How to find Personal/Virtual Assistants Well Versed in GTD?

[joejordan81]

Hello,

Can anyone point me to a virtual or personal assistant who knows GTD?

I'm in Atlanta, so anyone local to me would be great, but not required.

Thanks,
Joe

 

[hopeworks]

I am interested in this as well.

 

[Eureka!]

If someone is well-versed in GTD how long do you think they would be content to work as someone else's assistant?

 

[andrewblunt]

Hi! Were you able to find the Virtual assistant that is well-versed in GTD? I am interested to apply if you haven't found one. Thanks!

 

[CJSullivan]

EA well-versed in GTD

I am currently gainfully employed full-time, and also assisting my husband with his business, so would have to do some major juggling, but am definitely well-versed in GTD. I was first exposed to David Allen when he ran MAP seminars at Polaroid in the mid-90s, and have used GTD ever since in my personal/professional life.

Am intrigued by the possibility of virtually assisting one or more people - but really this is just my putting my toe in the water, as I'd be reluctant to give up benefits, etc. of full-time job...

Send me a private message if you're interested in discussing further? Tx!

 

[kelstarrising]

Article on GTD Times about this

There is a great article on GTD Times about this:

http://www.gtdtimes.com/2010/01/06/using-a-virtual-assistant/

 

[bishblaize]

If someone is well-versed in GTD how long do you think they would be content to work as someone else's assistant?

Its not that youre an assistant - its who youre assistant to. There's a job right now in the guardian (UK) for an assistant, circa £65K, which is just over $100K.

 

[Jamie Elis]

start with a job description

What do you want to achieve with the assistants help?
What activities do you want the assistant to do?
When and where and for how long?

Once you have some clarity on these, you will have a better idea of where to look and how to look. You might even give the candidate a trial task, although do remember that people of all ages and backgrounds can be so anxious in first meetings that they do not show their true ability.

I have found in working with assistants in various positons that I have had that sometimes personal qualities and talents, such as concentration, accuracy, good memory, reliability, ability to use feedback, an eye for efficiency, and freedom from annoying habits, are critical first and foremost. However skills and knowledge, count but here you should ask yourself what exactly you need.

It might be more helpful to find someone who knows the language of your profession, its ethics, and time frames, and then teach them the aspects of GTD that they will need to know.

In trying to convey GTD concepts the hardest thing I have found to get across is defining project outcomes and the value of keeping SDMB list. Also, if I am not consistent then the helper tends to drift to whatever system or non-system the helper is most at ease with.

 

[jesig]

Solution? Hire someone hard-working and curious, who has a natural proclivity toward organization, and teach her/him GTD.

My first boss out of college (a personal assistant job) had bought a copy of GTD for everyone in our company (13 people). He told me about it in my job interview, and gave me a copy on the first day of work. I had a ridiculously slow computer, and so I read an entry or two from Ready for Anything every morning while I waited for that dinosaur to boot.

I have not worked a day of my adult life, save the first week when I was reading the book, without knowledge of the GTD principles and system. It fit my worldview already, and yes I've had to tweak it for different situations, and now I'm in academe, which is a whole different kettle of fish, but it has always been the core of my functioning in the workplace. If you hire the right person, she'll take to GTD like a fish to water.

However, I agree with Eureka's comment, however tongue-in-cheek it may have been intended--people who gravitate toward GTD tend to rise fast. Our business manager took another position eleven months after I was hired, and so I took over her job instead of staying the assistant.

 

[Guest]

RE: How to find Personal/Virtual Assistants Well Versed in GTD?

Hi,

Thanks for the information on VAs that are well versed in GTD. This can be very useful to our virtual assistant service company. It is hard to find information like this. It requires a lot of extensive searching. Thanks!