How do you become an executive assistant?

Can an executive assistant or executive secretary become a manager? What avenues are there to look for, specifically when they intend to change departments?

• I have seen few individuals who has started their career as Admin/Executive/Personal Assistant, after spending more than 15 years they are still on same position. No growth in terms of designation and grade, just a yearly increment which is insufficient in most of the cases. How come an EA, etc could grow in her/his career like become a Manager even in any other department

• Answer:

  It is certainly possible and I have seen things like this happen more than once. It's a truism that EA typically have more knowledge, skill and acumen than many of the people in the company simply from being the focal point of information to the boss and seeing how his/her thought processes work from close up. It doesn't hurt to take business courses at a local college in the mean time, but in my industry I have seen an EA become a "specialist" in Marketing and work her way up to a Director position within Marketing.  It's good if the boss supports this effort. One of the things that drags you down is how people see you. If they consistently see you as the EA it's hard to get traction in any other role unless you have a big success under your belt. I suspect it's easier for an EA with experience of the company's culture, systems and tools to create accomplishments and move up than an entry level college grad hired into the same role. This is true of anyone in any position with a company. Take the risk -- you have nothing to lose.