You know the right executive assistant gives you back irreplaceable hours; the wrong one steals them. In 2026, with back-to-back hybrid meetings and nonstop decisions, you can’t afford a hiring misstep.
We audited 20-plus EA recruiting partners against today’s must-haves—remote fluency, AI-smart screening, DEI metrics, transparent pricing, and solid guarantees. Only seven earned top marks.
This guide distills what we learned so you can match the right agency to your timeline, budget, and leadership style—and press them with the right questions before you sign.
2026 EA hiring overview: new challenges and opportunities
The executive-assistant market is now a $20–25 billion engine growing about 15 percent a year.
Growth is driven by a simple reality: work rarely happens in one place. Hybrid schedules dominate, and demand for remote or near-shore EAs often matches—sometimes exceeds—on-site roles. Salaries follow. Seasoned U.S. assistants can command six-figure packages in major metros, so many companies explore cost-savvy talent across Latin America or opt for fractional support.
Technology multiplies the shift. About 96 percent of recruiters use AI résumé screening, and nearly three-quarters say those tools shorten time-to-hire. Speed is welcome, but algorithms miss cultural fit; the agencies on our shortlist blend machine efficiency with human judgment, filtering out candidates who look good on paper yet falter after onboarding.
Diversity expectations rise in parallel. Boards ask for inclusive shortlists, and forward-thinking firms report placement demographics alongside retention data.
Summed up, the 2026 brief sounds like this: “Find me an EA who plans two steps ahead, works across Slack and Zoom, adapts to hybrid travel, stays more than a year, and costs responsibly.” Tough, but the right partner delivers.
How we compared agencies: criteria for excellence in 2026
We didn’t pull seven names out of a hat. We scored each agency against a clear rubric that mirrors the questions you would ask if you ran the search yourself.
First, candidate quality: we checked pass rates, interview depth, and whether real humans still listen for nuance after the AI filter.
Second, client satisfaction: testimonials are easy to fake, but retention numbers are not. We looked for placements still thriving 12 months later.
Third, specialization: a firm focused on C-suite support understands a CEO schedule in its bones. Generalist shops lost points here.
Fourth, cost clarity: we wanted fees quoted in writing, no hidden markups, and a value story that holds water when finance reviews the invoice.
Fifth, technology: AI alone is not a differentiator anymore; what matters is how the team combines it with judgment.
Sixth, diversity: agencies that track, and proactively expand, representation earned full marks. Those still “aspiring” did not.
Each category carried its own weight on a 100-point scale. Only seven agencies cleared the bar for consistent excellence. They are up next.
Top 7 executive assistant staffing agencies in 2026
1. C-Suite Assistants: elite support for high-impact leaders
If you are a CEO who needs an assistant who finishes your sentences before you start them, C-Suite Assistants deserves the first call. Founded in New York in 2003, the boutique firm does one thing—place executive assistants—and refuses to dilute that focus. In its recent guide on the differences between startup and corporate EA roles, C-Suite Assistants notes that startup EAs thrive when juggling shifting priorities and undefined processes.
Corporate settings, by contrast, reward assistants who master formal hierarchies and protocol—a split the firm calibrates for in every search. Fewer than 5 percent of applicants clear its multi-round interview gauntlet, which blends scenario drills with old-school reference checks.
C-Suite Assistants executive assistant staffing homepage screenshot
That selectivity pays off. Clients report year-plus retention, and replacements are covered without argument if chemistry falters. The service is contingency based, so you pay only after your new right hand is on board and thriving. Because many recruiters are former executives, every résumé is read with a leader’s lens, not an algorithm’s guess.
Choose C-Suite Assistants when trust, discretion, and polish matter more than shaving a few days off the search. You may wait a bit longer than with a volume shop, but you will sleep better once the hire is made.
2. Robert Half: when you need résumés tomorrow
Speed is Robert Half’s super-power. With offices in every major U.S. city and a talent database that refreshes hourly, the firm can surface shortlists in a day or two—helpful when your EA resigns during earnings week.
Robert Half office and administrative staffing webpage screenshot
The Office & Administrative group handles temp, temp-to-hire, and direct placements, so you can plug a gap for six weeks or lock in a permanent hire without switching vendors. Fees hover around the industry-standard 25 percent for permanent roles, while contract EAs run on an hourly markup finance teams can model quickly.
What you trade for that velocity is boutique intimacy. Robert Half excels at volume, not bespoke hand-holding. Still, if your top priority is “keep the trains running” and you need credible candidates before Friday, few partners beat its reach and response time.
3. Tiger Recruitment: white-glove help for global executives
Tiger began in London and now spans New York, Dubai, and Zurich, so cross-border logistics feel routine. Its sweet spot is the principal who needs an assistant fluent in two languages today and arranging a Gulfstream hop tomorrow.
Searches run on a bespoke, head-hunting model: consultants tap passive networks, test candidates on discretion scenarios, and promise an extended guarantee once the hire lands. Fees sit in the high-20 percent range—a premium justified by polish and reach.
If your calendar blends investor roadshows with private-family events and you want one calm professional orchestrating both, Tiger’s high-touch approach outperforms scrolling LinkedIn yourself.
4. Maven Recruiting Group: Silicon Valley’s insider pipeline
San Francisco startups talk, and Maven listens. The women-led agency has spent more than a decade building a community of Bay-Area executive assistants through workshops, podcasts, and salary guides. When a hyper-growth founder needs a right hand, Maven already knows who is quietly open to a new challenge.
Turnaround can be lightning fast—often under two weeks—yet the matches feel personal because recruiters probe for “startup DNA”: grit, ambiguity tolerance, and an instinct to anticipate the next product pivot. Fees land in the 20–25 percent band, reasonable given the firm’s Inc. 5000 growth record and hands-on service.
Pick Maven if you run a venture-backed company that is scaling faster than your org chart and you crave an EA who can switch from board-deck prep to office-move logistics without blinking.
5. Boldly: fractional firepower on a monthly plan
Boldly flips the traditional placement model. Instead of handing you résumés, it hires seasoned executive assistants as its own W-2 employees and assigns them to clients in preset hour blocks. Think 20 hours a week of senior-level support for a flat monthly fee rather than a six-figure salary.
Boldly premium fractional executive assistant service homepage screenshot
Selectivity is elite; fewer than 2 percent of applicants make the roster, and average tenure exceeds 10 years. Coverage stays consistent; if your dedicated EA is on vacation, a trained backup steps in so inboxes and investor updates stay current.
Boldly shines when you do not need a full-time assistant on site but still want enterprise-grade execution. A scaling founder, a fractional CFO, or a global executive who travels nonstop can all tap high-end help without adding headcount.
6. Near (HirewithNear): near-shore talent without the time-zone lag
Near specializes in one promise: U.S. working hours at Latin-American price points. By recruiting executive assistants from Mexico to Colombia, the firm delivers fluent English, cultural alignment, and real-time collaboration—yet monthly costs often land between $1,000 and $1,500, or about $15 an hour.
Near (Hire With Near) Latin America remote executive assistant talent homepage screenshot
The model is remote only, so you trade on-site errands for serious savings. Near vets for stable internet, proactive communication, and U.S. business etiquette before a résumé reaches you. Engagements run on a flat monthly invoice—no hidden markups, no 12-page contracts.
Choose Near when budget matters, the role is entirely virtual, and you prefer your assistant sipping the same morning coffee rather than replying at 3 a.m. from another hemisphere.
7. Caldwell Partners: executive-search rigor for mission-critical hires
Sometimes the assistant role feels as pivotal as a VP seat. That is when companies call Caldwell. Founded in 1978 and ranked among Forbes’ top executive recruiters, the firm applies head-hunter discipline to EA searches: market mapping, psychometric assessments, and discreet outreach to star performers who are not publicly on the market.
Engagements are retained, with milestone payments and a fee north of 30 percent. In return, clients receive a shortlist of quietly vetted, currently employed candidates who clear background and culture checks before the first interview. Caldwell also extends placement guarantees up to a full year—an uncommon confidence signal at this level.
Choose Caldwell when failure is not an option: replacing a retiring long-time EA, staffing a confidential chief-of-staff pipeline, or supporting a Fortune 100 board chair. The process takes longer and costs more, but the upside is lasting partnership, not just calendar management.
Quick comparison at a glance
Picking between seven strong contenders can blur together fast. The table below distills the essentials—scope, speed, and pricing—so you can spot the agency that matches your situation in 60 seconds.
| Agency | Core service model | Turnaround speed | Typical fee | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C-Suite Assistants | Direct hire, on-site or hybrid | 3–4 weeks | ~25 percent contingency | Leaders who want elite, long-term fit |
| Robert Half | Temp, temp-to-hire, direct | 24–48 hours shortlist | ~25 percent perm; hourly markup for temp | Urgent, multi-office coverage |
| Tiger Recruitment | High-touch global search | 2–3 weeks shortlist | High-20 percent range | UHNW and multilingual roles |
| Maven Recruiting | Bay-Area boutique | Under two weeks | 20–25 percent contingency | Tech startups, VCs |
| Boldly | Fractional, remote subscription | One week to start | Flat monthly ($2–4K) | Execs needing part-time senior EA |
| Near | Remote near-shore | 1–2 weeks | Flat monthly (~$1–1.5K) | Cost-savvy, all-virtual teams |
| Caldwell Partners | Retained executive search | Four-week shortlist | 30–33 percent retained | Mission-critical, confidential hires |
Use this grid as a quick check. If you need speed, Robert Half jumps out. If budget tops the list, Near leads. When the role is strategic enough to justify head-hunter rigor, Caldwell stands apart.
Conclusion: Making Your Decision and Finding the Right EA Partner
Start with honesty. How fast do you need help, and how much change are you willing to accept to get it? A last-minute vacancy pushes you toward a volume player like Robert Half. A long-planned leadership reshuffle buys time for Caldwell’s head-hunter depth.
Next, weigh location. If board books still print in the office, favor on-site specialists such as C-Suite Assistants or Maven. If Zoom rules your day, remote-first models like Boldly or Near stretch every dollar without sacrificing responsiveness.
Budget comes third, but do the math properly. A 25 percent fee sounds steep until you remember an EA who frees 20 hours of your week pays for herself in days. Compare the fully loaded cost of a permanent hire against a flat subscription or near-shore rate. Clarity on ROI turns sticker shock into a line-item win.
Finally, test culture fit before signing. During the discovery call, notice who asks probing questions about your work style, tolerance for Slack pings, and calendar chaos. If the recruiter jumps straight to résumé counts, move on.
Keep a simple checklist handy:
- How do you vet candidates?
- What percentage stay beyond one year?
- Who manages my search day to day?
- What is the replacement policy if the hire misfires?
Agencies that answer crisply and supply data, not fluff, are the partners you want in your corner. With those answers in hand, choosing becomes straightforward, and the hours you reclaim start compounding immediately.
