Interview with Debbie

• Can commit to retaining my services for a minimum of twenty hours per month
• Are looking for a long-term relationship
• View me as an equal, colleague, and partner
• Are honest and live a life of integrity
• Are successful in their chosen field and passionate about it
• Have high standards for their lives and businesses
• Have specific goals and a plan to reach them
• Truly want to find balance in their professional and personal lives
• Are open-minded and welcome new ideas
• Plan their work well and do not regularly work in ‘emergency mode’
• Trust me to take care of the things that they do not have to personally touch
• Communicate with me on a regular basis and provide feedback
• Do not have a desire to micro-manage me or the projects I do for them
• Show appreciation for a job well done
• Typically give people the benefit of the doubt

Part B – Interview with Debbie

Tell me about your professional background:

I have worked in many different industries over the last eighteen years in positions varying from sales assistant to office and HR manager. The industries I worked in were varied, and each added unique skills to my repertoire of experience. I enjoyed learning through them and every one offerered me new opportunities to sharpen my already strong organization and time management skills; further develop an attention to detail that I come by naturally, and put into practice my ability multi-task and meet deadlines.  

What software and web-based programs do you work with?

I work or have worked with more software programs and web-based services than I care to count!  Below are some of the biggies that people usually ask me about, but if you don’t see one that you’re looking for, that doesn’t mean that I don’t know it!  Just ask me, and I’ll tell you my experience with it.

How will you communicate with me when we work together?

One of the things my clients tell me that they appreciate about working with me is my accessibility.  When we work together, you and I will stay in touch via telephone, email, IM and occasionally even  text messages. Once we have been working together for a few months, we will find a rhythm that works best for our unique working relationship.

I do ask that you schedule (and keep) a weekly telephone appointment with me.  I feel that it’s important in this digital world that we work in, to touch base and hear each other’s voices once a week.   These calls don’t have to be long; in fact sometimes they might only be a few minutes to catch up or say ‘hello’.

But I’d also like you to know that you do not need an appointment to call me every time you want to speak with me.  I encourage you to pick up the phone and call me when you have something you’d like to discuss. If I am at my desk (and not already on a call) I answer my phone.

What is your work style?

I value teamwork, trust, and integrity; take ownership for my actions; am persistent in obtaining results and looking for solutions; strive for improvement every day; and love to explore new ideas. As things develop, you can count on me to react promptly to situations that I have encountered previously, and to ask questions before I act on your behalf in new situations. I am a “think-on-my-feet” type of person, and will frequently have suggestions for you before I even ask you the question.

What if I need you to use a software program that you don’t already know or own?

I am always happy (eager, even) to learn a new software program. If the program will be specific to you only, and there is little chance that I would use this skill for another client, I would require that you purchase a copy of it for installation on my computer and, if necessary, pay for me to take a class to learn it and/or get up to speed. If it is a mainstream program that I likely will use for current or future clients, I will split the cost of the program with you and attend a class on my own if I feel the need. It is rare that I need to take a class to learn new software and, if I do need to, usually a one- or two-day seminar course will suffice. As for the learning curve, because I am very adept at learning new programs, it is very short.

What if I need a service that you do not provide?

I don’t profess to be able to ‘do it all,” but I can still get it done for you. If there is something that you need that I do not do well, I will tell you so. I have an extensive list of resources that I turn to for work that is outside of my expertise. At your request, I will refer you to one or more of these professionals, and (regardless of whom you hire,) I can oversee the work on your behalf.

What are your business hours?

I am in my office and available to you from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday. These are the times that I commit to being available to be reached by telephone and to answer emails. I do work outside of these hours at my discretion, and will most likely be available until 5:00 PM EST on weekdays.

What if I have an emergency that I need your help with outside of your business hours?

One of my work strategies is to help you set procedures in place so that emergencies are few and far between. In the event that one does occur outside of my work hours, provided it is not a regular occurrence, I will do my best to help you.

Do you have a contract for me to sign?

I do have an Agreement that I will send you when we begin working together. It is not a contract, but an outline of my policies and procedures. I require that it be signed and returned to me before I begin any work for you so that I know you have a clear understanding of the way I do business.

What are your rates?

I bill you monthly only for the time that I spent on work for you. I do not have different rates for different types of work; however I do offer a discounted rate to clients that work with me on a retainer-basis (10 hours minimum per month.) I will discuss my current rates with you when we speak on the phone.

I’m ready to get started! So why do we need to talk on the phone?

‘Fit’ is critical to the success of our relationship. Our personalities, work styles, and ethics are a huge part of this fit, and are something we cannot assess by reading websites. I have developed a two-way interview that will help us determine if we are good candidates for working together. After our phone conversation, we will know if we are a good match.

I can’t wait to speak with you!