Executive Secretary Interview Preparation Guide

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Here you should just speak honestly about your experience. If you do not have much direct experience speak about any related work you have done, such as with voluntary groups or helping to organise events.

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 lots of different tasks

For a PA, this is a hard one to answer. Really the best answer you can give is to say that your goal, for now, is to be able to provide the best assistance possible in your next role and that you do not currently have any career aspirations outside of PA because you really enjoy this work.

As an executive secretary, organization is the basis of my work. I make sure that I make lists and schedules for myself and I do not let myself waver from them. Using technology to self-remind about appointments and tasks also helps.

Again, do your research and know what the company does. Also, you should go into the interview with a clear idea of the role of the manager you will be PA for.

Focus on three or four strengths that refer directly to the secretarial job requirements. Potential examples include organizing and planning, adaptability, information management, attention to detail, problem-solving, reliability, initiative , discretion, multi-tasking, prioritizing, good judgment and communication and interpersonal skills.

For a long time I really enjoyed working for my current employee and I have felt that I learnt a lot from the role and also from my manager. However, the job is limited and doesn’t provide me with much room to grow (you can expand this for whatever reason fits your circumstances). I feel that this position will give me the opportunity to expand my skill set and also move forward in my career.

A crucial quality to have as an executive assistant is the ability to communicate effectively. Since my role requires communicating on behalf of the company via telephone, email and face to face interaction, it's important that information is relayed correctly and in a professional and timely manner. In addition to communication skills, organizational skills are just as important. It's vital that I stay on top of things and maintain order not only for myself, but the executives I work with as well.

When seeking a new role it is a good idea to further your training. If you are not already doing so enrol on some courses to help improve your typing skills or IT skills. You could also use books or the Internet to learn new skills. Explain what you are doing and why you have done it.

Now is the time for you to brag a little! Tell the interviewer about situations in which you did well and events that relate to the position for which you are applying. In order to brag effectively, do the following during the interview: 1. State the problem 2. Explain how you handled it 3. Describe the results (i.e., cost savings, automation, increased sales, etc.)

We will cover behavioral interviewing in a future article, but the advice here follows the S.A.R. guideline that is taught to hiring managers and other interviewers so that they can understand how you behaved in certain situations.

I would assess the amount of work involved for each task and begin with the tasks that require the most effort. I have a quick turnaround time with my work so quickly approaching deadlines do not intimidate me. If necessary, I am open to staying late in the office in order to complete an urgent task.

This question is intended to reveal information both about your discretion and your attention to detail. What you definitely don’t want to do is go into too much detail about the type of confidential information you handled. Even if the person who’s interviewing you asks, it’s not their information to request; nor is it yours to give. Speak in very general terms. “Because of the confidential nature of the information, I really can’t go into a lot of detail about what the information was. It involved everything from business plans to legal matters to employee records. I kept paper files under lock and key. I also had password management software on my computer so that I could have a different password for everything without having to write any of them down.”

When I looked into how to become an executive assistant, I thought my skill set was a great fit for the position. If I had to pick my greatest strength, it would be my interpersonal skills. I am a true people person. It will be beneficial in this position because great customer service is essential. Initially, I started off as a secretary in my last position, but was promoted to executive assistant because my strength translated into the ability to win clients over.

This is a question that makes most people go weak in the knees during an interview. Interviewers commonly employ this question for a number of reasons:

To see how well you think on your feet
To detect any negativism about yourself or former employers.
This is also a way for the interviewer to obtain your honest appraisal of your abilities. There is a very simple and easy way to handle this question: candidly and honestly. While you should not throw caution to the wind when you give your answer, your interview preparation session will have given you ample opportunity to develop a terrific response. No one is perfect; we all have strengths and weaknesses.

Be as honest as you can here. If your company has relocated, say so. If you were downsized, right-sized, or outsourced, just say so. But say so in a positive light. Remember, NEVER, EVER say anything negative about your former employer or former co-workers!! If you were terminated, practice your response carefully. You might respond in the following manner:

☛ "Things at ABC Company did not work out well for me. It was not a good match, and I decided to move on/switch gears/etc.".

☛ "ABC Company was experiencing financial difficulties and, as a result, laid off 20% of its workforce. My position was eliminated."

☛ "ABC is a small company with limited opportunities for advancement. While I have thoroughly enjoyed my work there, I decided it was time to move on in order to advance."

I really enjoy talking to people, making company and being responsible for organizing and scheduling things. I have been doing this for years and have a good skills in it, so I believe I can be a pretty good secretary. I can see myself doing a good job here and enjoying it. That is the main reason for my job preferences.

From my point of view, secretary is a very important element in the office. She keeps the boss informed about important things, takes care of the schedule and represents a first line of contact for the guests. What more, a good secretary should do her best to keep the atmosphere in an office positive and motivating, what I always try to do. I would really love to carry out these duties and that’s why I want to get this position. However, it is up to you to consider if I am a right candidate, or not.

The interviewer is trying to assess your fit with the job so try and make your answers relevant to the requirements of the position. Appropriate general answers about what you enjoyed can include meeting new challenges, dealing with diverse people, learning new skills, meeting daily and weekly goals.

Your dislikes should not relate to the characteristics of the job you are interviewing for.

I possess in-depth understanding of office management and basic accounting procedures, along with demonstrated expertise in scheduling appointments, responding to questions in person and over the telephone, and handling filing and record-keeping duties.

This question is designed to find out how adaptable you are. The idea is to show that people are different and that you’re most effective if you treat people in a way that’s appropriate for them. Your answer could go something like this: “Well, first is your spouse and anybody else you want me to put through right away. Another important group is your direct reports. They’ll be trying to impress you, so it’s important for me to know who’s who so that I can sort things out. Another group consists of executives at the same level as you. This one is very much about politics. There’s a lot of jostling going on at that level to see who’s next in line for succession. There is also a lot of political maneuvering to see who’s on whose side. Finally, there are the customers. I need to know how you relate to customers so that I’ll know how to handle those calls when you get them.”

☛ How does your experience make you ideal for this role?
☛ How fast can you type?
☛ What’s your experience with “back-office” software?
☛ Have you managed a budget before? What’s your experience with expense reporting?

☛ Why do you want to become a secretary?
☛ Why do you want to be an assistant here (at our school, in our office, etc.), and not somewhere else?
☛ What do you want to accomplish on this position?
☛ Where do you see yourself in five years time?
☛ Can you tell me a little bit about your past working experience?
☛ What makes from you a better personal assistant than other applicants?
☛ How do you imagine a typical day in work if we choose you for this position?
☛ Tell me about a situation when you needed to work under pressure. How did you handle that?
☛ Can you work with MS Office? How would you rate your skills with typical Office software components?
☛ What are your strengths and weaknesses?
☛ Would you mind working overtime?
☛ Would you mind accompanying your boss on business trips?
☛ How would you cope with an angry customer or business partner?
☛ Have you ever prepared a weekly schedule for someone?
☛ Do you have experience with preparing letters, reports, bulletins, handbooks, etc.?
☛ When are you able to start?
☛ Do you have any questions?

☛ Have you ever made a mistake while handling files? How did you correct it?
☛ Recall a time when you had to complete multiple projects with tight deadlines. How did you prioritize your tasks?
☛ Describe a complex project that you worked on with a group. What was the goal, and how did you work with others to accomplish that goal?
☛ Tell me about a time you had to make a difficult decision in the absence of your boss

☛ How do you ensure confidentiality?
☛ Imagine your executive has to travel to a city they’ve never been before. How would you go about making travel arrangements?
☛ How do you ensure lower level support staff are performing their duties effectively?
☛ If a high level executive asked you about your boss’s plans regarding a specific matter, what would you say?

☛ 1. Do you consider yourself a patient person?
☛ 2. Are you an introvert or an extrovert? Are you more outgoing or a private person?
☛ 3. How do you describe your personality? Bubbly? Upbeat? Reserved?
☛ 4. Do you speak any other languages?
☛ 5. Are you able to multitask? Provide me with an example of what you might be juggling on an average day.
☛ 6. What office equipment are you able to use?
☛ 7. With your current employer, what has been your attendance record?
☛ 8. How are you with understanding accents and working with individuals who are foreign nationals?
☛ 9. How do you handle stressful situations?
☛ 10. How many phone lines are you comfortable handling?
☛ 11. Are you capable of handling multiple inquiries simultaneously; staff, front door, customers, phone?
☛ 12. What software are you comfortable using?
☛ 13. Are you comfortable placing cold calls to leads and existing clients?
☛ 14. Do you have experience making national and international travel arrangements?
☛ 15. Are you willing/capable of traveling should we require you to accompany a manager or executive on a business trip?
☛ 16. Would you be able to comply with our company’s dress code?
☛ 17. How are you at handling as-needed projects? Do you mind unexpected tasks?
☛ 18. Do you consider yourself a brisk worker, or one who is slower paced yet persistent and consistent?
☛ 19. Outline the types of people or teams that you have supported over the years.
☛ 20. Do you have experience managing an executive calendar and scheduling appointments? What software?
☛ 21. Tell me about your customer service experience.
☛ 22. Provide me with an example of a recent challenge you’ve faced with a visiting sales rep, vendor, customer. What happened and how did you handle?
☛ 23. Tell me about your experiences working with your current manager. What do you find the most challenging?
☛ 24. Provide me with a quick list of the last few projects you’ve worked on through the last 2-3 years.
☛ 25. Do you like taking on ad-hoc projects? Or are you someone who prefers a set day-to-day schedule?
☛ 26. If asked, what would your current employers say about you?
☛ 27. Have you had any involvement with introducing new systems or technologies to help improve performance within the company?
☛ 28. Any professional involvement with social media and online networking, including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn?
☛ 29. Do you help your current manager with maintaining his online presence?
☛ 30. Lastly, do you like working on the front lines of a company? What do you think that is?

I have been extensively involved in inter-departmental work and have efficiently created and maintained effective relationships between key members of each department. Ascertaining that communication channels are open and that all information flows in a professional manner has been my focus.