Can Batman save his city and the world alone? The answer is no. He needs to find a personal assistant who can make his life easier. He needs someone like Robin, a reliable man behind why Batman’s success in his chosen path.
However, for CEOs out there who didn’t have enough time (and super powers), hunting for a well-rounded personal assistant isn’t easy as it seems. While it all comes down to your business needs (and personal preference), you’ll be able to ‘win’ better PA with these expert pieces of advice:
Set your bar high.
DO NOT SETTLE FOR LESS.
How to do that? Before you start interviewing the applicants, you should first jot down the qualities of the employee that you are looking for. Be specific and concise with your standards.
Are you looking for someone who can take calls from clients, vendors and etc?
Are you seeking for someone who can handle your social media accounts?
Or would you rather hire someone who can organize your paperwork?
It’s up to you. Just bear in mind that the more responsibilities, the more complicated they are, the higher the compensation you need to pay.
Assess objectively.
As the rule of the thumb, your talent recruitment strategy should include asking only the person whom you think can access and evaluate a candidate objectively to conduct the recruitment process for you. Never ask someone who is known for being biased and prejudiced. After all, a top recruiter assesses a candidate based on their qualities and abilities, not on their physical appearance or background.
Give them a work sample test.
As they would be working for your company, it is just right for you to know their abilities. So, give them a work sample test. It can be anything that has to do with the job that he/she is applying for. That way, you would be able to know whether they can do the job or not at the start of the recruiting phase. Hence, you can also save time from recruiting the wrong person for the job.
Do the reference check properly.
It can’t be denied that interviews can help you see the strengths of a candidate, but this won’t allow you to know if he/she can really do the job well. This is where reference checks come into play. It’s an excellent opportunity for you to evaluate as well as validate your impressions. The thing is, tons of companies don’t actually know how to use this assessing method.
Just for instance, a renowned firmed gave me a ring regarding my former virtual personal assistant. I prepared myself on what to tell and these includes their strengths. I also thought of giving them ideas on where to improve or what to do to enhance their skills.
Unexpectedly, as soon as I got the call, I sensed that the firm already made their decision – they wanted my former employee. It seems like it was just a confirmation call. This frustrated me.
CEOs, young entrepreneurs or even hiring managers must realize that reference should be done correctly to avoid wasting time and effort.
What’s the point here? As a CEO, you shouldn’t treat reference check calls as a formality. Make it one of the most significant part of the hiring process. Do it BEFORE making an offer. And remember, your main goal here is to gather vital data which you would utilize whether you’ll make an offer or not.
With these pieces of advice in mind, you are better armed to make the right decision. You’ll be able to hire your own Robin who’ll accompany (and assist) you to your business’ success.
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