You realize the benefits of having an Executive Assistant at work and feel ready to extend that help into your personal life. Congratulations! Now, it’s time to hire a Personal Executive Assistant. So, where do you start? There are two different skillsets to focus your attention on as you try to find and hire the right person. We’ll walk you through both—the hard skills and soft skills—that are necessary to look for so you can onboard the right person the first time.
Begin the process by asking yourself this question:
What kind of partnership do I want to build with my Personal Executive Assistant?
Moving forward, make sure the requirements and expectations you set for this new role (and the candidates you interview) are complementary to your answer.
This list of skills you should look for when hiring a Personal Executive Assistant is applicable whether you want someone to work with you in person or are open to hiring an online Personal Assistant. Feel free to add to or modify this list to fit your personality and needs.
The hard skills
No matter what position you’re hiring for, there are always hard skills that are necessary to master to be successful. These are typically measurable and can be improved upon or taught. Below is a compilation of those skills that you will be able to measure as time goes on to ensure your Personal Executive Assistant is performing responsibilities to your standards. And if you’re looking to hire an online Personal Assistant who will work virtually, these skills are all the more critical.
Personal Executive Assistants are successful when they are:
- Organized – Having systems in place to keep track of digital or hardcopy files
- Manage their time effectively – Planning their day in advance to account for all responsibilities
- Paying close attention to detail – Creating a job description for a house cleaner
- Able to communicate professionally, both written and verbal – Managing email and phone interactions with potential nannies
- A proactive problem-solver – Managing contractors for storm damage to the home’s roof
The soft skills
Remember, in a nutshell, you are hiring someone to manage your personal life. Soft skills, or those that aren’t as measurable, are no less important. This is where a Personal Executive Assistant’s personality and values can shine while making you feel more at ease. Look for someone that thrives on serving as a “helper”.
When someone exudes the following skills, they’re usually a solid candidate for a Personal Executive Assistant job:
- Trustworthy and uses discretion – Keeping salary information for other household employees confidential
- Calm – Remaining in control while rebooking flights that were canceled
- Reliable – Showing up on time each day with a plan
- Flexible/adaptable – Managing the family calendar with rescheduled appointments
- Positive – Arriving to work committed to being a bright spot during your hectic day
By getting to this point you have just saved yourself a significant amount of time! Use the skills above to build the job description for your Personal Executive Assistant. Another way to be sure you’re hiring the right person is to utilize a personality test like the Enneagram to figure out the type of person that will work well with you. Take the test yourself and then ask your top candidates to take the five-minute assessment, too. This will help both of you identify (from the start) if you’ll be a great match. Handing over many of your personal responsibilities can feel daunting, but once you find the right Executive Personal Assistant you gain much deserved time and energy to focus on yourself and those you love.