Finding an Executive or Personal Assistant Job

Preparing for an Assistant Interview

These days, employers are inundated with job applications. Therefore, you have to be prepared to sell yourself and stand out from the crowd. So what happens when you do land that all-important first interview?

In this chapter, you will find a list of 20 standard questions asked at most interviews for Assistants. Practising your interview answers is important when finding an Executive or Personal Assistant job.

We will then look at specific questions around career development and competency/scenario-based questions. The answers are here to help you think about your responses. Remember to make them personal to your career and your experiences.

There are also different interview formats, including how to conduct yourself during a video interview.

20 questions and answers for Personal and Executive Assistant interviews

The best way to prepare for an interview is to consider the subjects you will cover.

Let’s face it; there will always be a set of standard questions you will be asked, so you should prepare the answer before you go into the interview.

Why do you want to leave your current job?

Unless you have been made redundant, this question can result in quite a negative answer. There is the temptation to have a bit of a moan about your current /previous employee. But, try to find a positive response to this. There is nothing worse than hearing someone complain about their last job. It just sounds unprofessional.

“For a long time, I enjoyed working for my current employee, and I have felt that I learnt a lot from the role and my Manager. However, the job is limited and doesn’t give me much room to grow (you can expand this for whatever reason that fits your circumstances). This position will allow me to expand my skill set and advance my career.”

What are your strengths?

Referring back to your core PA/ EA skills would be best. Also, think about the environment you will be working in. If it is a fast-paced commercial company, mention that you are not easily flustered if it is a traditional company with exact working methods. You state that you are organised and have a natural eye for detail.

“I’m very organised. I don’t get stressed out easily and can deal with most situations. I’m also very intuitive and can juggle many different tasks”.

What are your weaknesses?

This is tricky because you should try to sell yourself in an interview, not dwell on your bad points. Turn this question from a negative answer into a positive one; note that you have a flaw, but tell the interviewers what you have done to overcome it.

“In my previous role, I had to work with many strong-minded and opinionated consultants and found that I could not be assertive with them, and sometimes I felt they could get me to do work that I was uncomfortable with. After discussing this with my Manager, I attended an assertiveness course and gained the training to deal with them. I find it hard to say no. It is a work in progress, but I am getting there”.

What are your present job’s most satisfying and frustrating aspects?

Again, try to remain diplomatic with this question. For the “satisfying” part of the question, refer back to aspects of your role that will benefit your potential employee. For the “frustrating” factor, consider the new position and how it will improve your career and working environment. Please don’t make the frustrating aspect personal to anyone; make it about the company environment.

“The most satisfying aspect of my role is helping the Executives make informed decisions that affect the rest of the Company. I enjoy working with and supporting successful people at the top level of their careers. The most frustrating aspect is the slow pace in the office, and it can be difficult to get things done on occasion.”

What do you think you can contribute to this Company?

This is the question that allows you to sell yourself. Look through the job description and pick out the key attributes required for the role; this should form your answer.

“I’m incredibly hard-working, focused and organised, so I can quickly get through a lot of work. I also have advanced IT skills to support senior staff members with their work while managing various other tasks. I am proactive, so I am good at finding ways of delivering better services and anticipating any problems that might come up. I can be very flexible, so happy to help others in my team. I’m also quite friendly and like to organise nights out and other team-building activities.”

Why should we employ you rather than one of the other candidates?

Use this question to sell yourself. You want the interviewer to pick you, so emphasise your strong points, unique attributes, and why you would be a brilliant person to employ. Remember to link your answer to the job description and add other skills you have that the other candidates might not.

“I do think that I would be a great asset to the Company as I have the skill set that I know you are looking for in the right candidate. I am also a brilliant event organiser. I can write marketing material and can help with other creative projects. I know that I will support you in your work and ensure you can concentrate on high-level projects while I take care of the daily tasks. I’m not sure the other candidates will have my full set of skills and my unique experience.”

Have you done anything or taken any courses to further your experience?

If you have completed any courses at a previous employer, here is your time to shine. Let the employer know what you have achieved, and take pride in your work. It will make you look like you care about your career and take it seriously. If you are new to the profession or haven’t had the chance, emphasise the skills you already have by saying:

“I am constantly looking to improve my skills. My IT skills have improved greatly and are now very strong, and over the years, my interpersonal skills have grown as I work with different people at all levels of the Company. I haven’t had the opportunity to complete any formal training. Still, I keep up to date with the industry by reading many articles on LinkedIn and other publications for assistants. I am open to additional training and would love to develop myself further.”

How do you work under pressure?

When this question arises, try to inject humour and show that you don’t take yourself too seriously.

“I’ve had jobs in the past that have been highly pressurised, and I’ve found that I cope well with that and don’t mind working to tight deadlines because at least I know what has to be done each day! I always find that chocolate and a nice glass of red wine help to alleviate any pressure at the end of a long day!”

What motivates you at work?

Think about the aspects of the job that excited you when you first read the job description. You should reference these tasks in this question and talk about how you like to use these tasks to motivate yourself and the actual working environment.

“I like to have a mixture of tasks that allow me to use my varied skill set. For example, I like to be creative, but also I am quite detailed driven, so I can happily work away on a PowerPoint presentation or an excel report. I like to know that I am contributing to a team and that my work makes a difference, which is one reason I enjoy being a PA. I know I am supporting people who make big company-wide decisions. I also like to have fun at work and enjoy my time there, so I like to be involved socially and know my colleagues personally. I find that it also helps to keep me motivated.”

How do you work with two or more Executives?

If you are applying for a role that requires you to work with two or more Executives, you will need to demonstrate that you can do this without a hitch. Use specific examples of how you have juggled both workloads and are happy to continue this. If this is the first time you have worked with more than one Executive, stress that you are a good organiser and can prioritise your work well.

“I like the challenge that working for two directors can bring, and it does help keep me motivated as the work can be quite varied. To work effectively for both Executives, I ensure that my work is well organised, aware of any deadlines, and understand each of their priorities. I also stress to the Executives that I need to stay in touch with them throughout the day if their work becomes more urgent than the others, and I also make sure we have regular catch-ups so that I am fully informed of their schedule. It can be a juggling act, but one that I enjoy.”

How do you handle a demanding Executive?

Undoubtedly, the demands on Executives are higher than ever, which means they can become pretty demanding and put a lot of pressure on their Assistants to shoulder some of the burdens. That is part of our role. This question is becoming more common in interviews, and it is worth asking yourself if you want to work for a demanding Executive. There are other options and other roles. If you feel that you can handle the demands, here is a great answer to showcase your skills.

“I always say that I work with my Executive, so if they are demanding, I like to find out why. If they are under a lot of pressure, I can help reduce that pressure by working with them calmly and professionally, getting through the work, and meeting deadlines. If it is in their nature to think everything is urgent and needs to be done immediately, I make sure I communicate so that I am not on the back foot. I find that once I work well with my Executive, we understand each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and we frequently communicate the difficult aspects of their character to become less abrasive.”

What are you looking for in your career development?

This question is always tricky for Assistants to answer because you don’t want to respond in a way that suggests you are using the job as a stepping stone to something better. Secondly, you don’t want to look like you lack ambition. Your answer wants to land somewhere in the middle of ‘just an assistant’ territory and world domination.

“I want to progressively earn more responsibility and participate in more projects and activities over time. I want to manage a team at some point and lead projects. I want my career development to reflect the new challenges I am setting for myself. So ideally, I’d like to attend courses or have some time for self-study to learn new skills which will progress my career and benefit the organisation as a whole.”

What has been your biggest professional disappointment?

Oh, this is a horrible question! It is, however, fairly common, so don’t let this question get the better of you. Don’t, whatever you do, give an example of something that was entirely your fault and caused many problems – like that time you forgot to organise your Manager’s Visa to Russia, and they ended up in prison. Yes, it is a funny story but not one to share with your new employer! Instead, describe something that was not in your control, which impacted you personally, how you overcame it, and what positive outcomes you have taken from the experience.

Do you consider yourself to be successful?

Yes, it should be the only answer to this question, but a little humour will help you answer without sounding like an egomaniac. Think of an example that shows you have achieved more than your roles required, such as that great event you managed or the incredibly complex trip you organised for your Executive. With any example, you demonstrate that you set your objectives and goals, worked hard to achieve them, and are proud of your successes. If you are applying for your first assistant role, refer back to your studies, this would be my example:

“During University, I worked part-time while completing my course. I had to balance my studies with a part-time role that ultimately paid for my education. I quickly learned how to manage my time and not neglect my job or studies. I am proud that I achieved my results while gaining work experience to help me in my chosen career. I feel like my time at University has given me the confidence to be successful in the future.”

Give me an example of a goal and how you achieved it.

The example could be something personal like completing your first marathon or work-related – either way, make sure you pick something that gives you a chance to shine. If you use an example from your career, mention the impact on your career development and what you have learnt.

“After a few years working as a Personal Assistant, I wanted to take the next step and move up to an Executive Assistant working with board-level directors. I felt this was the best way to move forward in my career, so I challenged myself to achieve the promotion within two years. Firstly, I ensured that I was getting all of the basic functions of my role right and could complete every fundamental task easily and quickly. Once I had procedures to deal with my administrative tasks, I started to ask for more challenging tasks. My Manager knew I could take on more work, so they asked me to help on various business-wide projects. I worked hard to ensure that on each of these projects, people knew who I was, what I was capable of and that I was willing to work hard. Just after a year and a half, I was headhunted by a board-level Director to work as their Executive Assistant. I was pleased with my success. Setting that goal meant I received a promotion and picked up many new skills along the way.”

Can you give me an example of a positive change you have made in an organisation?

The thing to remember with scenario-based questions is that you don’t have to give a complicated answer, and you don’t have to pick examples that make you sound amazing. You must provide an example that shows you in the best light but doesn’t spend half an hour describing the scenario. Keep your answers short and, more importantly, structured.

“I was working with a Director that was not the most organised person regarding paperwork. He would often attend meetings without the correct supporting papers, or they would have doodles all over them, which didn’t help his reputation. He was self-reliant and didn’t want me to touch his unique filing system. I knew I could help him, so I started printing out his email attachments and anything he might need for an upcoming meeting in the first few months of working together. Before I went home every evening, I would print out his calendar and attach the correct paperwork for his meetings the next day. I would pop the file on his desk for everything he needed the following morning. He loved the idea and became more reliant on my help. It was a positive change, and his colleagues were pleased he was arriving at meetings with the right paperwork.”

Can you give me an example of a time you have worked with a difficult person and how you dealt with the situation?

You will be asked about your people management skills during every competency-based interview. It is always worth having a story or two in the back of your mind, as this is such a common question. In your answer, show that you dealt with the situation yourself (rather than referring it to HR). Suppose you have had a horrendous experience. Either tone it down or use another example. Again, don’t spend too long answering questions that provoke negative answers; you want to move on to questions that allow you to shine. Remember, with any negative item, make your answer as positive as possible, and inject humour to show that this person has not affected your self-esteem.

“I did work with a manager a few years ago that I struggled to get on with. I thought at the time his position in the Company was under threat, and to compensate, he would try to exert power over me by giving me very menial tasks. For example, he would ask me to fill his stapler with staples, which could be disrespectful. I put up with his behaviour for a while because I wanted to understand why he acted that way. I did have to push back, and in the end, I think he respected me because I stuck up for myself.”

Can you give me an example of excellent customer service?

This question could come in a few different forms, but it ultimately relates to you doing something above and beyond your usual duties. Have a few examples ready because you will probably be asked this question several times throughout the interview. Remember, your answer doesn’t have to be related to your experiences as an assistant; it could be a job you had at a University or a volunteer role outside of work.

Can you give me an example of a complex task you have worked on and how you ensured its success?

This is a great question and deserves an answer that makes you stand out. Assistants must always deal with complex tasks, so use something related to the role you are applying for. For example:

“I once organised a trip for a boss touring our offices in Asia and Australasia. It wasn’t easy to organise because of the time difference and distances between each location. There was also the issue that my Manager had not been to a few destinations. They were worried they wouldn’t be able to navigate public transport as they usually do in New York or other locations they had been to numerous times before. I initially worked on the travel plans but ultimately contacted a fellow PA in each office and asked for their help. I needed to have local knowledge, and they were able to put me in touch with the best hotels and car hire companies. Another issue was the different temperatures in each country. Australia was still experiencing warm weather, but it had started turning cold in Japan, so I ensured my Manager knew what to pack. During her trip, I kept in touch with her every day, despite the time difference, and ensured everything was running smoothly.”

Can you give me an example of how you have handled multiple priorities?

This is another common question asked at interviews for assistant roles, particularly if the position assists more than one Executive. The answer to this question should include the competencies required to handle multiple priorities, such as flexibility, dealing with tight deadlines, working with multiple personalities, time management and coping with pressure. Again, it is well worth having one or two examples to demonstrate these abilities because they will undoubtedly come up in an interview for an assistant position.