Tips to Get the Most Out of Working with an Assistant

In the beginning, we do it all ourselves. Every task that needs accomplished, the small business owner tackles as best they can with the time they have. The Everything CEO hat encompasses not just projects but also administrative tasks, marketing, accounting, and business management. Once you start bringing on clients and new assignments, this workload can become overwhelming fast. If you have been daydreaming about hiring someone to help you get more done and get some of the tactical work off your plate, here are tips to make sure you are getting the most out of hiring and working with an assistant.

Get Organized 

While any business owner dreams of having an assistant to help them get things done and become more efficient, it’s vital that you take stock of exactly what tasks you can delegate and what will need to remain on your own to-do list. This can be tough as many business owners are fearful of letting tasks go. Be honest with yourself about the reality of the work that needs to be done and what really needs your specialized skillset and what could be outsourced to an assistant.

Make a list of tasks you could easily delegate. This will be the start of the job description you will build for the hiring process. The more clarity you can get ahead of time, the more time you will save once you have hired someone.

Tip: Consider making training videos of the tasks you currently want to delegate to an assistant. Not only will you have documentation of your processes and the way you prefer tasks get accomplished, but you’ll also have these videos available any time you need to hire someone new. Your new assistant can access these videos at any time, eliminating redundancy in questions and training.

Set Goals

Once you know where you need support, set goals for your assistant. As the business owner, you are in charge of the vision of where this new position could go. In the beginning, your assistant will simply be learning the processes and procedures and getting a feel for the work. Over time, your assistant will get faster and more efficient. What is your game plan for that? In the future, once you have brought on even more clients, what sort of goals could be set to keep the entire team growing and advancing towards success?