Ask HN: What Makes a Great Assistant?

  • Trustworthy - they will have access to sensitive information.

    Articulate - they will communicate on your behalf.

    A good dose of common sense.

    Comfortable in the role of follower but not a pushover, they will be helping maintain your boundaries.

    Willing to do mundane repetitive tasks, content in the knowledge that they are freeing you up.

    Consistent, calm and predictable.

    Process oriented - help keep things working smoothly.

  • The biggest challenge will be you.

    Are you 100% ready and willing to stop doing things and trust that someone else can get them done well enough even if their method isn’t 100% identical to how you would’ve approached the task?

    If not, you’ll either go through a few assistants quickly and change your tune or you’ll always wonder why it’s so hard to find a good assistant.