So, I don’t have time to pick a personal assistant
So, I recently posted that I am looking for a personal assistant.
I still need it, badly, and I got a few CVs after I posting that … only I didn’t even have time to review these CVs 🙁
Yes, I am that busy – I wasn’t lying when I said I need an assistant to save me my precious time!
So, after some thought, here is what I decided to do: I will ask everyone who applies to this position, as a first task / entry exam, to find me the best personal assistant for my needs out of “everything that is out there”. There can be several results to this request:
- The applicant can be insulted by the unorthodox request and just refuse to proceed with me.
- Even if they’re not insulted, they can just give up, possibly because they do not think the exercise is worth their time.
- They might decide to do some digging here, and really find me a top quality assistant (or perhaps just a a better assistant … I can apply this recursively if needed)
- Or, they might do the research and convince me that they are my top choice for assistance.
If somebody passes all this, reaches item #4, finds me a few alternatives but manages to convince me that they are better than their alternatives … then by golly, they deserve the job. If somebody gives up and decides to either get insulted, or that the job isn’t worth doing 1-2 hours research … then they prove to be the wrong candidate.
I hope I don’t come off as too cruel here – I really do not have time to review a lot of CVs and do the homework, and I think it’s an interesting test of abilities for this position. If this sort of exercise seems as cruel or mean to you, then odds are you and I won’t get along anyway, and so this filter has served its purpose.
P.S.
If you do manage to find me a quality Personal Assistant, I’ll make it worth your while, time and effort.
Anna:
I’m surprised that people even answered with your attitude :-p
27/11/13, 19:50Probably the job market really sucks for personal assistants these days (or you’re willing to pay a lot of $$$).
ripper234:
🙂
I know I have “a unique attitude” AKA “an attitude problem”.
27/11/13, 20:50I want someone to be able to handle my attitude and unique (twisted?) sense of humor.
Amnon:
Excellent way to detract people from applying. Unless your almost no CV/screening candidate will also handle your actual tasks (for which you seek the PA to begin with), this is pure HR/recruiting issue. The set of skills, experience and abilities are not necessarily the same. Either you call for a temporary recruiter position or you source it to an HR agency.
30/11/13, 2:16ripper234:
I am happy to announce I have hired a temporary personal assistant (a more fitting term is Executive Assistant actually) for this role.
I would love to upgrade her to a permanent position … but she hasn’t committed to it yet, she needs some time to test drive this … quite understandable.
30/11/13, 4:00A Quantum Immortal » I’m looking for an assistant again:
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