South Africa: My Secret Weapon for Finding Executive Assistants

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Last week, I had a call with an agency owner looking to hire an executive assistant. She was shocked when I told her my favorite place to hire from. "South Africa? Really? I would have thought Eastern Europe."

Don't get me wrong – I love Eastern Europe. It's where Go Carpathian started. But for executive assistants specifically, South Africa has become my go-to talent pool.

Why? South Africans speak perfect English (over 50% are proficient in English), they're in a workable time zone for US companies, and the talent quality is exceptional. I've found professionals from top global firms, and people with incredible work ethics, all at a fraction of US costs.

One of my favorite recent placements was Chandre from Johannesburg. She has 4 years of executive assistant experience, outstanding communication skills, and the kind of proactive problem-solving ability that makes a great EA invaluable. The client was blown away by her professionalism and how quickly she integrated with their team.

Meet Chandre:

The best part? We placed her at just $8/hour – about $1,300/month for a full-time role. In the US, an EA with similar qualifications would cost at least $60,000-$80,000 annually.

The Cost of Hiring an International EA

The cost of hiring an EA varies depending on location and skillset. Here's what you can expect to pay for a full-time executive assistant:

• US-based: $45,000-$85,000+ annually ($22-$40+ per hour)

• Eastern Europe: $1,000-$2,000 monthly ($6-$12 per hour)

• South Africa: $1,000-$1,600 monthly ($6-$10 per hour)

• Latin America: $1,000-$1,600 monthly ($6-$10 per hour)

The savings are substantial, but the quality doesn't have to suffer. In fact, for the price of an entry-level US assistant, you can often hire someone with years of experience and advanced skills from these regions.

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Time Zone and Culture Concerns

One of the biggest concerns I hear is about time zones. Will your assistant be available when you need them? The good news is that most international EAs are flexible with their hours. 

South Africans are particularly accommodating as they're only 6-8 hours ahead of US time zones, making overlap easier than with some other regions.

Many of our clients use a hybrid approach: their EA works some overlapping hours for meetings and time-sensitive tasks, then completes other work asynchronously. This arrangement gives you support when you need it while respecting their work-life balance.

Another common question: "Will they understand my business?" This is where vetting becomes crucial. A good recruiting process doesn't just look at skills and experience but also evaluates cultural fit and business acumen. 

At Go Carpathian, we specifically look for candidates who have worked with Western companies before and understand the pace and expectations.

Let’s Find Your Next Best Executive Assistant

If you’re spending your best hours trying to hire an executive assistant (or any role, really) it’s time to hand it off.

So far, we've placed dozens of exceptional executive assistants from Eastern Europe, South Africa, and Latin America with businesses just like yours.

Here’s how we make it easy:

• We write the job description

• We source and vet candidates

• We assess English fluency and communication skills

• We test for attention to detail, organization, and problem-solving

• We present only the top 2–3 candidates for you to interview

You don’t waste time reviewing hundreds of resumes or chasing down references. You just meet the best people and make the final call.

And every hire is backed by our 12-month guarantee.

Click here to book a free consultation with our recruiting specialists

Until next time,

Nathan

PS: Check out what one of our clients has to say about working with Go Carpathian: