I am sure that when it comes to thinking about hiring your perfect PA, it can seem a little daunting. Your PA needs to be an “extension” of you, be your eyes and ears, your “go to” problem solver, your confidant and the person you are likely to rely on more than anyone else in your business (and/or life!) There are possibly hundreds of attributes particularly important to being a Rockstar of a PA – being attentive to detail, reliable, adaptable, professional, approachable, discreet, having the ability to juggle a multitude of ever changing priorities and seamless achieve tight deadlines…the list goes on!
So what are the top 3 considerations I personally think are the most important when hiring your perfect PA?
1) Are you aligned on the business objectives, do you think in the same way and are your personalities compatible?
If you aren’t aligned or chasing the same goals, you’re going to hit stumbling blocks along the way. A PA who is on the same wavelength as you will always be able to be several steps ahead of you, think strategically, be much more proactive and be able to read your mind! (yes we do have training in this, it’s used more than you think!)
2) Can you trust them with your life?
Okay this sounds a little dramatic but you will be trusting your PA with lots of personal, confidential and sensitive information, and you need to be sure they won’t share or misuse this privilege. In addition to this, if you are relying on your PA to book your travel/accommodation, you want to be sure they aren’t going to book you on the slow rickety or overnight train or less than appealing low budget motel miles away from where you need to be. If your PA is going to be your Business Manager too, they may need to deputise for you in meetings or respond to emails on your behalf, therefore knowing you can trust them to be your “voice” or make decisions on your behalf is absolutely essential.
3) Does your PA have the “X Factor?”
PAs are no longer regarded in the old fashioned traditional way of "just being secretaries." We are strategic superheroes dedicating our professional lives to turbo charging business owners, executives and entrepeneurs and contributing to the success of your business. Many often become Business Managers and Executive leaders. Has your PA got that passion and drive to take your business to the next level? Can they demonstrate that they have ideas, can implement/support new initiatives or lead projects? PAs often go a above and beyond the remit of their role to get involved in extra curricular activities and their participation not only demonstrates their commitment to your business, but dedication to their own professional development.
In my view, all PAs are total Rockstars and it’s uncommon to come across one who falls short of meeting your expectations. Don’t hire based purely on skills and experience – of course these should be serious considerations, however for me, knowing your PA thinks and works the same way as you, is 100% trustworthy and can contribute significantly to business growth are critical factors to a prosperous business trajectory and winning working relationship.
Joanne Hickling May 2020