Who's the Real Boss?: The Interview Process: How to Land that EA Role

1. In my eyes this first tip is essential (for women): always wear makeup! And that goes for when you land the job too – even if you have the nicest skin in the world or are a busy working mum – find time. Perhaps I might sound sexist, but this is about professionalism and nothing else. Too many times have I interviewed and worked with EAs who want to be taken seriously but yet just do not look the part. When it comes to makeup, it goes without saying that you shouldn’t be going for a Priscilla Queen of the Desert look, but at the very least you do need foundation, some mascara and definitely lipstick. No one wants to employ an EA that looks like a school girl, nor do they want their EA looking like they have thrown themselves together just trying to get out of the house that morning. Remember, you will ultimately be representing your Exec, so they will no doubt want someone who looks sharp and made-up, to some level at least.

2. Its important overall that you dress for the role you are applying for. Your overall look should match the company’s culture. So if you’re interviewing at a stiff professional services firm, definitely suit up. Similarly, if you’re applying for a role at a funky fashion house then choose the most stylish outfit you can. Even consider purchasing something from one of the retail outlets to show you wear their clothes and are an avid fashion follower. This isn’t rocket science, but I feel some need to be reminded sometimes of these simple concepts, as some ladies I’ve interviewed were clearly not thinking of these element prior to their interview. Always wear a tailored blazer or jacket too, regardless of where you are interviewing. It doesn’t’ matter how hot it is outside or if the job you are going for isn’t a corporate role, you need to dress like you mean business.

3. Crack out those heels for the interview, even if you hate wearing them. And if you're wearing a skirt, definitely opt for some pantyhose if you're exposing some decent leg. Once I worked alongside an EA who thought it was appropriate to wear sneakers all day, every day at work. And no she was not recovering from a foot surgery, it was just purely for comfort (and I think some element of being ‘cool’). I’m all for appropriate and comfortable footwear, but wearing sneakers at work is a big NO NO! But if you are a heel junkie, like some, just make sure you choose appropriate looking heels (no need for the stripper heels on this occasion, no matter how tall they make you look).

4. Have a good think about your hair for the day of the interview. I know on occasion I’ve been caught out catching public transport to an interview in typical wet and windy Melbourne weather leaving me rocking up to the interview with nothing less than a birds nest on my head! Sometimes its best to keep it sleek, put it up, and out of the way. There is nothing more distracting too than interviewing someone who is constantly brushing their fringe out of their face.

With these simple tips you should come out looking presentable, clean cut, and on point. So with your outfit and look all sorted, the next thing you must be prepared for is those pesky questions that they will ask. Whether it is an initial phone screening or a face to face interview, you need to be prepared to talk about yourself, your past career, achievements and your future aspirations. But where it is always good to be honest about your past employment, when it comes to the future there is always room for massaging the truth a little. We are all ambitious, some too much for our own good, which sadly can be the reason why we don’t always get the role. I’ve listed some of the main questions you may get asked and some ‘massaged’ responses that you should think about giving.

What’s your 5 year plan/goal?

Consider telling them you’re a career EA, or plan to be. If it isn’t consistent with your resume, suggest you thrive on organising things and would like to pursue EA roles moving forward. Assure your interviewer, whether it be your potential boss or not, that you in it for the long haul. Nobody wants an EA for just 9 months, unless they’re on a maternity leave contract of course.

As I mentioned it’s great to be ambitious, but your ambition needs to be reeled in slightly and adjusted to suit the role. Never tell them your goal is to be elsewhere, or in another type of role. In many interviews I’ve conducted candidates have told me that in 5 years their plan is to be looking after the CEO. Although a clever response, it can be interpreted that they will inevitably leave to support someone else. The trick is to be crafty with your words, “In five years’ time I hope to be supporting YOU, as the CEO!”

What do you define as your biggest weakness?

This may be basic, but turn one of your strengths into your weaknesses. I always say I’m too efficient for my own good. When I’m asked to do something I do it straight away, so if you change your mind then it will involve undoing what I’ve already done! Nothing wrong with being efficient and getting things done! Ensure though that you choose an actual strength that could be perceived as a weakness, no point massaging the truth too much here as if you do get the job they’ll work out pretty quickly that your strengths and weaknesses were just fiction.

What do you consider to be your strengths?

This is the opportunity to tell them what they want to hear, what they asked for. Pick 5 to hone in on, but again be honest – they may be something along the lines of - you’re very organised, very efficient, you have great time management, you know how to prioritize tasks, you can work independently and within a team, you are trustworthy and loyal, you can be the face of your Exec, you have advanced technical capabilities etc. etc. The key here is to back up your strengths with some examples. Its one thing to sit there and list your supposed strengths, but to back them up with real life accounts is what will make all the difference. Remember too to choose strengths that your listed referees will actually say you have. They almost always ask your referee the strengths question when reference checking.

The ‘tell me about a time’ questions

I hate these questions as these are the ones you really need to prepare for. These are the questions that will be along the lines of, ‘tell me about a time when you were put in a situation where you had to make a decision on behalf of your Executive?’, or ‘tell me about a time when you implemented a process to improve office systems?’, or ‘tell me about a time when you had multiple tasks to do and how you prioritized them?’. These are the questions you MUST prepare examples for. I have sat through too many interviews with candidates that when asked these questions just draw a blank. Generally if you prepare a few examples that show how you have showed initiative, how you have managed conflict, how you have implemented some processes, how you have worked under pressure, and how you have prioritized conflicting priorities, you can generally adapt the examples to whatever questions get fired your way. The key is to remember the examples! Choose solid and large accomplishments in your career, or if it’s your first job then choose examples from your part time job or from school/university. If you choose things you’re proud of you won’t have a problem recalling them or speaking confidently of yourself. Additionally you must have up your sleeve the story of what you are most proud of in your career so far. Think about this one long and hard, it needs to show true character but also show characteristics of what they are looking for in an EA too.

The last bit of advice I will give you here will be about how you conduct yourself in an interview. It’s essential you learn to read the person who is interviewing you and that you in turn adapt your personality to their level. Don’t try and be someone you’re not, but it goes without saying that if your interviewer has a sense of humour, raise your mood to match it. If your interviewer is very serious, then similarly find that inner serious business wo/man. But the most essential personality you must match is that of the Executive you may support. You will usually be worded up on what they are like from the previous interviewers so you should know what to expect. But the most important piece here is for them to feel a sense of ‘connection’ with you. I once was interviewed by an Executive who was looking for an EA that wouldn’t take his moods too seriously. He was a larrikin at heart but in his words, had the tendency to blow his cool and come back from meetings super grumpy and moody, and so needed an EA that wouldn’t take this personally. The best thing that can be done when presented with statements like that is, not only to adjust your own mood right then and there, but also to give examples (massaged if necessary) of times when you’ve supported similar personality types and how you dealt with it. They need to find confidence in you. If you give them nothing, you can expect nothing in return. That too is how you will really stand out. If you find them stating their vulnerabilities to you and looking for the confidence that you will be able to deal with their weaknesses, they will only remember the candidates that have worked for people like that before. It isn’t always about technical experience when it comes to landing an EA role, most of the time it will be about experience in dealing with different personality types. We all know that as an EA it’s not just our boss whose personality we must deal with, but the rest of the leadership team, other stakeholders and EAs of course too. If you can deal with differing personalities then you’re half way there. The rest of the role can be learnt on the job. So be personable, be the most personable you can be, for that will really land you the role you want.