Choosing an Assistant

I think a popular question on social media is “How Should I Choose an Assistant?” Firstly, it doesn’t always seem to be easy to find us. Slixa does have a page for personal assistants but some of the ads listed are no longer active. Safeoffice has a list of personal assistants but again, some are no longer active, and you have to be a paying member to access this resource list. We are floating around on social media and often times, it seems word of mouth is the most common avenue.

Once you have a list of potential candidates, here are some things I think are important to consider: their industry experience, how they accept payment, where they are located, when they work, and how many clients they have or are willing to accept. Having an assistant with industry experience is the most ideal. If the assistant was previously an escort, they should know the nuts and bolts of things. They should be able to screen effectively and efficiently. They know the inner workings of certain platforms and ad sites. Most importantly, they probably have a nose for sniffing out bullshit.

As for payment, I believe the only ethical way is to have a flat fee. Some assistants charge a percentage per booking but this is problematic in a few ways. 1.) If someone has a slow month or doesn’t want to take many bookings, this may lower the wage of the assistant but not necessarily their workload. 2.) It incentivizes the assistant to book as many clients as possible, potentially even unsavory ones.

It’s important to know when an assistant works. Some have typical office hours, some only work weekdays, some work longer days. Timezones can be a challenge. You don’t necessarily need to choose an assistant in your own city but if you work out of NYC and your assistant in LA, this could cause a backlog of emails due to the time difference.

Lastly, how many clients do they have or are they willing to take on. There is no guarantee what they tell you is the truth but it’s good to at least get a general idea. Some assistants don’t particularly care about the quality of their work and their model is based on the volume of clients they have. Others understand that this is your business and it’s important to approach things with care. This circles back to someone who has worked in the industry, especially recently. I remember what it was like to book my own clients, and my goal is to manage my clients’ bookings with the same level of professionalism.

This isn’t an inclusive list of things to consider but these are probably the most important. Choosing a personal assistant is a big step. They will be an integral part of your business so don’t be afraid to ask questions, have a phone call, etc.