Regardless of whether you are a manager or an executive, your assistant is one of the most crucial people in your life. They will be your point of contact for the outside world. It is an incredibly important position, one that makes your personal and professional life smooth. Yet it is the position most entrepreneurs spend very little time interviewing for. The reality is that you got to put time and effort into it if you want find the right person. The idea should be of a person who can stay and grow with you.
Before placing a job ad or before you begin interviewing, note down the duties you expect you’ll want your assistant to do, like typing, scheduling and answering phones and e-mails. Put every small or big detail in your job posting, so the candidates would have a decent description of what to expect. The person’s personality plays an important role here. You need to decide whether you want someone no-nonsense and serious or you would like an assistant who is lighthearted, with a sense of humor. It will help you choose candidates. Once you’ve established parameters, find someone who is a problem solver. You can decide that by offering behavioral or situational interviews. That is, by asking candidates to tell certain kinds of experience, or how they would handle a typical situation. For example, “The executive you work for is out of the office and can’t be reached. Someone calls with an urgent question. What do you do?” Ask if the person has faced a situation before and how they responded to it. When you are up with a few finalists, be sure to communicate with them via e-mail and phone to check what their communication skills are like. You won’t want to select someone who puts smiley faces in their e-mails. Take a second look at anyone who has outside leadership experience, like volunteer work or participation in a professional relationship. This tells that the person is interested in learning, is a team player and has connections that might come in handy. For example, if you’re planning a trip to Japan and want advice on where to stay and what to avoid while there, it would be great to have an assistant who could send a quick e-mail to other executive assistants asking for their help. Once you’ve came across your top two choices, meet with them at least three times, all in different locations, so you can know as much about them as possible. Schedule at least one meeting during a meal time, to see how the candidate does outside the office. Is the professional behavior still present? Does he or she still dress professionally? Involve other members of your team to find out how everyone interacts. While you might want those team members’ advice, always ultimately trust your own instincts. If the candidate looks okay on paper but something just doesn’t feel right, agree with your gut. Don’t hire that particular person.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
|