Most successful business owners understand the importance of a great assistant. They know that the assistant is a problem solver and gatekeeper for the company, and their work often goes far work simple administrative tasks. They have to manage the inner workings of the company, and their support is often what makes the business owner seem so successful.
So if you’re thinking about hiring an assistant, you should take some time to find a really great assistant. This will make day-to-day life at work much easier, and it could even help to boost sales and profits.
Here are five signs of a great assistant.
1. 5 Signs Of A Great Assistant: They Represent Important Values
A good assistant will reflect their manager’s values. They understand that they represent their manager every day at work, so they showcase important values (such as professionalism, inclusiveness and friendliness), and they also prioritize important professional traits (such as excellent communication skills and a strong attention to detail).
2. They Predict Your Needs
An outstanding assistant will also be able to predict their manager’s needs, even if the manager isn’t aware of their needs. This could be as simple as ensuring they eat food before an important meeting, or it could be more complex; for instance, the assistant could rearrange the manager’s schedule so they have more time to prepare for a big project. In essence the assistant will increase productivity, without any extra direction.
3. They Are A Tech Pro
Over the last decade the role of an assistant has changed significantly, and now it is important to hire an assistant who is tech-savvy. They should have a basic understanding of most popular tech solutions, including Cloud computing, data analytics and AI, as well as more specific tech tools that relate to your business (such as affiliate marketing). This will allow your business to be at the forefront of its niche, so your customers will receive the highest level of customer service.
4. They Are Adaptable
A great assistant is also adaptable and resourceful. They will have sound judgement skills, and they know when to take action (and when to pass the task over to their manager). This resourcefulness means that various issues are solved without help from management, so their boss can focus on other important tasks.
5. They Are Great At Time Management
Finally it is important to hire someone with great time management skills (especially if you hire someone from a virtual assistant company, as they will need to track their own time). Most assistants have a wide range of tasks to complete every day, and this can be very difficult for someone who can’t manage their time effectively. So aim to hire someone who lists time management as one of their core skills, as if not, they may fall behind.
