What strategies do you use in coordinating a meeting with many stakeholders with varying calendars?
A vital responsibility for an Executive Assistant is booking meetings. An interviewer will ask this question to evaluate your knowledge around the complexity of meeting management. When booking meetings for others, you play a large part in their day and essentially plan their day for them. The interviewer wants to make sure that you are methodically booking invites and coordinating multiple employees thoughtfully.
"In my current role, I'm responsible for booking goal planning meetings. In these meetings, we book over 50 individuals for several-hour time blocks. I first collect the list for all attendees, determine how much time will need to be blocked off, and figure out a timeframe for when this meeting is required. Knowing that calendars will never completely align for 50 individuals, I connect with them to find out which times absolutely will not work for them. Next, I compare their calendars simultaneously to see if there is a time that works for the majority. After that time is identified, I connect with the ones it didn't work for to see if they can move some things around."
Community answers are written by other candidates practicing this set. Reading how others frame the same question is one of the fastest ways to sharpen your own.
Anonymous Answer
First, if I have access to multiple calendars, I will compare availability and then will use those majority dates to create a doodle poll where individuals can provide their availability. If I am having a hard time finding a date I will reach out and see if we can move things around.
Jaymie's Feedback
Communication is such a critical part of being an effective EA, so make sure you focus on those skills as well. The ability to look at multiple calendars and coordinate will be a valuable skill in the eyes of the interviewer.
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