Insider Guide.

Insider's Guide Organization

How TO hire an assistant

MacGeachy is the co-owner of Mint Lifestyle, which provides assistants to celebrities and Hollywood insiders, among others, in Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago, and London. More and more part-time personal-assistant services are catering to people who don't want to spend their precious free time running errands. It can feel weird at first to delegate your personal life. But believe me, you'll get used to it. * Assess your needs. A personal assistant should be willing to do almost anything, such as arrange pictures in photo albums, wait for the cable guy, or make your travel plans. She'll even help organize your closet or update contacts in your PDA. She won't clean your toilet, rake the leaves, or rub your feet, but she will find the best housekeeper, gardener, and pedicurist in town. * Hammer out the details. To find a service, type your city and "personal assistant agency" into an Internet search engine. Most agencies charge $30 to $75 per hour, plus expenses -- and sometimes, there's an hour minimum. If the cost is $75 per hour with a three-hour minimum, and you just need someone to deliver an envelope, you could pay $225 for what a courier would charge $20. If you need a specific skill, like bookkeeping, say so up front. * Do your due diligence. Find out if the service has liability insurance, if they conduct background checks, and if employees sign nondisclosure agreements. Get a copy of the agency's insurance and ...