Executive and Personal Assistant performance reviews continue to be a hot topic in the industry. Remuneration and appraisals for Assistants can vary significantly from job to job, making it an area that often requires careful navigation. Welcome to this article, Performance Reviews for Assistants: A Comprehensive Guide.
In my first full-time job, I had quarterly performance reviews with my Executive, half-yearly appraisals, and at the end of every year, a full review with 360° feedback from my team.
In one role, I didn’t even have set objectives.
You might think this is a poor example of management. However, not having a performance review didn’t necessarily impact my role or remuneration package. So why do we go through this process every year?
Some Executives I’ve worked with often have no idea what I do with my day.
They know the basics.
Assistants look after the diaries and schedule meetings. But overall, they aren’t aware of the day-to-day tasks.
The main reason for this is that everything runs smoothly in the office. The stationery cupboard is always stocked, the printer always has paper, and board reports and presentation slides magically appear on their desk, ready for meetings.
In their mind, these things just happen, but a good Assistant is always busy working behind the scenes.
It is easy to overlook the Assistant in the office who makes everything run smoothly, especially if your Executive is incredibly busy.
But remember, Assistants are an asset to their organization.
So, you should use your performance review to showcase how great you are!
This article will guide you through each step of the performance review or appraisal process for Executive Assistants and Personal Assistants, providing tips on how Administrative Professionals can navigate their appraisals.
To ensure Assistants make the most of their reviews, we will start with the basics: the job description for Assistants.
We will then cover both the annual review and mid-year reviews. Finally, we will point you in the right direction for setting goals and objectives as an Executive or Personal Assistant.
This Performance Reviews for Assistants Article Will Cover:
These free templates can help you stay organised and on track throughout the year.
Whether you want to set ambitious goals during your yearly review or draft clear objectives during regular meetings with your Executive, our bundle has everything you need.
More often than not, Assistant job descriptions are sketchy at best, leaving us with more questions than answers. What does “and anything else that might be needed” actually mean?
What are “ad-hoc duties”?
How flexible does an Assistant need to be, and what does “juggling multiple priorities” involve? Along with these generic phrases, Assistants’ job descriptions can also be poorly written, focusing on a standard set of skills rather than real role responsibilities. They often list what an Assistant should achieve without providing much detail on how to do it.
In many cases, we have to read between the lines to understand the role requirements or seek clarification once we are employed. With such vague job descriptions, how do Assistants understand what is expected of them and then meet and exceed those expectations?
Without a fundamental understanding of what our Executives want from us, how can we perform well from the very first day?
Looking at our profession and the challenges we face, do incoherent job descriptions contribute to the industry’s lack of recognition and reward?
As mentioned, there are more questions than answers regarding an Assistant’s job description! When a job description is posted, it is often based on the incumbent Assistant or the one before them. Organizations rarely start fresh with a job description because they mostly want someone similar. Unless the previous Assistant has failed spectacularly, the job description is not updated.
Our industry is fast-paced, and most Assistants frequently pick up new skills. Our job descriptions do not reflect this.
Job descriptions can be helpful when applying for a role, providing a small insight into what type of questions might come up in the interview. But once the Assistant has the job, does the description ever see the light of day again? If your job description isn’t particularly relevant to the industry, it is only used to recruit you and never looked at again. Well, it is not worth the paper it is written on. It certainly doesn’t help Assistants or their Executives conduct a fair and thorough performance review.
But what about a great job description?
What happens if an Assistant is given a helpful job description to recruit them in the perfect role for their current skills? It is then used to help the Assistant settle into the position and becomes the foundation of every performance review and evaluation throughout their career.
Would a good job description used by the Assistant’s Executive to effectively manage them make a difference? Yes, it genuinely would.
Assistants are sometimes not appropriately managed and can be taken for granted because they don’t know what is expected of them or their Executive. In my experience, this misunderstanding can lead to a vague job description.
Suppose we can ensure the job description is relevant and used correctly. That would solve many issues that Assistants and their Executives have regarding the role and development of the Assistant’s career.
If you have a vague job description that doesn’t describe your day-to-day activities, the first thing to do is sit down with your Executive and write a new job description. Assistants should not wait until their next pay review to do this because what exactly are you being measured against if not your job description?
A great job description for an Assistant should look something like this:
Once an Assistant is in the role and settled, a job description should be reviewed. If you have any skills that would enhance the role, speak to your Executive and ask that they be included in your job description.
Remember, a helpful job description is a working document that can be enhanced and changed as you pick up new skills in that role.
Job descriptions can become redundant, especially if the organization changes its strategy or switches its focus to different parts of the business. This is particularly true for an Assistant’s job description because our duties reflect those of our Executives, the group most affected by changing strategies.
To make sure our job descriptions are relevant to our Executive’s objectives, we should review them once a year. Ideally, this should be aligned with performance reviews and objective setting for the year ahead.
Job descriptions for other professions leave little room for staff to have flexibility in the role and for the organization to ask more of the employee than is in the specific duties.
This is undoubtedly the case for Assistants, but this can be an issue for our profession because it can be quickly taken advantage of. We all have to do things outside our job description, but when reviewing your document, ask that your Executive be as detailed as possible. Once you know what is expected, you can add some flexibility to the position.
Ad-Hoc Duties
Here is an anecdote from Jennifer Corcoran, My Super Connector, about the challenges Assistants face with ad-hoc duties:
“I attended The EA Campus Annual Conference. During the afternoon, there was a very interesting breakout session on job specs that had us all hooked. The lady to the left of me had inherited a 12-page job spec that had not been updated in 10 years, whereas the lady to the right had a 6-page document. Mine sat in the middle at 1-2 pages in length and had not been updated in 5 years. We all belonged to different industry sectors, but one thing became clear that united us all – we had all inherited generic job specs full of clichés rather than ones based on our actual remits and duties.
These job specs were rarely used as appraisal tools for measuring progression or performance. Our personal bugbear on the day was the all-inclusive ambiguous phrasing of ad hoc duties as requested. For one Assistant, this had meant physically unblocking a toilet.”
Jennifer goes on to say:
“For one of my previous roles, as long as I had enough diet coke and Belgian biscuits in stock for my boss, I was performing my role to full effect. One consistent ad hoc duty for me throughout my career has been ‘maintenance woman.’
When the printer/scanner/fax breaks down, I am ultimately the person who troubleshoots and fixes the machine in question. There is always the level of expectation that I will sort it. It is my role, yet this is not listed in the job spec?”
Many job descriptions focus on a standard set of skills rather than the actual responsibilities.
A proficient Assistant can take on various roles at any given moment. We are the ultimate super-jugglers, able to throw a to-do list up in the air and catch it in a different order depending on the situation at hand.
However, if we are unwilling to speak up and actively list our duties, how can we expect colleagues and Executives to be aware of this change in office dynamics?
Ignoring job descriptions just isn’t going to work because they are still very much part of the recruitment process, and yes, it is super important that you study that job description inside out and back to front if you want to get in the door for an interview.
You will find all the keywords needed to get past the recruitment algorithm in that spec.
But once you’ve got the job?
Ripping up the job description and starting again is the best action. And here is why. Job descriptions are focused on the job, not the individual performing the role. This is true across all industries; however, for Assistants, it is doing us a disservice, mainly as the role evolves to include so much more than a list of obvious tasks and responsibilities.
Along with your template, here are some things you can implement to help bring your work into sharper focus.
Tasks – Literally, Everything You Do
I’d love to live in a land where your unique qualities will get you a promotion and a huge bonus, and yeah, to a certain extent, they help. But, the cold hard facts are that the Assistant tasks you take on and your results will get you the reward and recognition you deserve. So, keep a list of everything; by everything, I mean everything you do.
All of the high-level stuff, the fantastic projects you work on, the drama you resolve, and the problems you make go away – everything.
I hate the phrase ‘ad-hoc duties’ because it suggests that all the little things we do, all those fires we put out, are somehow irrelevant.
They are not.
That is the stuff that keeps the organization going, and we are responsible for it. So write it all down! When it comes to your review, you will have a very detailed overview of everything you do, which is much more helpful than an old document that doesn’t reflect the current role.
Personal Brand
What are the competencies you bring to the role as an individual Start with the competencies in the job description you have (like being organized, being a team player, being flexible, being an effective communicator) and flesh them out.
Go deeper. What makes you outstanding in your role? What makes you stand out? What qualities do you, as an individual, bring to your organization that make you ace your job every day?
I can understand why you haven’t thought about your brand before. You are too busy. But it is so important to know your strengths and your weaknesses also.
Take the time to do this because there is another huge reason: the onset of technology that will take over many traditional Assistant tasks. In the next five years, you will undoubtedly see a shift in the need for Assistants who can not only schedule meetings but also confidently attend meetings in place of their Executive, understand the business, react to their Executive’s needs, handle complex issues, and resolve difficult problems.
Detailing and understanding how you do business rather than just what you do will significantly benefit you now and in the years to come.
Expectations
One of the problems with a job description is the discrepancy between what you expect from the role and what is expected of you.
It is time to change that.
You need to know precisely what is expected of you to succeed in the role. If you don’t know, you need to get into your Executive’s office very quickly to find out the answers — an awkward conversation, but a necessary one.
If you don’t feel like the organization matches your expectations, genuinely think about what you want and what is missing. It might be that you don’t have a purpose; you want more responsibilities, you want more control over your work. Whatever it is, it must be addressed and acted upon during your performance review.
Instead of a job description, it would be incredible if you and your Executive sat down and wrote a detailed list of expectations that will make your relationship work and make you successful in your role.
Boundaries
Everyone should have boundaries at work, especially Assistants. Knowing what is acceptable for you and what isn’t is perfectly okay. Your boundaries might not fit into your office culture or the role, but that is okay. You either find a new position reflecting your boundaries or compromise.
But, have a stopping point because some jobs are not worth it.
Again, having a detailed understanding (even if it is in your mind) of your boundaries, what works for you and what doesn’t, is much more potent than a standard job spec.
Communication and Feedback
You have to communicate what you do, how you feel, your expectations, and boundaries with those in your organization that need to know – which is pretty much everyone (except maybe the mailman, who probably doesn’t need to know). You need to ask for feedback and understand what you are doing well and what can be improved.
You must have goals, objectives, and plans that keep you motivated, challenged, and happy.
So, now that you have taken the time to reflect on your job description let’s look at the 5-step approach to preparing for your Assistant performance review.
As I have mentioned, Assistants must make the most of their performance reviews to gain the reward and recognition they deserve. I have put together a 5-step approach that helps Assistants prepare for a performance review.
Step One – Set up regular one-to-one meetings
Before your yearly appraisal, set up regular one-to-one meetings with your Executive to discuss your role. This should be separate from your meetings with your Executive to give updates on work.
The one-to-one should be for the sole purpose of discussing you. It can be easy to let your Executive use this time to give you work, but you must have at least an hour per quarter to discuss your role.
You have control of their diaries, so schedule time with them and have an agenda to stick to what you want to discuss.
A performance review should not be a conversation full of surprises.
By this point in the year, you should know how your year has gone, what went well and what didn’t, and what your Executive thinks of this.
Step Two – Make an effort!
Make an effort! Don’t just go through the process, thinking it doesn’t make a difference. With that attitude, it won’t – trust me!
Store all your feedback, good or bad, in a file throughout the year. It is easy to forget what you have accomplished.
Also, make a note of anything that you feel could have gone better.
If you have set up regular meetings with your Executive, none of this will be news to them, so use your examples to back up your thoughts on the year.
Step Three – Give yourself time
When setting up appraisal meetings for your Executive and their direct reports, ensure you give yourself the same time as everyone else.
They may be more senior, but you deserve to have the same amount of time as your Executive as they do. Don’t squeeze your appraisal meeting into a quick 10-minute chat.
Take the full allocated time for your review.
Don’t think you are doing your Executive a favor by taking less time than your colleagues (something I used to do). You are not doing your Executive a favor and certainly not doing yourself any favors.
Step Four – Ask your peers to give you feedback
One of my Executives asked their senior team to provide feedback on me before the appraisal meeting. This was a great way of hearing from my colleagues, but at the same time, it didn’t accurately reflect what I did every day.
The following year, I asked other Assistants to provide feedback, along with mid-level managers that I dealt with more regularly. This gave a more rounded view.
Gather feedback when you are working on projects. Ask those around you for recommendations and what they think of your performance.
Seek feedback throughout the year and use this to justify a reasonable appraisal. This is especially important if you do not work solely with your Executive (if you are a team assistant). Come prepared with any documentation that you need.
Give feedback as well as receive it – especially to your Executive! Remember, your job performance depends quite heavily on your Executive working in partnership with you. 360 feedback is beneficial.
Step Five – Be honest
Be honest with yourself and your Executive. Performance reviews are a great place to pluck up the courage to discuss your feelings about the role.
Ultimately, the meeting is about you, so your Executive must listen to how you feel and offer any support they can for the following year.
As I said, there should be no surprises, but it is hard to be honest with your Executive, so if this is the case, use your appraisal time wisely. You will feel so much better afterwards.
Before the meeting, spend a little time reflecting on your performance – be honest with yourself. Do you deserve that pay rise?
If you are unhappy with your job, now is the time to discuss any problems. If you have a good Executive, they will listen and offer a solution to improve your role. If not, this might give you the final push to look elsewhere.
The performance review process can be daunting, so preparing beforehand will help you get the most out of the meeting.
Make sure you stick up for yourself. It is too easy as a support team member to feel you don’t deserve a helpful review, promotion, or pay rise. Still, without you, the senior members of the team wouldn’t be able to sustain their level of activity.
Remind your Executives how great you are; they would be lost without you!
Assistants must be proactive with their appraisals as much as they are with their day-to-day work, and only then will they get the performance reviews they deserve.
A considerable part of the Assistant performance review is setting your objectives for the year ahead. Assistants must set objectives, particularly SMART objectives, that can be measured for success.
And our free template will help you stay on track throughout the year. Included in this bundle are the following:
Understanding your Executive’s objectives
Once you have set out your SMART objectives, it is also essential that you think about your Executive’s objectives.
For Assistants, you must know your Executive’s goals for the rest of the year.
There are several reasons this is important: here are just a few:
Your Executive might be a little taken aback if this is the first meeting you have organized to discuss their objectives, but it is well worth having. It also makes you look proactive and willing to support their needs.
Before leaving your Executive’s office, ensure you have asked the following questions during your Assistant performance review.
Asking your Executive to answer these questions will give you the scope and information you need to succeed in the role and the year ahead.
You may think that a half-year review isn’t a big deal, but for Assistants, the chance to discuss job performance, objectives, and rewards should be taken seriously. We don’t often spend that much time with our Executives talking about ourselves, and we have to grab every opportunity to discuss our role.
So here are my 6 top tips for your mid-year review.
Make Sure You Have a Mid-Year Review
My first tip is relatively straightforward, right? No, it can be difficult for some Assistants to have a mid-year review. An annual review is usually linked to pay raises and bonuses, so most Executives will conduct a review at the end of the year for their Assistants because HR needs the paperwork.
Mid-year reviews are often seen as a ‘nice to have’ or utterly unimportant, so it is put off or forgotten altogether.
As I’ve said in this article, the remarkable thing for Assistants is that we have control of our Executive’s diary to schedule a mid-year review. I can’t stress how important it is to have two reviews per year at the very minimum.
The Assistant role is challenging. It is even more complicated if you have no idea what your Executive thinks of your performance.
Don’t Rush the Review
Assistants should have the same amount of time dedicated to their review as any other staff member. It is easy to think we can squeeze our review into a 20-minute catch-up because we don’t think it is that important or because we see first-hand how busy our Executives are.
Remember that your role only functions if your Executive is happy with your performance. If issues need to be addressed or processes that could work better, the mid-year review is the perfect time to discuss them and move forward.
What Objectives Have You Met?
I’ve been seriously guilty of shoving my yearly objectives into a drawer, forgetting about them until the mid-year review, and then stressing that I haven’t met any of them. Sometimes, when you work in a role as demanding as ours, time doesn’t allow you to evaluate your performance.
That is unless firefighting is an objective, and usually, it isn’t.
Forgetting your objectives as soon as the paperwork is signed isn’t productive or helpful for career progression. If you are in a similar situation leading to your mid-year review, dust off your objectives and look at your accomplishments over the last six months. You might be surprised at how much you have done.
Are there any objectives that can be achieved relatively quickly if you dedicate a little time to them? For example, if you have a training objective, can you book yourself onto a course before your mid-year review so that you have something to tell your Executive during the discussion?
There are other factors you should consider when reviewing your objectives.
These questions can and should be raised during your mid-year review.
Print Off Supporting Documents
If you have received any nice emails or feedback from colleagues or clients, bring the evidence to your mid-year review. You are not boasting or showing off. You are merely giving evidence that will support your performance.
Executives are often accused of not understanding the role, and I often hear assistants say that their Executives do not know what they do. Here is an opportunity to show them what you do and how well you do it.
Look Forward to the Rest of the Year
Split your review into two sections that cover the last six months and the rest of the year. Review how you have been performing and look at what is coming up over the next six months.
This is an excellent time to look at your Executive’s objectives for the rest of the year and how you can help support them. This is also an excellent opportunity to ask for more work if you are not being challenged or support if you have too much work.
Self-Evaluation
The mid-year review is a great time to reflect on your performance and overall feelings towards your role. You must be honest with yourself and with your Executive. It is also necessary that they are frank with you too. I don’t suggest you tell your Executive you hate your role, and you hate them – as much as you would love to, brutal honesty will not get you a pay rise! Instead, if you are having issues or are unhappy, discuss the problems with your Executive constructively.
Before the review, note what has worked over the last six months, what you have enjoyed and what hasn’t been working, and what can be improved. Come prepared for the meeting, take a deep breath, and speak. Perhaps they were unaware of the problems and just needed to be told.
If you are delighted and love your Executive and the role, tell them that too! Who doesn’t like to be told they are a good manager?
Mid-year reviews are an essential element of your career development. After six months, you can check your progress through your objectives and goals and make any necessary changes.
If you are unsure what to discuss during your mid-year review, here are ten questions you can discuss with your Executive. These questions will help you flesh out what you have achieved and what you need to work on for the rest of the year.
Ten Questions to Ask During Your Mid-Year Review
Performance reviews are a vital part of career development for Executive and Personal Assistants. By preparing thoroughly, setting clear objectives, and actively engaging in the review process, you can ensure that your contributions are recognized and that you continue to grow in your role. Remember to communicate openly, seek feedback regularly, and align your goals with those of your Executive to maximize your impact.
For more tips and tricks on career development, performance reviews, and thriving as an Assistant, be sure to check out The EA Campus community. Join us today and gain access to a wealth of resources, insights, and support from other professionals in the field.
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