Executive Assistant Mock Interview
Master 25 Executive Assistant interview questions covering discretion, prioritization, and executive support.
Question 22 of 25
Tell me about a time you dealt with a difficult client and how you managed that.
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Angela Fontaine is a Senior People Business Partner with expertise in job search coaching, interview coaching, and career development.
As an Executive Assistant, it's not uncommon to deal with difficult clients or coworkers, for that matter. Interviewers ask this question to gauge your maturity level and assess how you behave when others are difficult. They also want to know that you will manage situations like these without reflecting poorly on the company. Especially in the age of social media, navigating difficult clients mitigates public risk for the company.
When answering this question, be sure to highlight a positive outcome of the situation.
Angela Fontaine is a Senior People Business Partner with expertise in job search coaching, interview coaching, and career development.
"We recently had a client who was angry that she could not reach out to the director by phone. Our director is not client-facing, but she felt he was the only one who would solve her problem. She called for him several times a day and got the same answer each time, that he was not available to take her call. She became more and more escalated each time she called, and no one could calm her down. I requested to take her call, and I utilized the Three R technique. Through this technique, you recognize their problem, relate to them, and reassure them that you will do what you can to help. Using this technique, I was able to calm her down and help her toward a solution."
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A difficult person I had to deal with, was actually an ex-partner of one of my colleagues. He attempted to reach her several times via our office phone and eventually showed up at our office demanding to see her. I remained calm and expressed to him that she is not available and kindly told him it would be best that he left the premises. Shortly after he left I called campus security and asked our office to provide a description and to call If he returned.
Jaymie's Feedback
This is a great example that shows you can remain calm in a stressful situation and follow a set process or procedure for this type of issue. You also did a great job keeping your answer focused on the situation and result, versus speaking negatively about the person who caused the issue.
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