I’ve worked as an assistant most of my adult working life and I love it! It gives me a sense of accomplishment to really be able to help another reach their goals. Throughout the years I’ve worn many types of “assistant” hats and I am familiar with the different types of assistants that there are. There are all kinds and often, the roles can overlap and become confusing.
In their true essence, all assistants provide some type of support. They can vary greatly and if you are looking to hire an assistant, it’s important to know the kinds of assistants that exist as well as the associated pay grade, responsibility, and expectations for each kind. Here’s where I can help you out and explain.
An assistant covers a vast realm and can vary based upon industry. For instance, it can be very specialized, such as a legal assistant who would provide different services than let’s say a marketing assistant. However, in its true essence, all assistants provide some type of support.
Here are the 4 main general types:
1. Executive Assistant (EA) – An EA works directly with a C-Suite level Executive or a select few Executives. The EA can act as a gatekeeper for the executive by managing their calendar, setting up meetings, coordinating travel, record keeping, administrative tasks, and correspondence on their behalf. They often manage and execute special projects on behalf of the Exec. all in the point of saving them time.
2. Personal Assistant (PA) – The PA helps with lifestyle. The personal assistant works with one principal, sometimes two. Duties can include tasks such as home shopping, coordinating personal travel coordination, scheduling appointments or a number of other tasks, all under the umbrella of personalized attentiveness to the principal. Not to be confused with an Estate Manager, a PA can also oversee tasks, people and planning like selling a home, managing home vendors and staff, and planning private parties.
3. Family Assistant (FA) – Family assistants assist all members of a household on a personal level. This type of assistant is similar to a personal assistant but is available to all members of a household. A family assistant is not a housekeeper, nor a nanny. Instead, the FA can manage shopping, travel coordination, scheduling appointments and all other personal administrative items associated with family members. Often these types of assistants live with their employers.
4. Administrative Assistant (AA) – An AA is an administrative role that often overlaps with office management. However, they are in principle quite different. An AA provides basic bookkeeping, invoicing, file management, and record-keeping on behalf of an office or department. An office manager oversees planning, directing, and coordinating the operations of an office or department.
Depending on your needs, any of these roles can be virtual. A Virtual Assistant, or VA, offers administrative services from a remote location and can be structured as an EA, PA, FA, or AA.
I work remotely myself, and I really enjoy it. I find that it provides great work/life harmonization for both myself and my employer. And not only does it save costs for my employer, but it saves costs for me too. Have you seen those gas prices?!
If you are considering hiring a business assistant for your accounting or bookkeeping practice, first look at strategies that might eliminate that need. When the advances in technology over the years, it is possible to create extreme efficiencies in your practice through a variety of software and service providers. You may find that many of the tasks you need to be done by an assistant can be performed by technology - at a much lower cost.
If you lead a multi-practitioner firm, taking the time to standardize and document workflows may free your time by eliminating the constant interruptions you have from team members asking questions.
To learn more about these and other strategies, you may want to learn more about Woodard's education and coaching programs for accountants and bookkeepers. Our annual Scaling New Heights conference which will be held June 19-22 this year offers training sessions ranging from QuickBooks and other technology training as well as practice and professional development.
You may want to dig even deeper into how to build the next version of your practice. If so, you might want to check out The Ideal Business course, which focuses on key areas that drive increased efficiencies, profitability, and client value.
If you do find that you do need that special assistant, you need to figure out what type of assistant you need. Start by identifying what exactly is keeping you from focusing on your interests, strengths, clients, and goals.
Perhaps you are selling a home, have no time to shop, and are losing touch with friends because you can't focus on making time for them. In this case, consider a personal assistant. Finding a PA with a background in real estate, calendaring, and personalized shopping can help alleviate all of these problems. You will find that you have more time available for both your business and personal life.
Perhaps you are a visionary, and you have a wealth of ideas but can’t focus on the details of executing those ideas. In this case, you should consider an Executive Assistant. An EA can help with planning, organizing and executing special projects.
Or if you find yourself bogged down in administration tasks piling up in your office, an AA may lift that pressure off you. Administrative Assistants can take client invoicing off your plate, assist with client onboarding and offboarding, and simply reduce unnecessary distractions.
Once you narrow down what your needs are you’ll be able to decide what kind of assistant you need to help you reach your goals. Some assistants, whether it be an EA, PA, FA, or AA, are flexible and enjoy learning new things and enjoy wearing different hats, so it is common to find an assistant who enjoys a hybrid role.
Once you find the right person, you should expect a 3 - 9 month standard learning curve to find your flow together. Not only does the assistant need to learn the specific tasks you want them to do and in the way you want them done, but they also need to become accustomed to your distinct way of working.
It’s important to clearly communicate your needs and provide adequate training. The hours you spend at the beginning save you hours and energy in the long run. Investing in this process means that your assistant will not only do what you want them to do but also allow them to anticipate what you need before you tell them.
I hope this helps you with your goals and I want to wish you happy assistant hunting!
If you have any questions, I am happy to help. Just email me at jfalcon@woodard.com.