Diary management, travel coordination and general administration still matter, but the strongest EAs are also expected to manage shifting priorities, communicate confidently with different stakeholders, use a growing range of digital tools and exercise sound judgement without needing constant direction.

So, what should employers actually look for when hiring an EA in 2026?

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EA Skill #1: Strong prioritisation

One of the clearest differences between a capable administrator and a strong executive assistant is the ability to manage competing priorities.

EAs may be managing several calendars, coordinating meetings, assisting with events, responding to emails and handling additional requests as they arise. The challenge is not simply having a long task list. It is knowing what matters most at any given moment.

As WellsGray Talent Manager Eleanor Methley explains, priorities can change quickly. She says, “You might think something is the number one priority for the day, and then suddenly something else becomes more urgent. A strong EA needs to be able to adjust and work with that.”

For employers, that means looking for evidence of strong prioritisation and adaptability, not just organisation.

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EA Skill #2: Judgement and discretion

Executive assistants often have access to information that is private, commercially sensitive or personal. They may sit in on confidential meetings, manage executive correspondence, handle sensitive documents or have visibility of information that is not intended for the wider business. Therefore, discretion is a fundamental part of the role.

For Eleanor, judgement matters just as much. A strong EA should be able to assess what needs attention, what can wait and when something genuinely needs to be escalated. That becomes particularly important when supporting a busy executive who may not have time to explain every decision in detail.

Eleanor says that, over time, the best EAs also learn how the person they support operates. “Once you know the person, you start to understand their habits, their movements and what they need. You become better at anticipating how you can help.”

That ability to anticipate is difficult to capture neatly in a job description, but it can have a major impact on how effective the relationship becomes.

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EA Skill #3: Confidence with technology

Technology has become a bigger part of the EA role, but employers should be careful not to reduce this to a list of software packages.

Eleanor says tech confidence is increasingly important because so much of the role now happens across online calendars, email platforms, meeting tools and internal systems.

Microsoft Outlook, Teams and the wider Microsoft suite remain common, while some workplaces use Google Workspace or their own internal platforms.

The stronger capability is often the willingness to learn. An EA who can confidently move between systems, understand a new workflow and adapt to the way a particular organisation operates is likely to be more useful than someone who happens to know one specific platform inside out.

A note on AI: It’s useful, but it’s not the whole brief

AI is beginning to appear in some EA roles, particularly for tasks such as meeting notes and other administrative support. According to Eleanor, clients are increasingly mentioning that AI tools are available within the workplace, but AI capability is not generally being treated as a hard requirement. That feels like an important distinction.

An EA who is comfortable using AI productively may have an advantage, but it should not outweigh stronger fundamentals such as communication, discretion, prioritisation and judgement. The technology can support the role. It does not replace the skills that make someone genuinely effective in it.

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EA Skill #4: Communication across the whole business

A strong EA needs to be comfortable dealing with people at very different levels. That could mean speaking with senior executives one minute, coordinating with colleagues the next, then dealing with an external stakeholder, supplier or Board member shortly afterwards.

Eleanor describes strong EAs as people-oriented and able to communicate confidently with almost anyone. That matters because the EA is often operating as an extension of the executive they support.

The way they communicate, follow up and manage relationships can influence how smoothly work moves through the organisation.

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The right EA depends on the executive they are supporting

There is no single template for the perfect executive assistant. Some roles are heavily focused on diary management and logistics. Others may involve event coordination, stakeholder management or more commercially minded support.

The working environment matters too. An EA supporting one executive may need a different style from someone supporting several leaders across a busy office. And this is why a strong EA recruitment brief should be tailored to the executive and organisation, rather than built around a generic list of duties.

Employers should think about who the EA will support, how that person works, the pace of the environment, the systems involved and the level of autonomy the role requires.

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Need help hiring an executive assistant in Melbourne?

WellsGray recruits temporary and contract executive assistants for Melbourne businesses. Our recruiters can help you find an EA with the right experience, working style and interpersonal skills for your leadership team, while also helping you define an executive assistant job description that reflects what the role actually needs to achieve.

If you need short-term or contract EA support, speak with the WellsGray team about the role you are looking to fill. You can fill out our Client Form or contact the WellsGray Recruitment team at reception@wellsgray.com.au or call 0432 277 696.