12 Executive Assistant Interview Questions and Answers

Updated on: April 2, 2022

It is incredible how much confidence an interview can instill in us.

Even if we do not eventually land the job we were interviewed for, we end up learning much that will prove to be of great value at a future interview.

But of course, one does not appear for interviews thinking along these lines. One has to do one’s best to ace the interview and eventually get the job one is aspiring to.

Confidence is one of the leading elements of an interview; most employers look for confident candidates as confidence directly reflects your personality.

On the other hand, confidence might be overrated as there is a thin line between confident and over-confident – so one has to look out for that as well.

The type of questions you will be asked during an interview depends on the kind of job you have applied for.

So you will be asked some questions aimed at your personality and many at how well you can perform in the position you have applied for.

See also: Executive Assistant Resume

Take a look at the following interview questions and answers for the position of executive assistant to get an idea about the expected questions.

Executive Assistant Interview Questions and Answers

1. Why did you decide to become an executive assistant?

I possess organization and human interaction skills along with a great ability to work in a fast-paced, complex, and large-scale business environment. This ability gave wind to an already inherent knowledge of office procedures and assistantship protocols, which helped me decide that this is what I can do best.

2. The job tasks of an executive assistant are repetitive. How do you ensure you don’t get bored?

I do not think that an executive assistant’s job is repetitive. Every executive has a different set of work and wants it done differently. In fact, one gets to learn to do one thing in many different ways, so there isn’t any boredom!

3. Describe your previous experience as an executive assistant?

I had been working for the past four years with the CEO at ABC Company in the capacity of an executive assistant.

I was responsible for keeping appointments, acting as a liaison between employees and executives, front desk handling, correspondence maintenance, meeting arrangements, budget management, and payroll processing.

4. What experience do you have in calendar keeping and making travel arrangements?

I have extensive calendar management experience since I have been working with a multinational company executive.

I am well versed in coordinating calendars involving multiple time zones to set up conference calls.

I have good business relations with various travel agents and three to five-star accommodation providers and am well practiced in arranging the stay and travel of meeting delegates.

5. If you are asked to arrange a conference, what are the necessary steps you will take?

I’ll begin by collecting information including a list of participants and speakers, preferred venue, goals of the meeting, and the like.

Next, I will get a budget approved and reserve a venue.

Then I will work on invites followed by required travel and stay arrangements. I’ll get a menu approved and look into the required AV aids provision for the conference.

Last but not least, I’ll check for everything personally a day before the meeting to ensure everything is covered as planned.

6. Give me an example of an instance where you needed to multitask. How well did you do it?

During my second year of work as an executive assistant, I was required to plan one promotional event and one on-the-job training at the same time. I developed two parallel timelines. Working on chunks through effective time management and task prioritization, I excelled in the task.

7. Name one software you feel is necessary for an executive assistant, and why?

I feel the whole MS Office suite is critical in this role, especially MS Excel and spreadsheets.

8. What is your greatest strength, and how does it help you in this role?

I am very organized, and I believe this is the main strength that has always helped me as an executive assistant. Organization is the key to time management and task accomplishment. Since my tasks are well planned, the result is always accurate.

9. Have you ever used a telephone with multiple lines? Are you comfortable with PABX?

Yes! It’s my favorite invention after the internet, and I believe it’s vital for a person in my position.

10. Why do you want to leave your current job?

(Never mention anything wrong about the previous employer, give a personal reason if it fits)

I am relocating to New Jersey since my husband is pursuing higher studies here and we want to live together.

11. Multitasking is the essence of an executive assistant’s job. How do you feel about it?

Multitasking is the essence of this job. While one needs to focus on one thing where more critical tasks are concerned, it is also essential to be able to do many at the same time to manage time and get jobs done.

12. What do you believe is your most significant failure in life, and what have you learned from it?

I was not able to earn a college degree. And I am reminded of it quite often as I know that I may be able to climb the success ladder only to an absolute limit.

However, I am considering evening classes so that I can make up for the lost time and not let this get in the way of my success.

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