Office/Personal Assistant

I'm a copywriter, singer/songwriter, and property owner. I'm seeking an all-around helper with his/her own car to be my office/personal assistant, who can work 32 hrs/wk, starting at 8-9am each morning .

I'm offering $13 per hour, plus a $2 per hour longevity bonus, which will accrue and be paid to you at the end of your first year (50 wks x 32 hrs x $2 = $3200 Bonus). I am offering this bonus because I want a one year commitment and I am willing to reward you for it. You will be paid as an independent contractor.

You'll be working out of a small office in my home, so before you reply to this ad, please be sure you're comfortable with that.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

Basic Office Assistance: Going through my mail, filing papers, paying bills, entering data into Quicken, disputing overcharges on bills, researching purchase options, booking plane tickets, coordinating contractors, scheduling repairmen etc.

Personal Assistance: running errands, vacuuming, watering plants, feeding my cat when I'm away, emptying out my car, etc.

PRE-INTERVIEW

Following are some pre-qualification questions. I know that you'd typically answer these questions in a live interview, but my time is limited (which is why I need an assistant!), so please email back your answers to the questions below and if YOU are the best qualified, your written answers will help me see that quickly. No need to send a resume at this point. If you sound qualified, I will contact you for a resume. Please only complete these questions if you can work 32 hrs/wk, starting at 8-9am and can make a 1 yr commitment.

GENERAL QUESTIONS

What is your name, phone #, and email address?

Why are you looking for PT work vs. FT work that might offer benefits and a better hourly wage?

What kind of relationship do you prefer with your employer? One where you report back on your progress throughout the day? Or one where you work independently, logging notes about your progress for yourself, so that you can pick up the ball the next day?

If I were to have a question when you're out of the office and need to phone or email you, how would you feel about that?

ADMIN SKILLS

Please describe your experience in each of these areas. ("Yes/No" answers will not give me enough information, so please elaborate.)

Setting up a filing/paper management system. What's your preferred method of organizing files?

Organizing receipts, bank statements and other documents.

Sorting mail, identifying which items are priorities, and handling them.

Keeping on top of multiple contractors; ensuring that they're all on track to meet their deadlines.

Finding overcharges on bills and getting them reversed.

Describe a project for which you made decisions and found the resources you needed, with little or no help from your employer. Please describe it in a way that demonstrates your ability to work independently.

Please describe a specific instance where you had to resolve a dispute with a vendor, and describe what you did to get the vendor to remedy the situation.

Have you ever used software or a web-based tool, to send personalized emails to a large group list? What tool or software did you use?

Do you have bookkeeping experience? How much and to what extent? Did you use software? Which programs?

HARDWARE & SOFTWARE

Have you worked on PC's or Macintosh's or both?

Have you used any graphic design and/or page layout programs? Which ones?

What experience do you have importing or exporting data from a database?

Please list any other software programs you've used and tell me specifically what you used them for.

WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT

Have you ever … (Please describe)

Set up an RSS news feed that people can subscribe to?

Created opt in forms?

Used FTP?

Set up a Web site to offer downloadable ebooks?

Created entrance or exit popup windows?

Thanks for answering all of these questions! Please copy and paste these questions along with your answers into an email message and send it back to me.