Hi there, everybody.
My name is Richard McMunnn and in this training video, I'm going to teach you how to answer
a Personal Assistant or P.A. interview.
So, if you have one coming up, I promise you this video is going to help you.
Please do watch it from beginning to end because I'm going to give you some great tips.
I'm also going to give you a load of sample Personal Assistant interview questions and
suggested answers, so please listen in and take notes as we go along.
So, before we get into the questions welcome to this tutorial - a very warm welcome.
That's me there on the right-hand side.
I've been helping people like you pass their interviews for over 20 years now and in this
particular interview training video we're going to focus on the P.A. or Personal Assistant
interview.
So please do make sure you SUBSCRIBE to this channel by clicking the red link below the
video.
That way you will not miss out on any of the videos that I'm creating every week.
Please also, if you like the content give it a thumbs up.
I would very, very much appreciate that.
It motivates me to do more for you.
And also, in return, if you tell me the industry of the PA interview that you've got coming
up in the comments section below the video I will give you a list of five interview questions
to prepare for, in addition to the ones that are coming right now.
OK.
Let's get straight into it.
PA interview question number one.
Tell me about yourself why you would make a good PA?
So it's an introductory interview question and you want to answer this by getting off
on the right foot.
So, a couple of tips.
Two important tips before I give you the suggested answer to this question.
Number one: use the words PROFESSIONAL, ORGANIZED AND CONSCIENTIOUS in your answer to this question
because those are the kind of skills that somebody who's hiring a PA will be looking
for.
Tip number two: tell the interviewer you take pride in your work and that you enjoy being
the person who has the responsibility of organizing things for other people.
So, as a PA, as you know, you have to take responsibility, OK, and be able to work on
your own and achieve your goals and targets.
So here's my sample response for you based on the PA Interview Question “Tell me about
yourself and why you would make a good PA?”
Here we go.
“I am a professional, conscientious and a highly organized person who has a passion
for my work.
I take the responsibilities of my role seriously and I very much enjoy being the person who
has the responsibility of organizing and planning things for my employer.
I am a positive person who will not crumble under pressure and I am able to plan, multitask
and organize my work in accordance with strict timescales.
I believe I would make a great PA, simply because I care about my work.
I very rarely make mistakes and I understand the role is very important to my employer.
If I do not perform to the required standard as a Personal Assistant, a lot of people suffer
as a consequence.
A great response!
OK, a brilliant response to that first interview question “Tell me about yourself why you'd
make a good PA?”, and it gets you off on the right foot!
Question number two for your P.A. interview.
“What are the top three skills for a P.A. position?”
So, three tips here: Before you answer this question there is actually no right or wrong
answer but give the interviewer three skills that will be of benefit to them, and how you
do that is by looking at the job description.
So, if there is a job description for the role you are been interviewed for, have a
look at it and it will tell you what the key requirements are and then to say what the
top skills are.
Pick them out from the job description and tip number three: In my opinion, someone who
is organized being professional and also being able to multitask right up there with some
of the main key skills for a PA position.
Also, being confident and also acting in a confidential manner because you're going to
be dealing with confidential information so we're going to put those in the response to
interview.
Question number two: here we go for you – “The top three skills, in my opinion, are being
organized, professionalism and being able to multitask, too.
So, without the skill of organization a PA cannot manage his or her workload effectively
nor can they prioritize tasks based on importance.
Now, without the skill of professionalism, people you come into contact with on a daily
basis will not have faith in your abilities.
You also have to remember as a P.A. that you are effectively a role model for the company
you are working for.
Professionalism is very important, and you also have to maintain confidentiality at all
times in this role.
Finally, being able to multitask is an essential skill.
A PA will be given many and varied tasks each day and you have to be able to multitask based
on the pressure.
There are no excuses for not getting your work done to the required standard and on
time.
Another really strong answer for you, for your PA interview.
Question number three: “Where do you see yourself working in five years’ time?”
Now this is one question will be asked during your P.A. interview because it can take quite
a while to embed in the P.A. role, get to know your boss well and understand the role
so that you can virtually do it with your eyes closed.
What they don't want to do is get you in the role for six months and then you end up moving
on.
So, you want to be there.
You want to be answering this question that you're gonna be there for quite some time.
So, here's two tips.
Tip number one: show the interview panel you are someone who does not change jobs often.
Tip number two: in five years’ time you should want to still be working in that job
you are applying for.
So, let's have a look at my suggested answer to PA Interview Question number three.
Here we go.
“If I am successful interview today, and you are pleased with my work, I plan to still
be working here at your company in many years to come.
I am looking for a stable employment position as a P.A. where I can really get to know the
role well and perform the duties to the best of my ability.
I believe it's important to have a P.A. you can trust in and rely upon.
Trust is built up over a prolonged period of time and I do not plan to move jobs if
I am successful in this role.”
So that is a relatively short punchy response and that is telling the interview panel what
they want to hear.
Question number four: “How would you organize your day as a PA?”
So, how would you organize your day?
So, a few tips, a couple of tips for answering this question before we move on to the sample
response.
Tip number one: being organized is very important and you have to make sure you do not forget
anything or miss tasks or deadlines, as you know!
Tip number two: consider saying you would use a P.A. organizational app to make sure
nothing gets missed.
So, I'll give you one of those apps in a second, in the response.
Here we go: “Being organized is critical to the role of a P.A.
Whilst I do believe I have an exceptional memory, I always make sure I write everything
down on my TO-DO-LIST that sits next to me at my desk and I tick off the tasks and jobs
as and when they are completed.
I also would utilize the WUNDERLUST program on my computer, as I can access this anywhere
and on any device.
For example, if I was off work and you needed me to do a task for you, I could access the
WUNDERLUST app on my phone and get access to the information I needed, quickly.
Whilst I haven't made many mistakes in previous jobs, I do understand the importance of being
highly organized and also making sure everything is backed up, just in case things go wrong.”
So, that's a great response to the P.A. interview question, “How would you organize your day
as a Personal Assistant?”
Okay.
Question number five, we're making great progress.
“How would you take minutes in a meeting to make sure everything was covered?”
So, I would imagine during your interview you will be asked a question that relates
to something based around taking minutes in a meeting.
So, two tips: taking minutes in a meeting is an important and acquired skill, so you
need to know how to answer this interview question effectively.
Now, if you've never done this before, this answer will still be relevant to you.
You can still use it.
Obviously, if you have taken minutes before, brilliant, you know you can rely on that experience
in your answer.
Tip number two: there are a number of things to consider when answering this question,
and here they are.
Here we go.
“Yes, I already have plenty of experience of taking notes, some minutes in a meeting.
First and foremost, I would plan the meeting well in advance to make sure the meeting room
was prepared and people were fully aware of the time and location, etc.
I would also ensure the meeting participants receive the agenda items, are aware of the
people who are attending, and they also receive any previous meeting minutes, if applicable.
Then, during the meeting, I would note the names of the participants and any apologies
or absentees, the agenda items, the main discussion points, the decisions made by the participants,
any calendar or due dates, and also any future decisions or future meeting dates following
the meeting.
I would quickly organise the minutes to check for accuracy before asking my manager to check
them over before finally sending them out to the meeting participants.”
And that response tells the interview panel you know what you're talking about and you
have a structured approach to taking minutes at a meeting.
Question number six: a really difficult question.
Don't forget, if you like this video so far, please give it a THUMBS UP.
I would really appreciate that, and you can tell me the name of your P.A. interview if
you want, in the comments section below and I'll give you a list of five questions to
prepare for.
“What's the biggest mistake you have ever made at work?”
Now we all make mistakes.
So, what you don't do is say: “Well, I've never made a mistake!”
We all make mistakes, but obviously as a PA, if you make a mistake it can impact significantly
on the organisation or the person you are working for.
So, we have to answer this carefully.
So, I'm going to give you a situation that has got nothing to do with being a P.A.
OK, here we go.
Two tips: Be honest when answering his P.A. interview question.
We all make mistakes but how we respond to them, that's the important part!
Tip number two: Identify the mistake you made, acknowledge the mistake and put steps in place
to make sure it never happens again.
So, here we go, here's my suggested answer and this is a great response for this question.
“Early on in my career I made a mistake which I've never made since.
I was working as a customer service agent and I inadvertently sent out the wrong order
to a valued customer.
The mistake I made had the knock-on effect of impacting three other customer's orders.
So, I was absolutely distraught about the error I had made.
I immediately identified the mistake and informed my line manager straight away so we could
take steps to sort it out as soon as possible.
We then worked together to resolve the issue for our customers and I then volunteered to
undertake some additional training in my own time to ensure it never happened again.
I am an honest person and I would always put my hand up if I made a mistake.
However, I learned a tremendous amount from that incident and I am pleased to say I have
not made any mistakes since.”
So, if you answer that question using that response you come across as an honest person,
which is what you want and also someone who takes responsibilities and takes steps to
prevent things from happening again.
That's a great response to that question.
Okay.
A few more P.A. interview questions.
“What would you do if you disagreed with the way your manager wanted you to handle
a situation or a problem whilst working as a P.A.?”
“What are your greatest strengths?”
“What is your greatest weakness?” and you should give a weakness.
I will tell you where to get answers to these in a second.
“Why did you leave your last job?”
“What experience do you have for the P.A. role?”
“What additional job training have you done recently?”
Because, as a PA, you need to be keeping your skills up to date.
“What do you know about our organization and what we are striving to achieve?”
Another question: “You are working as a P.A. and a valued client calls you to discuss
a problem and your boss isn't available and it is an urgent issue.
He starts to get irate with you on the telephone.
How would you deal with him being irate?”
Okay, a difficult question.
“Describe a time when you've been flexible in a work-related situation?”
Now, to get the answers to those questions, click the link below the video or go to the
website www.PassMyInterview.com.
It's in the link below, in the description below this video, and you can get the answers
to those questions.
Also, I've put a link in the description below the video, you might have to click the SHOW
MORE link here on YouTube, and that will open it up.
I've put a list to another five or six training videos I've got here on YouTube, that you
can get access to and watch, which will be great for your interview.
So, just have a look at those please in the link below.
Finally, you can go to the website PassMyInterview.com and I've got an online training course that
you can access by your smartphone or for your desktop or pc.
Also, don't forget to SUBSCRIBE, give the video a thumbs up, I'd appreciate that very
much.
And, don't forget to tell me what interview you've got coming up and I'll give you a list
of questions, and thank you very much for watching and I very much appreciate it!
Oh, and by the way, I'm on LinkedIn.com.
I put my LINKEDIN.COM address in the comments section, sorry in the description below the
video, if you want to connect with me on LinkedIn, say hi, please feel free to do so.
Good luck with your interview and thank you for watching.