Having the right staff can make or break you
Be sure to hire the right type of assistant
There are so many different kinds of assistants that one can hire, but will any ol' assistant do? Ask yourself this question: Will any kind of car do? How about a house? The answer is obvious, of course not. Yet business leaders and CEOs will often hire a personal assistant as long as they will work within the hiring budget, and that's a mistake.
Above and beyond the skills needed to fulfil the duties and responsibilities of a job, an assistant also needs to "fit" in other ways too. The lesson: Make sure you hire for hard skills, soft skills, and a personality match.
Above and beyond the skills needed to fulfil the duties and responsibilities of a job, an assistant also needs to "fit" in other ways too. The lesson: Make sure you hire for hard skills, soft skills, and a personality match.
What are the different kinds of personal assistants?
Hire a PA with the right strategy
Depending on what your business or household needs, there are essentially three different types of PAs: gopher, executive PA, and a chief of staff.
THE GOPHER: These are entry level positions. Someone fresh out of college with no work experience can do this role. A gopher will "go for" coffee, walk the pets, and pick up the dry cleaning for you. They will even wait in line at the DMV. These roles are sometimes called the "second position," so they are subordinate assistants to the higher-ranking PA, which is the Executive PA.
THE EXECUTIVE PA: If you're running a complex household, estate or company, then you're certainly going to want an Executive Personal Assistant. These roles are hybrid because they wear multiple hats. The EPA can seamlessly work in and out of corporate environments. They typically have at least five years of experience and a BA degree. The Executive PA role is a mid-level role, and they can make very lucrative salaries with the right level of education and experience.
THE CHIEF OF STAFF: If you're running multiple estates or a national company, then your operation is probably quite complex. Celebrity CEOs and billionaires like Jeff Bezos need a COS because it's impossible otherwise. Just like the Gophers work under the Executive PAs, the EPAs work under the Chief of Staff. It's a hierarchy like the military. A COS will typically have a master's degree, and salaries in this category can skyrocket over $250,000 a year.
THE GOPHER: These are entry level positions. Someone fresh out of college with no work experience can do this role. A gopher will "go for" coffee, walk the pets, and pick up the dry cleaning for you. They will even wait in line at the DMV. These roles are sometimes called the "second position," so they are subordinate assistants to the higher-ranking PA, which is the Executive PA.
THE EXECUTIVE PA: If you're running a complex household, estate or company, then you're certainly going to want an Executive Personal Assistant. These roles are hybrid because they wear multiple hats. The EPA can seamlessly work in and out of corporate environments. They typically have at least five years of experience and a BA degree. The Executive PA role is a mid-level role, and they can make very lucrative salaries with the right level of education and experience.
THE CHIEF OF STAFF: If you're running multiple estates or a national company, then your operation is probably quite complex. Celebrity CEOs and billionaires like Jeff Bezos need a COS because it's impossible otherwise. Just like the Gophers work under the Executive PAs, the EPAs work under the Chief of Staff. It's a hierarchy like the military. A COS will typically have a master's degree, and salaries in this category can skyrocket over $250,000 a year.
How to hire the right assistant
As illustrated in the graphic above, hiring the right assistant is complex, and the expert headhunters at The Celebrity Personal Assistant Network can help you hire the right PA. We look at all aspects of the assistant and the employer, then make recommendations about the placement.
Our founder has worked with Forbes list families, billionaires and celebrities in all three of the PA types: gopher, Executive PA and Chief of Staff. This is exceptionally rare in this industry as most recruiters have no prior experience in the roles that they place with clients. If you need assistance finding a personal assistant, please contact our office.
Our founder has worked with Forbes list families, billionaires and celebrities in all three of the PA types: gopher, Executive PA and Chief of Staff. This is exceptionally rare in this industry as most recruiters have no prior experience in the roles that they place with clients. If you need assistance finding a personal assistant, please contact our office.
This article was inspired by Inc's PA types