Telephone Interview – Questions

    Click through if you need advice with personal assistant interview questions or PA interview questions.    Why do employers use telephone interviews? Employers usually use telephone interviews when they receive a lot of applications or are recruiting for a lot of positions. It’s a way of narrowing down the candidates into a number that it is possible for them to interview face-to-face.    How long do they last? They varied in length, generally takes between 20-25 minutes but can take up to 1 hour.    Advantages of telephone interviews:   For the employer: They are time and cost-effective – most last about 20-25 minutes. They test your ...

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Tips for Effective Delegation

Delegation is a key tool in the effective management of people, time and resources.  Here are a few key elements of any delegation. Click here for our guide on how to improve communication skills  Determine what you will delegate. 

 You decide which task(s) you want to delegate. Keep in mind that delegating is different from simply assigning someone a task that is already a part of the normal job requirements. When you delegate, you give someone else one of your job tasks; but you maintain control and responsibility.   Select the person to whom to delegate the responsibility, taking time ...

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How to Write a Curriculum Vitae

A good curriculum vitae – or CV – is vital when looking for work, especially when there are numerous candidates for the same job, so what should it contain?   It takes recruiters an average of “6 seconds before they make the initial “fit or not fit decision” on candidates based on CVs, according to research conducted by The Ladders.   Click through if you need advice with personal assistant interview questions or PA interview questions.    What to include Always accompany your CV with an introductory covering letter giving relevant information about how you would suit the job.    Tips to keep in mind. ...

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Questions You Should Ask During a Job Interview

After months of searching, you’ve finally landed an interview for the job of your dreams. You’ve chosen your wardrobe, researched the company so you can intelligently discuss the issues, and thought through questions you may be asked.   Click through if you need advice with personal assistant interview questions or PA interview questions.   At the end of most job interviews, you’re asked a seemingly innocuous, open-ended question: “Do you have any questions for me?”    One obvious mistake is not asking anything at all, which shows that you haven’t given any serious thought to the possibility of employment at this particular organization and missing ...

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Beat Unemployment Stress

When you lose your job, not only is your usual source of income gone, but also your personal work relationships, daily structures, and an important sense of self-purpose. Unemployment can be, and often is, a shock to your whole system. The good news is that despite the stress of job loss and unemployment, there are many things you can do to take control of the situation and maintain your spirits. You can get through this tough time by taking care of yourself, reaching out to others, and focusing on your goals. This can also be an opportunity to rethink your ...

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Dec 10, 2013

How to Deal with Difficult Conversations

Click here for our guide on how to improve communication skills When having a difficult conversation, it’s easy to get wrapped up in what you need. You’re angry so you respond with anger. You’re frustrated so you respond with frustration. It makes sense, but it’s not effective. Instead of reacting, ask yourself a question: what is going on for the other party?    Start with respect. Hold tempers in check by having all participants in the conversation agree at the beginning to respect each other and the problem you are discussing.    Know your objective. What do you want to accomplish with the ...

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Transform Your Weakness into Strengths

Click here if you need advice with personal assistant interview questions or PA interview questions. The question every job applicant dreads is “what are your weaknesses?” If you’re uncomfortable answering this question, join the club. We all have our own personal weaknesses. For some of us, these weaknesses are caused by the lack of a skill or certain knowledge. Other weaknesses come down to our personalities. Some people are shy, overconfident or temperamental.   Growth begins when we begin to accept our weaknesses. ~Jean Vanier    Asses yourself. Look into yourself. Check yourself. What are your strong points? These refer to some tasks that ...

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Top Tips on How to Negotiate a Better Salary

  Click here if you need advice with personal assistant interview questions or PA interview questions.   Finding out what you are worth requires research, self-reflection and networking. The salary negotiation is a tricky step for most job seekers. You don’t want to undercut yourself, but you also need to determine how far you can push without offending hiring managers.    Do your research – Know what you’re worth. Go to PayScale or Vault and get as much data as you can on the current salary range.    Know your bottom line. What is the minimum salary you would accept? Before investing too much time and energy on ...

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Top Tips for Running a Conference Call

Let’s face it, conference call are even more of a necessity in many industries today.  When managed properly, they are an effective means of communication and a valuable business tool because they decrease travel costs and increase the speed of decisions. Below are some of the  key tips on how to run a proper conference call. Click here for our guide on how to improve communication skills E-mail a meeting reminder about a week in advance that includes an agenda with time limits, the call’s objectives and the call-in number.    Dial in on time or a few minutes early, if you ...

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Tips to Keeping Your Office Clean and Professional

It’s all about habits. It’s so easy to get lazy and let things grow untidy. If needed, put a note on your desk or in your digital calendar to remind yourself that you must take 15 minutes to clean up your desk and put everything away.   Check out  our PA Privé careers page for personal assistant jobs, London PA jobs and more.    Organise those wires. Some pieces of velcro wrapped around wires can go a long ways toward cleaning things up. Also make sure that you have wires that are long enough to tuck out of the way.     Filing System. Having ...

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