RAMBLE ON?...OR MAYBE DON'T!
Ramble on….or maybe don’t!
Interviews are hard. You are put on the spot. You are nervous. It is hard to sound articulate. It is hard to be concise. One of the biggest mistakes we are seeing lately is "The Ramble."
Time is precious! As a culture, we view things in soundbites. (hence why Twitter only gives you a limited number of characters, even if they did just add a few more.) As an EA or support staff, one of your main goals is to safeguard your executive’s precious time. The interview is no different!
For example, you should have a clear, brief, concise one sentence line on why you left each role. It should honestly be about one sentence, maybe two tops. Think of it as an elevator pitch. Here are a few examples:
You moved, and the commute was too far
Your boss retired, and her replacement brought their previous EA with them
There was a major re-org and 33% of the staff was let go
There has been turnover in management and you are worried about the stability of your position
Short. To the Point. Confident. Concise. Answers the question. Why you left each job is really housekeeping- it should not be the meat of your interview. Save your explanations for when you highlight your unrivaled skills.
You want to spend the majority of the interview highlighting your strengths, and letting them know you are the most organized, pro-active, efficient boss of a support person there is. But be careful not to ramble or get off topic here either.
Read your interviewer. Executives today are looking for someone to support them with high emotional intelligence. Demonstrate that key skill now. Let them take the lead in the interview. Stay on track. Stay positive. Exude humble confidence. Nail this interview. You got this.