Have you been fighting tooth and nail just to find the best personal assistant in town? Tired of wasting your resources and time only to find out that they aren’t as efficient and reliable as they seem?
Fortunately, this article will reveal the ‘green flags’ you should look for in a personal assistant. Keep on reading if you haven’t found yours.
Sign #1 – Has a strong work ethic.
When we say a strong work ethic, it’s more than grinding 9 to 5 hours of job. It mainly involves actions and attitudes which reflects one’s integrity. It doesn’t even matter if a candidate is a whiz at Powerpoint, Word or Excel or a master of accounting or payroll. It is always “attitude over skills”.
He/she must:
- Do his/her job well consistently
- Honest in everything
- Knows how to be responsible for their actions (this includes punctuality)
- Proactive. He/she doesn’t just sit around like a boss (you are the boss here). He/she looks for the problem and find solutions
Sign #2 – Can move mountains under heavy time constraints
Have you ever wondered how a powerful elite such as Richard Branson can run multitudes of companies in just a span of time? How could he even handle so many reports and schedules?
Helen, his personal assistant got him covered. She handles tons of specific last-minute requests every single day. But this doesn’t stop her from being calm under pressure and make miracles. She knows how to utilize the resources and how to work well with other employees to make the impossible possible.
Hence, when you review applicants and conduct interviews, opt for candidates who can move mountains for you without complaints.
Sign #3 – Has an exceptional organizational skill
More often than not, PA’s obligations include tasks like managing his employer’s schedules, arranging his appointments along with other responsibilities which need precise attention. Thus, it pays off if you’ll go with someone who has outstanding time management skills and prioritize critical (as well as urgent) assignments.
Sign #4 – Autonomous
Remember, you are hiring someone who can do the job for you without consuming too much time training or spoon feeding everything. You already have your fair share of tasks to improve your business branding, growth, and revenue which is why you’re delegating other tasks to your assistants.
Thus, when you assign tasks/activities to your employees, no questions should be asked. You need EXECUTION from them, not HESITATION.
Sign #5 – Has a remarkable interpersonal skill
Obvious fact of the day: Every day, PAs will interact with different kinds of co-workers with different personalities and preferences. With that, he/she must be outgoing, approachable and a great communicator, be it in person, over the phone or thru email. Why?
It’s simply because they are representing the business owner. Thus, they should act as an extension of the business executive.
Sign #6 – Tech-savvy
Just imagine, you’re managing a technology company and you decided to use virtual personal assistant services. The thing is, the person doesn’t know how to back-up files. What do you think will happen to your confidential files?
You may picture this: the one you just recently hired isn’t familiar with Asana/Trello. How do you think will they do their tasks if they aren’t well-versed with these platforms?
You’re doomed! You will spend the rest of your life regretting!
It’s important to rely on someone who understands what’s your business and the relevant software and program you’re using in it to avoid errors.
Sign #7 – Reliable
Great PAs aren’t the flashy type, but they are like clockwork. When you assign them a task, consider it as done already as they do it correctly every time. They are exceptionally dependable and trustworthy, making them indispensable for your company.
If your personal assistant meets all these criteria, then keep him/her!