. You need a loyal person, not a sycophant. You should not worry about those who disagree with you, but those who will never say they disagree. The helper should keep you out of trouble by telling you that you are making a mistake.
3. Thinking differently from you. William Wrigley said: "When two people in business always agree, one of them is superfluous."
4. Self-love. You need an assistant who has the courage to argue with you, the ability to take criticism, confidence in his orders to subordinates, willpower to make tough decisions in your absence, the toughness of character to admit mistakes, and resilience to bring you bad news.
5. Honesty. You cannot expect honesty from a subordinate if you do not show it yourself.
6. Prudence. You must have an assistant with whom you can speak privately. When interviewing a candidate for this position, find out how inclined they are to gossip about their previous job. If he is too talkative, then look for a more taciturn candidate.
7. Insist on quality. Your assistant will be a thorn in the eye if they don't share your commitment to quality.
8. Communication skills. You need an assistant who can speak decisively and to the point, make persuasive reports, write succinct letters, listen carefully, and be your ears in the organization.
9. Team member. It is your responsibility to make the team friendly. Your direct report should share the team spirit with you, and not be on the team just for personal gain.
10. Work with information. The best helpers always have information. Their arguments and suggestions come from credible data. They keep records and documentation so you don't have to.
11. Skills interpersonal communication... Your assistant is your spokesman for many people you only meet from time to time. This person can represent you well if people feel comfortable communicating with him. He must be free to reward, slow in anger, fair in criticism, forgiving in relationships, and must understand the protocol.
12. Self-criticism. You may not be able to constantly give feedback to your assistant, but you would like to prevent him from making the same mistake twice. Look for an assistant who will quickly improve, and not blame someone else.
13. Maintaining motivation. You will waste time with an assistant who will constantly seek rewards and endorsements. You need someone who is internally determined to be successful.
On the general director the company has a lot of responsibilities. With the development of the organization, this range of responsibilities expands. There is a lot of "turnover" on which the leader has to spend time instead of solving problems aimed directly at the development of the company. This reduces the efficiency of the specialist's activities. Part of the tasks that do not require high qualifications can be delegated to the assistant general director.
Assistant CEO Position: Key Features
Assistant CEO positions are difficult to define. The fact is that the terms of reference of this specialist are determined based on the needs of the CEO. An employee's activity can be focused on one aspect. Consider the positions in which assistants work in practice:
- Clerk. This specialist is responsible for working with documentation. In his area of responsibility are calls, various daily tasks.
- Personal assistant. Specializes in organizing the CEO's working day, business meetings and conferences. The specialist also accompanies the manager on business trips.
- Deputy CEO. The employee has the right to make decisions on a limited range of issues.
As a rule, in practice, the assistant combines the functions of several specialists. IN large companies the CEO may have two assistants. For example, one organizes work time the head, and the other is engaged in paperwork.
The assistant belongs to the category of managers. He reports directly to the CEO. Requirements that are usually presented to an employee:
- Higher education in the relevant profile (for example, legal).
- Work experience from three years.
As a rule, other employees are subordinate to the assistant general director. He has wide powers: from the right to issue orders to control the work of various departments.
IMPORTANT! Appointing a helper is not an overkill at all. This measure allows the leader to focus on solving problems that require high professionalism and creativity. The "turnover" is delegated to the assistant. This significantly increases the efficiency of both the CEO and the company itself.
Legal regulations
The activities of the assistant to the general director are regulated by regulatory enactments:
- Methodical recommendations.
- The charter.
- Labor agreement.
- By orders of the head.
- Job description.
What are the responsibilities of an Assistant CEO?
The responsibilities of an assistant CEO vary according to the size of the company. IN small companies employees are engaged in control over the work of couriers, managers, life support of the office. In large organizations, the CEO usually has two assistants. One personal assistant organizes the manager's working day, the second one deals with all other matters. The list of specialist responsibilities can vary considerably. In any case, the responsibilities should be spelled out in the job description. Consider a rough list:
- Organization of negotiations, including by phone.
- Reception of correspondence.
- Organization of meetings and assemblies: preparation of related materials, control over compliance with regulations, execution of minutes, stenography.
- Control over the execution of orders from the CEO.
- Providing papers for signature to the head.
- Reception of the general director's visitors.
- Organization of business trips (for example, booking rooms, ordering tickets).
- Security effective work CEO.
- Drawing up a plan for the working day.
- Informational support of the CEO.
- Participation in meetings and business meetings.
- Organization of business meetings.
- Organization of presentations.
- Preparation of reports on expenses.
- Execution of personal orders.
- Creation of databases, virtual presentations using a PC.
An assistant is the person closest to the CEO. Often his working day is not standardized. The employee solves a wide variety of tasks, so he must have the appropriate personal qualities.
Employee rights
The assistant to the general director is endowed with the following rights:
- Familiarization with the projects and decisions of the head concerning the activities of the assistant.
- Right to Receive Required Information.
- The right to make decisions within the framework of official powers.
An assistant CEO can be empowered. For example, an employee may have the right to sign documents.
Responsibility assigned to the assistant
The responsibility assigned to the assistant should be spelled out in the job description. The employee is responsible in the following cases:
- Failure to comply with job descriptions.
- Actions that violate the laws of the Russian Federation.
- Causing damage.
If the assistant has committed a misconduct, an investigation is carried out before imposing responsibility on him. It is needed to establish the degree of guilt. Key employees of the company are involved in the investigation. Based on its results, a document is drawn up. Depending on the degree of guilt, a penalty may be imposed on the employee. The assistant can also be fired.
What personal qualities are required from an assistant?
The widest range of tasks is assigned to the personal assistant. Some specialists work in one direction, but this does not apply to the assistant. It requires multitasking, versatility. Consider the personal qualities that an assistant CEO is required to possess:
- Proactive, proactive.
- The ability to foresee further development situations.
- Preventing complications.
- Versatility.
- Adaptation to a rapidly changing environment.
- Fluency in one or more foreign languages.
- Ability to work with information flows.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality.
- Ability system analysis situations.
- The ability to offer several solutions at once.
- PC proficiency at an average to high level.
- Knowledge of the basics of time management.
- Ability to coordinate the activities of several employees.
- Diplomacy.
- Sociability, the ability to resolve conflicts.
- Operational work with large amounts of information.
- Good memory.
- Ability to prioritize.
The assistant must be competent, stress-resistant. Knowledge of related specialties is desirable (for example, knowledge of the basics of jurisprudence).
When does a CEO need a personal assistant?
An assistant is hired if the CEO has a long list of responsibilities. Even if the leader copes with the tasks at hand, most of"Turnover" can slow down work. It is to work with the day-to-day affairs that an assistant is hired. As a rule, these employees are invited to large companies. CEOs of small organizations can handle all the work on their own.