Page 91 - Social Media Marketing

Hiring Your First Assistant 71

comprised of people I knew and respected from various back-
grounds and fields. Each had his or her own expertise and spe-
cialty. Whenever I had a question or problem, I could turn to one or
more of these professionals. They in turn could turn to me for my
knowledge and expertise.

Not bad for a guy whose first assistant was a part-time teenager
who answered phones!

Avoid Snap-Judgment Hiring

Don't hire the first person who walks through the door. Take your
time; a couple of weeks are not too long to wait. Interview your top
5 or 10 candidates a second time. Give them tests-spelling, simple
math, copyediting. Have them compose a business letter on your
office computer. Check their references.

If you are hiring someone to manage your web sites or blogs
or fill other roles in which technical expertise is required, make
sure the applicant has those skills. Check out other web sites the
person has built. Visit the person's blog. You may even test the
candidate by having him or her build a sample web site for you or
build a PowerPoint presentation or create a spreadsheet. Take the
candidate's skills for a test drive, to make sure the person has the
qualifications to do the job.

Assign Meaningful Job Titles

Assistant may be an accurate job title, but it can be counterproductive
in two ways. First, very few people like to be known as assistant.
They prefer more meaningful titles that give them status. Second,
few clients will want to deal with your assistant. They want to deal
with you or with somebody else who has a higher position.

Give your assistants meaningful job titles. Your closest assistant
may be your Second in Command. Your receptionist could be Di-
rector of First Impressions. Your sales reps could be Sales Execu-
tives. Your marketing assistant could be your Marketing Manager.
Choose job titles that are not only descriptive but also convey a sense
of status.