This is a great article we’ve found about the most frequently asked interview questions for an Executive Assistant, Administrative Assistant interview for C-level executives. Some of these are obvious, but it’s really good to have a refresher and they could be really useful.
Tell me about yourself. A great chance to sell yourself. Plan well, be precise and practice in front of anyone you can find. Try to touch upon a little bit of your personal self, this will give the interviewer a good insight into your personality.
What are your current duties as an Administrative/Executive Assistant?
What skills will you bring to the company?
What are the most important qualities to have as an Administrative/Executive Assistant?
Did you look at our company website? It’s essential that you do look at the company website before any interview if you’re serious about the job. If for some reason you didn’t take a look, don’t lie, but it will look like you don’t care about the role.
What type of personalities do you work best with? They are clearly looking to see if you can get along with people. You could mention here that you are a hard worker, but also spend a lot of time at work with people and that you often socialise out of work time with your work colleagues. This implies that you get on well with them.
How do you rate your computer skills? It’s a good idea to mention that you create presentations and reports using graphs, charts, pivot tables on a recurring basis and are quite comfortable working on social media sites. You need to come across as an advanced user of Microsoft Office products and are keen to learn new skills.
Describe yourself in three words. Something positive but not arrogant would work here such as diligent, sociable and focused.
Do you have experience handling calendars? Go a step further and mention you handle calendars in multiple time zones.
What practice do you follow answering emails? You’re probably used to dealing with multiple emails for your boss and possibly multiple bosses.
How would you prioritise tasks if you support more than one person? Is there a system you follow? Likewise with this question, you would want to come up with a similar answer around time-management.
You’ve been asked to set up a meeting. What actions will you take?
Are you good at keeping matters confidential if required? Give an example of when you have been asked to keep things private. Confidentiality is a very important aspect in most industries.
Describe a time you were working on a project, and your colleagues did not agree with you, how did you solve this and come to an agreement?
How do you deal with difficult situations at work?
When was the last time you were in a high pressure situation?
What was the biggest challenge in your previous / current position?
What are your strengths? Again another great opportunity to sell yourself and show signs of great characteristics skills, which will make the interviewer want to hire you instantly. Some key skills of an EA are attention to detail, ability to multi task, strong communication skills, good listening skills, and ability and desire to be two steps ahead of the executive that you support.
Do you have any questions for me? This is always important and you should look at their company website to get some inspiration.
Judge the interviewers subtle reactions to an answer and improvise. Be punctual, dress smart, always have an extra copy of your CV and remember to smile.
