Top Staffing Tips: What Can A Personal Assistant Do For You?

 

Do you find yourself overwhelmed by the never-ending expectations from your personal and professional life? Do you struggle to strike a balance between accomplishing what you must do and the things you enjoy doing? Before things get worse, you need to consider hiring an additional pair of hands to reduce your workload. Working with a personal assistant is a life-changing and cost-effective way of managing your to-do list. But what can a personal assistant do for you, exactly?

If you’re wondering how a personal assistant can help you achieve that elusive work-life balance and make your work and personal life more manageable, you’re in luck. Today we’re taking a look at the benefits of hiring a personal assistant, what qualities to look for in one, and how to go about hiring a personal assistant who can help you get more done as you work less.

What is a Personal Assistant?

A personal assistant (PA) is a highly skilled individual who helps manage an individual’s day-to-day administrative and organizational tasks. A PA can provide invaluable support with daily tasks to free up time for their clients. They take on a wide variety of personal assistant responsibilities, from grocery shopping to taking phone calls, so their clients can focus on higher-level activities.

Why Work with a PA? Benefits of Having a Personal Assistant

Yes, a good personal assistant can do anything from scheduling appointments to making phone calls on your behalf. But their actual value lies beyond checking routine tasks off your list.

Increased Productivity

If you’re a business owner or a manager, you have so many responsibilities. A manager’s working life can be quite hectic. You need to attend meetings, oversee business operations, and accomplish other executive responsibilities. All these things can take up most of your week, and we haven’t gotten to the personal duties yet. To be more productive at work and in your private life, you need the support of a personal assistant.

When you find the best personal assistant for the job, you can increase productivity and get closer to achieving your goals. You can focus on high-level responsibilities without worrying about running errands like paying bills or organizing the family calendar.

 

 

Reduce Stress and Avoid Burnout

It may seem counterintuitive, but taking breaks and delegating tasks can help you reach your goals more effectively and sustainably. Working hard is essential to success, but it should not be done to the point of burnout. Too much of a good thing can be harmful and unsustainable. Instead, consider working smart and delegating when possible.

To perform well in all areas of your life, you must prioritize your overall well-being. This means allowing yourself ample time and space to recharge and relieve stress. If you find it challenging to do this alone, consider hiring a personal assistant to help lighten your load and give yourself the break you need and absolutely deserve.

Enhanced Work-Life Balance

Finding that balance between work and life is an ongoing challenge. It’s not always an exact 50/50 split but rather a feeling of contentment and fulfillment in both areas. It’s not an easy journey, especially if you have too many administrative tasks on top of your executive responsibilities and personal errands. When these tasks get between you and that sense of contentment, it’s time to hire a personal assistant.

Want to know what life with a reliable and responsible personal assistant is like? Schedule a free consultation with our Growth Experts to learn more!

 

 

What Can A Personal Assistant Do For You? Tasks You Can Delegate to Your Personal Assistant Now

From scheduling appointments to creating your travel itinerary, a personal assistant can relieve you of various routine, time-consuming activities. They can take over tasks related to your business or your household errands. The following list is a quick rundown of what you can easily delegate to a personal assistant.

Administrative Support

• Calendar Management
• Book Business Travel Arrangements
• Managing Phone Calls
• Inbox Management
• File Management
• Scheduling Meetings

Business Support

• Staff Scheduling
• Database Management
• Event Planning for Seminars or Conferences
• Market Research and Data Gathering
• Social Media Account Management
• Taking Meeting Minutes
• Source Office Supplies and Equipment

Assistance with Personal Tasks

• Household Management
• Meal Planning
• Arranging and Overseeing Home Repairs
• Online Grocery Shopping Assistance
• Scheduling Personal or Family Travel Arrangements
• Planning Family Trips or Celebrations (parties, dinners, etc.)
• Arranging Pet Care and Grooming Appointments
• Paying Bills Online (utility, communications, medical, etc.)
• Organization of Personal Finances

A personal assistant can also handle administrative assistant and personal tasks, so you don’t have to. With a personal assistant, you can get more things done and focus on the aspects of your life that matter most to you.

Ready to hire a remote assistant? Schedule a free, no-strings-attached consultation call with our Growth Experts today!

Top Five Qualities to Look for in a Personal Assistant

In many ways, a personal assistant has a direct effect on your life. Personal assistant responsibilities cover both your private and professional life. You need someone who can keep up or, even better, help you stay a few steps ahead. This is why it’s important to be picky when choosing a personal assistant to work with.

Personal assistants with technical skills and experience may have an advantage. But it’s also important to look for someone with relevant soft skills to ensure a good fit. Look for these five qualities when trying to fill a personal assistant role:

1. Strong Communication Skills

Effective communication is one of the needed qualities of a good personal assistant. A personal assistant must make direct phone calls or schedule meetings on your behalf. This means they need to be able to communicate your requirements clearly and professionally to your business partners and service providers. Even when they’re not working in a traditional office setting, a personal assistant must be able to be professional in all their communications.

Additionally, you need someone with great comprehension skills to do well in their role. When you’re explaining the personal assistant’s duties, they must understand what’s required of them and clarify when applicable. A great listener and communicator will save you time by minimizing unnecessary back-and-forth.

 

 

2. Organizational Skills

If you want a well-organized schedule, you need someone who has the right skills. A great personal assistant with excellent organizational skills can help you put your schedule and responsibilities in order. They need to be able to manage your complex calendar, manage your files, and provide updates on every task that they’re assigned to accomplish or monitor. If you don’t want anything falling through the cracks, then highly-organized personal assistants are your best choice.

3. Attention to detail

Aside from accomplishing tasks promptly, a personal assistant must also be mindful of even the most minor details. “The devil is in the details” is not just a random saying for personal assistants. They need to apply this principle when working on their personal assistant duties, especially when managing finances or proofreading emails sent on behalf of your office.

4. Adaptable and Quick-Thinking

Sometimes, a personal assistant’s duties may seem routine, but finding an assistant who can adapt to different situations is essential. Unexpected tasks and roadblocks can arise, and it’s important to have an assistant who can handle these challenges with grace and provide the support and stability you need. They should also be able to prioritize assignments when necessary and have quick thinking skills to help everything run smoothly.

5. Ability to Maintain Confidentiality

Personal assistants work with confidential information including personal data, credit card details, trade secrets, and office management systems. These must be treated with extra care. Personal assistants should be able to maintain confidentiality and be discreet at all times. They should be trustworthy enough that you can delegate tasks with confidence.

Read our article on the top remote assistant skills to look for and other remote staffing tips. Ready to delegate your tasks? Book a free consultation with us today!

 

How Can I Hire a Personal Assistant?

If you’re looking to hire a personal assistant, then here are some of the most common routes you can take:

Ask for Referrals from Your Network

Ask friends, colleagues, and family members if they can recommend anyone looking for personal assistant jobs. However, even if a personal assistant comes highly recommended, you should always do your due diligence by interviewing candidates and conducting background checks.

Post Job Listings Online

Another option is to post a comprehensive job ad containing the job description, hours required, and other pertinent details on online job boards. Career portals allow you to post job listings for free or for a fee. After posting, you need to set aside time to screen and reach out to qualified candidates to jumpstart the recruitment process. This route can take longer since you typically have more steps to go through and applications to review.

Consider Working with Remote Talent

Hiring remotely usually only costs a fraction of hiring from your area. Offshore staffing is an even better option as you can cut your labor expenses by as much as 80% without sacrificing work quality. A remote professional can handle personal assistant duties from the comfort of their own office, wherever that may be. Hiring remote personal assistants is your best bet if you want to increase your productivity without overstretching your budget.

 

Managing Your Remote Personal Assistant

To help your PA accomplish their personal assistant duties just the way you need them to, you need to put in the effort to manage them, particularly at the beginning. It’s vital to equip them with the right information and set clear expectations to make the working relationship more effective.

Maintain Clear Communication Channels

You need clear and transparent communication to build a successful and mutually rewarding relationship with your personal assistant. One way you can do this is by keeping your communication lines open. They should be comfortable enough to reach out for any concerns or clarifications. Similarly, they should be open to hearing feedback and instructions from you.

Communication is also essential for staying effective and productive. Knowing how to provide clear instructions to your personal assistants is important. This way, they’ll know exactly what to do and when and how to do it so that they can deliver the best results. Overall, keeping your communication lines clear is crucial whether working in an office setting or remotely. Proper communication is key to the success of any working relationship.

Align on Expectations and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Set expectations and make sure you and your personal assistant are on the same page. This way, they can understand how their work will be evaluated, and you can both be clear on what you’re hoping to accomplish. It’s also a great way for them to manage their time effectively and prioritize tasks to make the most of your working relationship.

In addition, setting KPIs and goals can help establish a sense of accountability and responsibility. Setting clear expectations and goals allows you to hold your assistant accountable for delivering results and meeting deadlines. This can help you get the support you need to achieve your objectives. It also helps provide your personal assistant a clear sense of what they need to do and the standards with which they’re being measured against.

Give Actionable and Constructive Feedback

Now that you’ve established clear communication channels and KPIs, you must follow through with them. Actionable and constructive feedback is necessary when working with a personal assistant.

Giving constructive feedback to your personal assistant can be uncomfortable. But it helps them to better understand your needs and preferences, allowing them to anticipate your needs and work more efficiently. Additionally, it provides an opportunity to address any concerns or issues that may be affecting your productivity or workflow, ultimately leading to a more successful working relationship.

Constructive feedback lets you show them what they’re doing right and how to improve. It also helps ensure that you get a consistent output from your personal assistant, which is essential in achieving positive results.

What other types of virtual assistants (VAs) can you hire? Read our article on the difference between administrative and executive assistants.

 

 

Get Top-Notch Remote Personal Assistants with 20four7VA

Hiring remote personal assistants is a cost-efficient way to reach your personal and work goals. They can do what other personal assistants can do but in the comfort of their own home office. And if you’re ready to hire a personal assistant, then it’s best to work with a top-notch remote staffing agency like 20four7VA.

Why Hire Remote Talent with 20four7VA? Here Are 5 Reasons

20four7VA is a multi-awarded remote staffing services company with over a decade of experience in the talent-as-a-service industry. We’ve helped over 2,500 clients find the right remote talent for their business needs. Want to know why clients from across the world trust our services?

Here are just five of many reasons:

Save Time and Energy

The recruitment process itself will demand a lot of your time and energy. To help you save your valuable time, you can leave the work to us. We’ll help you create a job description, screen applications, and find the ideal candidate based on the skills, knowledge, work experience, and personality you require. If we have the right remote assistant in our talent pool, we can match you with your remote PA within a few days.

Save Money with Customized Staffing Solutions

We’re an excellent partner for businesses looking to grow while keeping their costs down. During your free discovery call, we’ll talk about your staffing requirements and concerns. From there, we’ll craft the most cost-effective remote staffing solution that fits your needs.

Get Access to Top-Notch Global Talent

Our pool of global remote talent consists of professionals who have passed our meticulous 8-step screening process. This allows us to give you the best remote personal assistant that matches your goals.

Work with a Multi-awarded Remote Staffing Company

20four7VA has been recognized by top institutions in the business and remote staffing landscapes. The company earned a place on the Inc. 5000, a list of the most successful private companies in the United States. We’re also a certified Women’s Business Enterprise by the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC). Most recently, the World Staffing Summit recognized the company and our CEO, Catherine vanVonno, as part of the “Top 100 Staffing Companies to Work For” and “Top 100 Staffing Leaders to Watch,” respectively.

These awards are a testament to our commitment to our main missions:

• We aim to help companies grow with cost-effective remote staffing solutions.
• Our team is dedicated to providing meaningful and sustainable remote career opportunities to skilled individuals across the globe.

End-to-End Remote Staffing Services

The 20four7VA experience does not end when we find you the best candidate that fits your personal assistant job description. We make working with remote talent easier and more effective by providing the following services:

• Dedicated Account Manager
• HR services (payroll processing, time-tracking, performance monitoring, etc.)
• IT helpdesk
• In-house training and upskilling for the remote assistant
  And more!

 

Getting a good personal assistant is vital if you want to stay on top of your to-do list and manage your time better. Let 20four7VA find the right personal assistant for you. Schedule a free consultation today!