Uh Oh, Is it Time To Hire an Administrative Assistant?

Are you buried in administrative responsibilities that keep you from being the high-impact entrepreneurial guru you envisioned? If you have had this hair-pulling, gut-wrenching conversation with yourself, consider jumping off the precipice and hiring your first administrative assistant.

I have worked with many early-stage business owners who have evolved from small start-ups to “real” businesses. One of the biggest liberators has repeatedly proven to be hiring a talented administrative assistant. Let me repeat this: There is a fantastic catalyst when a business principal is frustrated enough to finally let go and hire an administrative assistant to help keep them organized, focused, on time, accountable, and strategic.

If you have read this far, I know that you are interested in hiring an administrative assistant, so… here we go:

You must return to the $300+/hr. Work that drives your business. Let’s face it: If you are doing repetitious work that you don’t add value to and that you don’t like, it is easy to envision that an assistant can do these tasks more effectively than you.

• Write out a thorough job description with explicit duties. Finding clarity in what the job truly is about is essential for you and your prospective administrative hire. There are better approaches than ready, fire, and aim. Spend the time crafting the job duties before you start looking for talent.
• You can commit to a pre-hire behavioral assessment before making a hire. Let proven science help you find the right person. I observe that you need someone who is highly organized, loves details, is sensitive to people, is a good communicator, and is courageous in telling you what is happening within your team.
• Chemistry and trust are all-important. It is critical to find an administrative assistant whose personality you respect and with whom you are comfortable delegating important tasks.
• Set aside time daily for synchronization. Plan to set aside time together daily to ensure that priorities are reset and you are on the same page.
• Provide frequent feedback on performance. Building a relationship and coaching performance is very important in the beginning. Be ready and willing to comment on what you like and where the opportunities lie. Please don’t avoid constructive criticism.
• Share your calendar and email, and allow your voice to be delegated. It’s hard to let go, but a talented administrative assistant will soon demonstrate that they can act and sound like you want.
• Reinvest your time in CEO duties. After 30 days with your new administrative assistant, you will have more time to drive new business, strategize, organize, plan, and lead. Prepare yourself mentally for the best use of your newly found capacity.

I hope you found this helpful. If you want more ideas to fine-tune your business, click here.

Coach Dave