Part of our guide: How to hire an offshore executive assistant
Hiring an offshore executive assistant works when you treat it like any senior hire: define the job, test for it, and set up the first week before day one. This checklist is part of our guide to hiring an offshore executive assistant.
What should you define before you start looking?
Write down the recurring work, not a wish list. For one week, note every task you'd hand off and how often it happens. Group them into calendar, inbox, travel, meeting prep, CRM and personal admin. Then decide:
- Hours: which US time zone and which hours need live coverage.
- Decision rights: what the assistant can do alone, what they draft for approval, and what they never do.
- Tools: every system they'll need, and the minimum permission in each.
Our job description generator turns this into a posting.
How do you test an executive assistant's skills?
Use work samples, not trivia. Good tests mirror the real job:
- Calendar puzzle: three meetings that conflict across time zones; ask for a proposed fix and the email they'd send.
- Inbox triage: 20 sample emails; ask them to label, draft two replies and flag what needs you.
- Written English: a short summary of a long thread, in your house style.
- Judgment: "A board member asks to move tomorrow's meeting and you can't reach me. What do you do?"
Score each against a rubric written before you see answers.
What should you check about their work setup?
Offshore reliability is mostly infrastructure. Confirm a stable primary internet connection, a backup connection, backup power for the computer and router, a private workspace for calls, and a computer that can run your tools. Ask for a short video walkthrough of the setup.
Which references and checks matter?
Ask previous managers about reliability, discretion and how the person handled mistakes. In the Philippines, an NBI clearance is the common national background check; request it with the candidate's consent. See how we vet talent.
What should the first week look like?
- Create named accounts with least-privilege access and MFA. Never share your own password. Use our least-privilege access checklist.
- Record five-minute walkthroughs of recurring tasks; ask the assistant to turn each into a written checklist.
- Agree a daily check-in and an end-of-day summary.
- Review every item in week one, then move to spot checks.
The 30-day success plan covers what comes next.
Quick checklist
- [ ] Recurring tasks listed and grouped
- [ ] Hours, decision rights and tools defined
- [ ] Work-sample tests and rubric ready
- [ ] Internet, backup and workspace confirmed
- [ ] References and NBI clearance (with consent)
- [ ] Named accounts, MFA and password manager set up
- [ ] Day-one walkthroughs recorded
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