Preparing for an Interview in Today’s Corporate World

If you are currently looking for a new job as a PA to a senior executive you will no doubt we keen to create the right impression at the interview stage. With time being money to many executives, you may not have long to create this impression. You may find your interview is not even face to face, or that it doesn’t even take place with the executive that you will be working for. We take a look at how you can prepare for an interview in whatever format it might take:

Creating the right impression in a short amount of time

By the time you get to your interview, you will probably have been assessed via your CV. This will have got you to the next stage of the recruitment process. Now it is your chance to impress your new employer and ensure that you stand out amongst the other applicants for the right reasons. In the busy corporate world, you may find yourself with a limited amount of time to create a professional yet lasting impression, so make sure you are well rehearsed. Prepare yourself for the possible questions you could be asked and make sure your answers are clear, concise and to the point. You need to create the impression that you are organised, efficient and react well to pressure. This starts with your interview.

Prepare yourself for the possibility that it may not be face to face

With so many corporate executives travelling from one destination to another, sometimes it may not be possible to conduct interviews in person. It may be that you are required to use technology via Skype for example. Now while this may seem daunting it is actually a very effective way of holding a meeting but you will need to be familiar with the technology. Set yourself up on Skype (or whatever web conferencing technology that they might use). Then spend some time getting familiar with it. You need to look at the camera and not at the screen, you need to position yourself correctly and you need to ensure that your voice is clear and that you can be heard. Treat it like a face to face interview and make sure you wear what you would wear to an actual interview.

Dress for the job you want

How you dress is very important. If you are a senior PA you are going to be meeting important clients and other VIPs. You need to make sure that you are dressed for the part. This starts with your interview whether that is face to face or using technology. You need to create a professional impression even if the office environment may seem like a more casual one.

Prepare for the questions you might be asked

Senior executives don’t have time to waste. They may have worked for years with a very efficient and organised PA and be keen to achieve continuity. They are likely to have some specific questions that they will ask. While it is not always possible to predict what these might be, you can make a list of the possible questions you could be asked and prepare the answers to them. To be honest as a Senior PA you are going to be required to think on your feet so your biggest skill may be to answer any number of questions quickly and to the satisfaction of the recruiter.
If you possess all the right skills for the job then the interview shouldn’t be difficult. While your experience and skills should be enough to secure you the position, a degree of preparation will make you a serious contender for the role.