By Tian DuBelko
Busy founders typically find there isn’t enough time during the day to do everything that they want to. If you’re finding that work is eating up too much of your day, then it might be time to hire an assistant. While hiring a good assistant can be time-consuming, these tips will help you with hiring the right assistant for your needs.
Start with an assistant wish list
You can’t hire the right assistant if you don’t know what you’re looking for. Before you even place the job ad, make a wish list of your ideal assistant. What type of duties do you need them to fulfill? You may simply want an assistant that will complete common office duties, such as scheduling appointments, or typing up documents. Or you may want an assistant that also helps you with life-tasks like picking up your dry cleaning or planning a vacation.
When you do place the job ad, make sure you’ve included all of your desired tasks. That way applicants can quickly tell what it is you’re looking for and decide if they can meet those needs. With a clear job description, you’ll prequalify applicants, as they will know what is expected in the role before they even interview.
Something that’s overlooked is the assistants’ personality. Since you’ll likely be working closely with them, do hire someone that you can get along with. Some people prefer a serious assistant that completes their tasks efficiently, while others may prefer a more chatty assistant. If you know what types of people you work best with, it’ll be easier for you to pick out the best candidate during the hiring process.
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Use recruitment agencies to your advantage
Now that you have an idea of your ideal assistant, it’s time to post the ad. But simply posting it on job boards online isn’t enough. Not everyone browses those boards, and you might be missing out on some of the best candidates. That’s where a specialist recruitment agency comes in handy. They’ll be able to connect you to candidates that you didn’t know were an option.
A specialist recruitment firm not only has the tools to look through the active job market, the people on the job boards, but also the passive market as well. The passive market is filled with employed assistants who aren’t actively seeking a new job but would accept a new job, provided it’s the right one. These candidates have relevant experience and can make for some of the best candidates for the role.
Don’t limit your options when seeking an assistant
Sometimes, you’ll need to look beyond conventional channels for an assistant. For example, your next assistant can be someone that you know in your network.
Open, collaborative workspaces such as extraSlice offices help professionals from different background connect. In one of those spaces, you have great opportunities to converse and meet with people that have different skill sets. If you make a connection, don’t hesitate to mention that you’re looking for someone to fill your assistant role.
Even if your colleague isn’t interested, they may be able to refer you someone else who is interested in the opportunity. Another place to look is online, as someone may see the vacant position through social media. LinkedIn is a great place to place a job posting and look for candidates.
Find out your candidates’ previous experience
Generally, you can get a solid idea of what your candidates’ experience by looking that their resume. However, you should still ask this question in person during an interview. You’ll be able to get more insight and context into their past roles. Screening for past experience will also inform you of how a working relationship might go down.
It’s best if you can get specifics from your candidates about a day from their past role. What were their daily responsibilities and duties? Ask if they were involved in any memorable challenges or projects. How they answer will help you decide if this person is a working match for your industry or not.
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Determine the enjoyable (and disliked) parts of your candidates’ previous job
People are the most productive when they’re allowed to do things that they enjoy. Assistants are no different, and it’s up to you to determine what makes your candidates tick before hiring them. Ideally, you’ll want to hire an assistant that enjoys doing the tasks that you require. If an applicant struggles to name even one thing that they enjoyed at their old job, then you might want to look elsewhere, as you don’t want to hire someone who is only in it for the paycheck.
On the other hand, you can also gain insight into a candidate’s mindset by how they talk about the disliked parts of their previous work. It’s unlikely an applicant would be a good fit for the role if they say they disliked the things that you’ll be needing them to do.
Ask about candidates’ relationships with past employers
With an assistant, it’s important to maintain a good working relationship. Learning more about potential assistants’ relationship with past employers can be helpful in figuring out which candidate you can potentially build a lasting relationship with. Since you’ll be working closely with them, it’ll help in the long run to find an assistant that you can get along with.
Test your applicants problem-solving skills
You’ve made it this far, but don’t forget the number one reason to hire an assistant: to save you time. And the primary way assistants do that is through problem-solving. You want to hire a candidate that shows solid problem-solving instincts. You can determine this by asking them questions about how they would respond to certain situations in the office. Think about common problems that you might encounter at the office when thinking of potential questions. You can also ask if your candidates when they have applied problem-solving skills in their past jobs.
Ask about their future plans
For many people trying to move up the command chain, an assistant role is simply a stepping stone. However, some people are content in the support role and never feels compelled to move on. No matter if you’re hiring for the short- or long-term, make sure you get the right candidate for your company.
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Look for an effective communicator
Since your assistant will be representing you and your company in dealing with the likes of customers and investors, you want to hire an assistant who is skilled at communicating through both email and phone. Test how well they speak on the phone, to see if they can speak confidently without using filler words or constant “ums.” Similarly, you want to make sure that your potential assistant can write a clear email correspondence without noticeable spelling and grammar mistakes.
Don’t rush to make a decision
Even when you think you’ve found the perfect candidate, don’t rush to hire them immediately. While your gut instinct is usually right, you should still take due diligence and meet with your finalist a few times before making the decision. Meet with them in a different setting if possible, to see how they handle the venue change.
This is also a good time to get feedback from your colleagues about your potential assistant. If you can, have your colleagues sit in on one of the meetings to judge how your potential assistant gets along with your company’s other employees. Hiring an assistant doesn’t need to be intimidating. If you do your homework and follow these tips, then you’re on your way to hiring an assistant who will be a great fit for your organization.
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