How to Find the Right Personal Assistant for You

As an ambitious business owner, it’s essential to ensure that you’ve delegated certain everyday tasks to your team so that you can focus on growing your brand. There’s no shame in asking for help –– if you want to set yourself up for success, it’s important to prioritize time-sensitive and important tasks while delegating work that doesn’t require you to be directly involved.

This is where a personal assistant comes in. They can make travel arrangements, meticulously plan your schedule, book meetings with clients, run errands, take on administrative duties, and more.

If you feel like this is a step in the right direction but don’t know what to do next, we’ve got you covered. Check our useful tips below if you’re trying to figure out how to find the right personal assistant for you.

Figure out what you’re looking for

Before you begin searching for a personal assistant, take some time to examine your schedule and workload. What do you need help with on a regular basis?

Perhaps you’d like to hire someone who can easily schedule your meetings and appointments, conduct research as needed, keep track of your emails, and offer administrative support.

No matter what you’re looking for, try to figure out what you need. Maybe your schedule is packed and you need a full-time personal assistant to manage your workload.

Or perhaps, you’d simply like help with some of your responsibilities and are comfortable with part-time assistance. Either way, define your needs before looking for a personal assistant.

Keep the right skillset in mind

Make a list of the skills that are needed to thrive in this position. Maybe you need a personal assistant with top-notch communication skills who can easily communicate with clients on your behalf.

Or perhaps, you’d like to hire someone who can succeed under pressure and can easily juggle multiple responsibilities. Maybe you need to hire a personal assistant who’s highly experienced within the niche your brand belongs to and is well-organized, someone who can effortlessly handle your schedule without feeling overwhelmed.

Try multiple platforms

When you’re trying to understand how to find the personal assistant for you, one of the best things you can do is expand the search. Try multiple platforms, such as Indeed, LinkedIn, and Glassdoor. Also, don’t shy away from tapping into your network and asking friends, acquaintances, and other entrepreneurs for referrals and recommendations.

Restricting yourself to one portal may not be very rewarding and could restrict you to a limited number of applicants. You want to ensure that you’re hiring the best person for the job and are leaving no stone unturned to make that happen.

If you’re too occupied, you can even consider asking a recruitment agency to do the job for you. All you need to do is give them a list of your requirements –– this is a relatively more hands-off approach that can work well if you’re too tied up with work and every day life.

Streamline the interview process

There are a few things you can do to make the hiring process a lot smoother. For instance, consider preparing a list of relevant questions that you can ask every candidate. Additionally, you can come up with a few hypothetical scenarios that allow you to gauge how a person would perform in the role.

Make sure that their skills and experience match what you’re looking for. It’s also a good idea to set expectations from the start so you’re on the same page. For example, if the position requires occasional weekend work or late evenings, check if the candidate is comfortable keeping up with the demands of the job.

Streamlining the interview process will make it easier to talk to multiple candidates and figure out whether someone is a good match for the job.

Get your team involved

This is an underrated but useful technique that’s worth keeping in mind. You can ask a couple of your team members to get involved in the hiring process and interview candidates.

This can help you determine whether someone is the right fit for the position –– you’ll get the opportunity to test whether they would get along with the rest of your team and work well together. Also, getting your team involved gives you a chance to bring in diverse perspectives. So if you’re confused or unsure, ask your team for help. You won’t be disappointed!

WRITTEN BY: BOSHIKA GUPTA