hiring an assistant – Getentrepreneurial.com: Resources for Small Business Entrepreneurs in 2024

Article Contributed by Michele DeKinder-Smith

No single formula exists for hiring an assistant. Each female entrepreneur is unique and therefore must hire an assistant who meets her unique needs and those of her business. However, all woman business owners must consider these several important topics during the hiring process to ensure an excellent relationship that paves the way to a strong, efficient team in the future.

1. Personality: just like any relationship, that between a female entrepreneur and her assistant should be complementary so each balances the other’s strengths and weaknesses. For example, Jane Dough business owners often move quickly and can come across as if they don’t have time to talk. It would be beneficial to Jane Dough, then, to hire an assistant who can get Jane Dough to slow down for a moment if he or she has a question or concern. Tenacity Jane business owners are often visionary, so hiring a down-to-earth assistant may be beneficial.

2. Work skills: certain types of female entrepreneurs enjoy certain aspects of running their businesses more than others; therefore, hiring an assistant whose skills complement a business owner’s favorite tasks is essential. For example, Merry Jane business owners often use their companies as creative outlets. So hiring an assistant with experience handling the financial aspects of a business provides the perfect balance. Some Tenacity Jane business owners excel in their craft or skill, but lack business knowledge. Hiring an assistant with experience in business or finance would benefit both Tenacity Jane and her company.

3. Communication style: because an assistant will often act as the liaison between a female entrepreneur and her clients and team members, his or her communication style must not only fit the business owner’s, but also must be effective on a larger scale. For example, Go Jane Go business owners may find delegation difficult and may also feel concerned about each team member’s performance. Her assistant, then, should be able to communicate the business owner’s desires to the team members and then report the team members’ progress back to Go Jane Go so Go Jane Go keeps a firm grasp on the happenings of her business. On the other hand, Jane Dough finds it difficult to communicate her vision to her team and probably will not want to know the specifics of what’s going on at ground-level (she prefers working on strategy). Therefore, she’d benefit from an assistant who could communicate the vision to the team, and who would discuss the details only when necessary.

4. Employment needs: entrepreneurs running larger-scale businesses will be able to hire full-time assistants, whereas those running smaller businesses will not. Therefore, an entrepreneur must consider her own needs as well as those of her potential assistant before signing an employment contract. For example, Accidental Jane business owners relish their freedom from “traditional” work settings, and may not want to feel tied to an assistant, an office, or regular working hours. She would need an assistant, then, who could handle less-than-full-time work status, and who could work from a remote location. On the other hand, a Jane Dough or Go Jane Go business owner may require more than full-time work from her assistant.

Whatever a woman business owner’s situation, hiring the right assistant can prove beneficial in myriad ways. By considering the hiring process from several different angles, a woman business owner can ensure that the match is positive for both parties, and for the business.

About the Author:

Michele DeKinder-Smith is the founder of Jane out of the Box, an online resource dedicated to the women entrepreneur community. Discover more incredibly useful information for running a small business by taking the FREE Jane Types Assessment at Jane out of the Box. Offering networking and marketing opportunities, key resources and mentorship from successful women in business, Jane Out of the Box is online at www.janeoutofthebox.com

Hiring Help: Two Entrepreneurs Find the Right Assistant

Article Contributed by Michele DeKinder-Smith

When a woman business owner makes the decision to hire help, hiring an assistant is an excellent first step in building a team. Even if an entrepreneur doesn’t feel ready to create a team immediately, the right assistant eventually can serve as the link between the business owner and the team in the future. Selecting an assistant who meets an entrepreneur’s specific needs (both immediate and future needs) is absolutely essential in forming a relationship that will set the foundation for a strong team later one.

A recent study from Jane Out of the Box, an authority on female entrepreneurs, reveals there are five distinct types of women in business. Based on professional market research of more than 3,500 women in business, this study shows that each type of business owner has a unique approach to running a business and therefore each one has a unique combination of needs. This article outlines two of the five types and provides tips for each one to consider when hiring an assistant.

Jane Dough is an entrepreneur who enjoys running her business and generally, she makes a nice living. She is comfortable and determined in buying and selling, which may be why she’s five times more likely than the average female business owner to hit the million dollar mark. Jane Dough is clear in her priorities and may be intentionally and actively growing an asset-based or legacy business. It is estimated that 18% of women entrepreneurs fall in the category of Jane Dough.

Because Jane Dough often delegates almost too much and then moves quickly on to her next strategizing session, she needs an assistant who will ask questions when necessary and who will be able to command Jane Dough’s attention and then communicate quickly and efficiently once she has it. Jane Dough business owners tend to be so focused on growth and strategy that they don’t communicate their vision. Therefore, team members often feel disconnected. An assistant can act as the liaison between Jane Dough and the rest of the team.

Professional skills and experience Jane Dough should look for: managerial skills, effective communication skills, multi-tasking, organization.

Personality traits Jane Dough should look for: confidence, an outgoing nature, a can-do attitude, a thick skin, autonomy, flexibility.

Go Jane Go is passionate about her work and provides excellent service, so she has plenty of clients – so much so, she’s struggling to keep up with demand. She may be a classic overachiever, taking on volunteer opportunities as well, because she’s eager to make an impact on the world and she often struggles to say no. Because she wants to say yes to so many people, she may even be in denial about how many hours she actually works during the course of a week. As a result, she may be running herself ragged and feeling guilty about neglecting herself and others who are important to her.

Go Jane Go business owners often find delegating difficult because they worry that no one else will live up to their own high standards. Therefore, they must hire helpers who are detail-oriented and who strive for perfection like she does, and who will find creative ways to encourage Go Jane Go to delegate to him or her. Also, Go Jane Go values her relationships with customers so much that she sometimes goes above and beyond what is reasonable, stretching her personal and business resources. Therefore, while an assistant Go Jane Go hires must be customer-friendly, he or she also must be able to provide Go Jane Go with a reality check when a client’s demands exceed practicality. Finally, an assistant to Go Jane Go must have excellent communication and organization skills so he or she can effectively handle running a team while providing Go Jane Go with the information she needs to feel confident that her team is performing at the high caliber she demands.

Professional skills and experience Go Jane Go should look for: attention to detail, managerial skills, previous experience as an assistant, customer service skills, excellent communication skills.

Personality traits Go Jane Go should look for: perfectionism, confidence, a take-charge attitude.

Although working with a team may provide excellent benefits and results, an entrepreneur may not be ready for the costs and challenges of managing a team right away. Hiring an assistant is a great starting point in creating a team, as it encourages a woman business owner to learn to delegate effectively and provides a future link between the business owner and a team.

About the Author:

www.janeoutofthebox.com