Wanted: The perfect secretary
Dear Nanay,
I am a senior executive in a company and I need to hire an executive secretary. I have two candidates. One is very trustworthy and the other is very efficient. Unfortunately, I am not sure which one I should hire. Any suggestions on how I should decide?
Gilbert
Dear Gilbert,
We are very often faced with difficult choices when hiring people. It is very rare that one candidate will fit all your needs or will stand out as far superior to all your other choices. Very often it will come down to compromises and deciding which traits are most important for the job that the successful candidate will perform.
In your case, you need to think about exactly what your executive secretary will do. Will she just be put in charge of tracking your appointments, answering letters and meeting your guests? Or will the job entail the handling of money, gift certificates and other valuable items?
I am sure that considering those issues will help you decide which candidate to hire. Efficiency is, of course, very important. Kaya lang, kapag kailangan ng secretary mo humawak ng pera (But if your secretary needs to handle money), then without a doubt get the honest one. Napakahirap makahanap ng tao na mapagkakatiwalaan (It’s very hard to find a person you can trust).
Sincerely,
Nanay
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Firing The Long-Time Employee
Dear Nanay,
I have an employee who has been working for me for the past 30 years. Unfortunately, I have to let her go. I cannot bear to do it. I know some people are better than others at “letting people go,” but unfortunately I am not one of those people. How do you cope when you have to do something like this?
Gina
Dear Gina,
Thirty years is a long time. And it is perfectly normal to feel emotional. Unfortunately, if you are in business, there are some things that you just need to do, whether you like it or not. Sometimes you just have to try your best to distance yourself. In other words, kahit ayaw mo man gawin (even if you don’t want to do it), it does not sound like you have a choice.
I only have one suggestion: make sure you follow what the law says with regard to separation or retirement pay and other benefits. And because she was with you for so long, her fairly sizable package will surely make her very grateful to you. In addition, you should also feel some satisfaction from the fact that you are helping her start a new life.
Sincerely,
Nanay
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If you have a question, e-mail us at asknanay@nationalbookstore.com.ph or just drop your letter at drop boxes in all National Book Store branches nationwide.
