As any entrepreneur themselves will know, the most valuable currency is time. Starting a business from scratch and managing it is no easy feat and requires your full dedication for it to succeed. However, it is impossible for even the most high-powered individuals to manage all their responsibilities by themselves. Hiring an assistant can help you better manage the workload. It can also help you enhance your productivity as you are able to focus on tasks that require your competence the most. However, finding the right assistant, whom you can trust and work well with, can be challenging. Here’s what you need to do to land yourself with the best hire.
Be Specific with Your Needs
Write down the list of things you want most out of an assistant. Do you expect them to be open to frequent travel? Should they have a good level of technical expertise? Can they commit to being available anytime you need them?
By being more specific in what type of candidate you are after, you can refine your search and have an easier time finding the right assistant out of the pool of applicants available to you.
With that said, be realistic. Don’t expect to hire a well-experienced assistant if the pay scale you are offering is entry-level.
Consider a Preliminary Phone Interview
A phone interview is a great way to screen out unqualified or non-serious candidates from the hiring process. Through this, your time is saved and you are more quickly able to conduct an in-person interview with candidates who are genuinely committed. Furthermore, one of the primary traits of a good assistant is the ability to listen and communicate well, which a phone interview can do an excellent job at highlighting.
Realize Your Strength and Weaknesses
Ideally, you should hire an assistant whose strengths make up for your weak areas. If you are not an able communicator, consider an assistant who is. If you detest writing long reports, hire an assistant who is efficient at it. If the assistant you hire loves doing things in which you lack, it’s all the better.
Ask for References
Once you narrowed down your list of potential hires, ask them for some references, ideally their former boss or someone they have closely worked with. Call them and ask them about the candidate. Chances are if they didn’t get along well with their former employers, they might not do so with you as well.
Get in touch with the leading web and print designer today to discuss how she found the perfect assistant. Email us at info@PrintandWebDesigner.com.