Many people feel that having a personal assistant is a luxury. We tend to think that only celebrities or executives at larger organizations need them. Well, that’s a myth. For busy entrepreneurs who can’t find the time to do all that they want to do, having an executive assistant is more of a necessity than a luxury. Now, you may ask, “What exactly does a personal assistant do? How can a personal assistant make a difference in my everyday life?” Read on to find out.
Personal assistants are employed across all business sectors, from privately held companies to multinational corporations, and they are usually responsible for a variety of administrative tasks that are necessary to keep their client’s business running in an efficient, organized way. Unlike an executive assistant or an executive administrator, a personal assistant is employed to support a specific individual within the organization, so that person can have more time to do the things he/she needs to focus on.
The duties and tasks of a personal assistant vary depending on the requirements of the employer. But they usually involve the following:
• Act as a first point of contact – Screen phone calls, inquiries, and requests, and handle them when appropriate
• Maintain office systems – Manage databases and filing systems
• Calendar management – Maintain diaries by planning and scheduling meetings, appointment, travel, and accommodation
• Email management – Deal with incoming email and draft communications on behalf of the employer
• Conduct research – Carry out research and present findings to the employer
• Liaise with internal and external contacts
• Type, compile and prepare reports and presentations
• Take notes or dictation at meetings
• Provide general assistance during presentations
• Collate and file expenses
• Delegate work in the employer’s absence
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1. Discrete
Personal assistants are often privy to confidential information (including their employer’s personal info), so they have to maintain confidentiality and exercise discretion at all times if they want to succeed in this role.
Of course, hiring a trustworthy personal assistant is not an easy task, so remember to do your due diligence and conduct background and reference checks to learn more about their employment history and qualifications. You don’t want to hire someone who has been guilty of a serious breach of trust.
2. Proactive
Many issues arise when people react rather than act in a situation. Good personal assistants won’t wait for something to happen. They know how to take the initiative and take control of any situation that may happen in the future. Proactive personal assistants also require less detailed instructions, so you don’t have to do the thinking for them. Just lay the foundation, and they can figure out the exact thing you want them to do.
Author and business coach David Finkel has this to say about why it’s important to hire someone who can handle “fuzzy” tasks.
“While every assistant brings a unique set of personality traits and skillsets to the table, the one that I don’t compromise on is a strong capacity for handling ambiguity. Hiring a personal assistant shouldn’t be thought of as automation — your assistant should be able to synchronize with your operational behavior and be an extension of what you’re doing in your busy day.
Chances are, you don’t have the time to sit down with your assistant and review every email that goes out, every meeting document that’s prepared, or every call that’s being set up. And that’s not even accounting for new challenges that come up that need to be solved. Hiring someone who needs every detail laid out on your end is a logistical nightmare, not to mention an easy spiral towards micromanagement.”
3. Flexibility
Flexibility is the key to being a great personal assistant. Since the duties for the role vary depending on the employer, a personal assistant should know exactly how to work around any unexpected changes of circumstances or workload. Are they willing to take on additional roles outside of their core duties? Are they willing to work extra hours if the job requires it? You need to know this before you hire your personal assistant.
4. Communication
As the first point of contact for an organization, a personal assistant will have to deal with correspondence and phone calls daily. That means her verbal and written communication skills will have to be impeccable. She must be able to speak clearly and write correctly.
5. Organizational
Personal assistants are expected to exhibit excellent organizational skills because they will be handling tasks that often require precise attention (managing calendars, handling email and phone communication, scheduling meetings, etc.). To keep things running smoothly, they must be well organized and detailed oriented.
6. Tech Skills
This is a crucial skill for anyone these days. Personal assistants should be computer literate because they are going to be using a host of programs and apps to perform many of their duties. From day-to-day essentials like Microsoft Office to productivity apps like Trello, personal assistants need to be proficient in the software used in their employers’ industry.
Now that we’ve talked about what exactly a personal assistant does and what attributes they should possess, it’s time to move on to our next topic – hiring a personal assistant.
Since a US-based personal assistant is expected to earn around $15 to $30 an hour, a lot of entrepreneurs have decided to outsource the role since virtual personal assistants only cost a fraction of the price you would usually pay for their in-house counterparts. In the Philippines, you can find personal assistants who are willing to do the work for around $500 a month. The rates there are that affordable. There are plenty of online job sites out there, but we prefer to get our guys from OnlineJobs.ph. It’s a great place to start if you’re looking for a Filipino virtual worker.
The website is easy to navigate, so go ahead and create an OnlineJobs.ph account, post your job ad, and wait for the responses. You do have to upgrade your account to communicate with the applicants, but it doesn’t cost much ($69 per month). Once you are done hiring, just cancel your subscription.
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to message us.
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