"13 years of slavery"
I've been working as an executive assistant for 13 years. I'm making 6 figures and have worked in Fortune 500. However, I feel so miserable in the role. Now after I had a baby last year, I'm eager to change my career and curious what roles I may be able to pivot to?
why miserable?
No room for growth, the tasks are always monotonous and there's no skills development!
Respectfully- if the tasks are monotonous and thereâs no skill development, why do you think you make six figures? Iâm genuinely curious. As far as growth, though- i get that and I do think you would need to pivot to a new function, you have a lot of good suggestions on this thread already! ETA: I just reread your postâ congrats on your new little one!! I had my first baby last year, in January :)
Try business manager or operations /program management roles
This. Also I've know a few make a switch to project management (good at getting updates from leadership, don't deal with crap, attention to detail)
I was also going to say project management. Iâve read that executive assistants are now basically project managers in a lot of ways. I am sure you could pivot to that.
The most overlooked, underappreciated, underpaid, and hardworking group of people. My EA is the heart and work horse of the team and probably makes less than most everyone walking around. And the constraints we have corporately don't allow us to move that needle by enough to make a tangible difference unfortunately.
This. At least pre-2006 IPOs if you were EA/non-core job you stood to make a fortune. Not with the current shit show in start-ups
You learn the value of them quickly in sales... because their opinion is going to determine how well things go
What does EA do?
take calls schedule calls, book trips
This response varies for teams - as an EA I am a thought partner and extension of my executive. I attend meetings on their behalf and help them project manage the various initiatives they are driving. My favorite part about being an EA is you have visibility across the organization to help cross functional teams connect the dots to streamline efficiency where teams are overlapping efforts.
Why call it slavery if noone forced you to do it? In a way we are all slaves, even the CEO of the company. So not sure why being EA or something else will make you feel any different.
I agree it's not slavery. However, I'm unhappy in the role and am often told I should be in a different role.
If the options are being an EA or starving, it's kinda slavery. Ever heard the term wage slave?
What were you doing in that role? You should have plenty of options to transition into.
The problem at least at MS is that the level jump between an admin and anything else is large and there are not many "gap" roles to work into. And we are not encouraged to jump them that many levels and are prohibited from giving stock or bonus unless it's a one-off option that requires 82 signoffs.
From TPM to COO
I would say trys HR or Project Management roles
Project management, program management
I've always felt sorry for the executive assistants. With 13 years of experience you should be able to nail a management role.