For many entrepreneurs and executives, the question arises: Do I need to hire an executive assistant externally, or can I train someone from within the company?
On the surface, promoting a promising team member into the executive assistant role may seem efficient — they know your culture, processes, and style.
But this approach doesn’t always lead to success. Let’s explore when it makes sense — and when a structured search for a personal or executive assistant is a smarter choice.
When growing an assistant internally works
✅ The person has natural organizational skill
An internal hire may thrive if they are already known for attention to detail, initiative, and discretion.
✅ There is time to train and mentor
If you can invest time teaching them the nuances of scheduling, communication, and decision filtering, an internal promotion can work.
✅ Your operational needs are basic
When you only need a personal assistant to manage schedules or logistics — and not a full-service executive assistant — internal development might suffice.
When it doesn’t work
❌ The role requires immediate high-level performance
If you need an assistant who can hit the ground running, an internal promotion with no relevant experience often slows things down.
❌ Complexity is high
Managing executives’ time, stakeholders, and business-critical communications requires expertise that many internal candidates simply don’t have.
❌ You lack time for proper onboarding
Without structure, expectations, and mentorship, an internally promoted assistant may flounder.
That’s why many executives turn to agencies for assistant recruitment like Smart and Talented for the hiring of an executive assistant who brings the right skills and mindset from day one.
The benefits of external executive assistant recruitment
Partnering with a professional assistant recruitment agency ensures:
- Access to a vetted talent pool
- Assessment of soft skills, stress resilience, and decision-making capability
- A match with your leadership style and business pace
This is particularly important if you’re seeking an assistant who can evolve into a key strategic partner, not just a task manager.
Final thoughts
Internal promotions can sometimes work — but they depend on the right context, individual, and available training time.
If your goal is to quickly free up your time, improve decision-making speed, and delegate complex operations, then working with a recruitment partner is often the best solution.
Whether you need a personal assistant or a highly capable executive assistant, Smart and Talented, one of the leading agencies for assistant recruitment, has the expertise to help you find the right fit.