The beginning of 2025 is presenting as being within a strong candidate market. High-performing executive assistants currently have more positions available to them, meaning greater choice in their career progression.
So, while it’s good news for you in the long run as you’ll know the EA you’ve selected has also carefully chosen to accept your role, initially you’re faced with the challenge of standing out above other hiring managers when advertising your position.
This is why offering an appointment on a fixed-term contract (FTC) basis can set you apart, while presenting a number of other benefits to you, your team and your organisation. Let’s take a look at why these contracts can be a better business decision than offering a temporary role.
A cost-effective hiring strategy
Fixed-term contracts offer financial benefits to your organisation. Although, on face value, these arrangements can appear more costly, in the long run they’re often far more efficient than a temporary agreement. Often the ideal business solution to backfilling maternity leave or a secondment, supporting a fractional or new executive, or introducing a particular skill set for a chosen project, FTCs are my recommended arrangement for these scenarios.
With a defined end-date, budgets can be easier to manage, particularly if you’re hiring for a specific project or skill specialisation. Additionally, turnover costs are reduced through taking the extra time to attract the right EA to your role, allowing for greater job satisfaction, productivity and loyalty.
Role flexibility for new business directions and strategies
Fixed-contract hiring decisions are often more carefully thought through, both by the hiring team, and the candidates. There’s a greater sense of commitment and investment from both parties, encouraging loyalty and effort from the successful candidate, and optimisation of the role by the business.
This often leads to greater adaptability, skill-building and problem-solving. I frequently see talented executive assistants being assigned new portfolios, teams to lead and being brought into strategic discussions, as they find their feet in their new role. Through offering an FTC to the candidate market, you’re future-proofing the executive assistant function and maximising the opportunities that will present themselves to the business.
Fixed-term contracts attract higher quality applicants
Security of position and income is an understandable draw card for the high-performing candidate you wish to attract. With a number of temporary, part-time and short-term roles on offer, taking the more committed view can attract a higher calibre of applicant.
Top quality executive assistants are loyal, know their worth and want to fully understand the business. Fixed-term contracts are a show of good faith and commitment from the organisation that the executive assistant’s contributions are valued and they won’t need to be back on the job market any time soon.
Included benefits are a key advantage over temporary arrangements
As most FTCs offer the same benefits afforded to permanent employees, candidates know their leave allowances and superannuation will be taken care of. If your permanent staff receive benefits such as parking, health insurance and bonuses, I’d strongly recommend you include these in your FTC offer as well.
Again, any additional inclusions you can offer and promote within your position advertisement, will set you apart for your desired candidates.
Stronger relationships, deeper trust, more impact
The quality of executive assistant you need, knows their value lies in their ability to integrate fully into the role, and being given the chance to leverage their expertise to make the position their own.
When given a sufficient amount of time and organisational investment to settle into the role, team and business, your candidates know they’ll have the best chance for success, influence and development. Many elite executive assistants I speak to are wary of temporary roles, feeling they won’t be supported in achieving their goals and that of the organisation.
When assessing opportunities, top-level candidates know FTC roles are more valued by organisations. They understand they’ll be offered the time and space to develop relationships, identify continuous improvement opportunities and bring their skills to the fore.
Recruiting the right executive assistant into your fixed-term contract role
The one downside in recruiting for an FTC role over a temporary or part-time role is the sense of added pressure to get the right fit, for the greater commitment. This sense of additional responsibility is understandable and can be a deterrent for hiring managers when considering these types of arrangements. I can empathise with the temptation to reduce risk by reducing the commitment to a temporary role, but I’d caution against it in the current market.
Instead, I’d encourage you to manage risk by engaging a specialist recruiter. Through enlisting their services you can enjoy the peace of mind knowing you’ll get the very best applicants the market has to offer.
Your specialist recruiter should offer assistance with
clarifying the position description
pinpointing the ideal qualities, skills and experience for your unique role requirements
leveraging their extensive network to headhunt preferred EAs that may not currently be in the market
writing and publishing job advertisements
completing initial and thorough screening
interviewing shortlisted candidates before presenting the top contenders to you
providing advice as needed on candidate selection
negotiating offer and contract terms as required
completing reference checks
supporting the successful candidate as they settle into the role, and checking in with your team to assess the overall fit
Fixed-term contracts may be the recruiting edge you need
In this candidate-focused climate, FTCs may prove to be the answer you’ve been looking for in finding your new high-performing executive assistant. When taking into account the clear benefits to applicants when comparing your role to others on offer, and the many positive business outcomes these contracts hold, FTCs can be the stand out solution.
If you’d like more advice on the key elements of an attractive FTC, or help in attracting and onboarding your next executive assistant, please call Anastasia on 0421 16 55 96.