Interviews often feature familiar questions like "Tell me about yourself" and "Where do you see yourself in five years?" but sometimes, you’ll encounter unexpected questions that challenge your thinking and reveal deeper insights into your personality and problem-solving abilities. In this post, we’ve gathered 15 unconventional interview questions designed to keep you on your toes and showcase how you handle the unexpected. Prepare to explore questions that go beyond the typical script and offer a unique opportunity to demonstrate your adaptability and outlook on life.

Onboarding new employees should go beyond administrative tasks—it's about fostering a welcoming and supportive environment that empowers them to contribute effectively from day one. A thoughtful onboarding process sets the foundation for long-term success, significantly influencing a new hire's productivity, satisfaction, and commitment to the organization. To avoid overwhelming new employees, focus on creating a structured yet positive experience that ensures they feel valued and prepared.

In the dynamic world of executive support, the relationship between an Executive Assistant and their executive is both unique and complex. It’s a partnership built on trust, understanding, and seamless communication. However, when things go awry, it’s not always easy to pinpoint the root cause. Is it a case of bad hiring or bad management? More often than not, the answer lies in the latter. Effectively managing an otherwise great Executive Assistant requires a commitment to their growth and success, investing not just in their role but in their development as a key player in the executive team.

Being an Executive Assistant is more than just managing tasks—it's a creative and dynamic craft. From orchestrating meetings like a Broadway production to reveling in the perfection of a well-organized spreadsheet, this post celebrates the unique blend of skill, style, and humor that defines remarkable assistants. Whether you're an experienced EA or just beginning your career, you'll likely find yourself in these lighthearted, yet relatable, signs that you're excelling in the world of executive support.

Starting a side hustle can be an exciting journey filled with new opportunities. Whether you aim to earn extra income, pursue a passion, or transform a hobby into a business, promoting your side hustle is essential to achieving success. Fortunately, you don't need a marketing background to get started. By using creative and effective strategies, you can easily spread the word and build a client base. In this post, we’ll share fresh insights and actionable tips to help you market your business like a pro.

The role of the Executive Assistant has always been one of agility, foresight, and relentless dedication to keeping an executive’s professional life running smoothly. With the rise of technology and the integration of artificial intelligence (AI), this crucial position is evolving in exciting ways. Are we under threat? We get asked this question in various forms at least once a week. What’s going to happen to the role of EAs? We see it differently. We believe EAs are not just gatekeepers, time managers, and logistics wranglers; they are becoming strategic partners, thought partners, and curators. Leveraging AI will enhance EAs' efficiency, productivity, and overall effectiveness. But is the role disappearing? Absolutely not, especially at a high level. While some tasks like long-form writing and calendaring may become more hands-off, EAs will continue to be the curators, gatekeepers, sounding boards, and central hubs of their executive’s life. The essence of the EA role is here to stay, evolving with technology to become even more integral to executive success.

In "How to be a Good Manager to an Executive Assistant," we explore the essential dynamics of the executive-assistant relationship and how it can significantly affect the success of a business. It’s crucial for executives to recognize the profound influence their behaviors and preferences have on their assistants, not just professionally but personally. This piece delves into strategies for cultivating a supportive work atmosphere that values the assistant's contributions, fosters open and respectful communication, and provides continuous opportunities for professional development. By prioritizing these practices, executives can ensure a stable, productive partnership with their assistants, which is pivotal for long-term operational success and a harmonious work environment.

Partnering with a recruiting firm specializing in support roles offers a host of advantages, ensuring access to top-tier talent while maintaining confidentiality and objectivity in the selection process. These firms leverage their expertise, expansive networks, and streamlined screening methodologies to identify ideal candidates efficiently, saving valuable time and resources for companies. By outsourcing the hiring process to specialists like Pennyworth, companies can focus on their core objectives with the confidence that their executive support needs are being professionally managed, ultimately leading to successful placements and enhanced organizational success.

If you don’t have time to answer your emails, you don’t have the right support. A great executive assistant sees through walls and around corners, bending the boundaries of time and space. They seem to defy the conventional limits, navigating challenges with grace and conviction, anticipating needs, perhaps reading minds and motives even better than spreadsheets.

Step up your game with Allison and Amanda of Elevated Resumes – If NASA and FBI Agents Need Their Expertise, So Do You!

Getting ahead in today's world requires being efficient and productive. That said, true success lies not only in being efficient at work, but also in finding joy and fulfillment in other areas of life. In this blog post, we explore strategies and insights on how to be productive, efficient, and effective both in and out of the office. We will discuss how to decompress, manage stress, and maintain relationships, health, and wellness while maximizing productivity and enjoyment.

It takes time, energy and thoughtfulness to achieve productivity and enjoyment in most aspects of life. You can create a foundation between work and life by cultivating a productive mindset, optimizing your workspace, managing time effectively, decompressing, and nurturing relationships, health, and wellness. Productivity is not only about accomplishing tasks but about living a fulfilling life - both personally and professionally. You'll be amazed at how powerful these strategies can be when you embrace them, adapt them to your circumstances, and experience their transformative power in your daily life!

Do you ever feel like you wish you could turn back time so you could avoid making a mistake or having a mishap? It has happened to all of us at some point in our lives. But what if there was a way to use the concept of hindsight to prevent problems from ever occurring in the first place? The idea of prospective hindsight comes into play here - an extremely valuable tool that we can use to make smarter decisions and lead a smoother life with the benefit of hindsight.

The struggle of procrastination is a common problem that affects many of us at some point or another in our lives. It is often the case that we feel overwhelmed and stressed as deadlines creep closer and closer. But fear not! Procrastination can be overcome with the right mindset and the right strategies, and you can become an expert at productivity with the right strategies. In this blog post, we will explore ten effective ways you can avoid procrastination and take control of your tasks in order to become more productive. Let's take a closer look at what it takes to unlock your productivity potential and find out what keys you need to unlock it!

Zoom interviews have become a ubiquitous part of our professional lives, making it crucial to know the do's and don'ts to ensure a successful meeting. While there are plenty of tips for what to do during a Zoom interview, it's equally important to be aware of what you should never do. You’d be surprised by the things that happen in Zoom interviews!

You've polished your resume, thought you aced the initial interview, and left a lasting impression on the hiring manager. But….. When the inbox remains empty from that recruiter, and that anticipated ping for a second interview never comes, it can be disheartening and leave you wondering where you went wrong. While it's natural to feel frustrated, it's essential to reflect on your interview performance and identify areas for improvement. In this post, we'll explore the top 16 reasons why you may not have been called back for a second interview, helping you understand what you can do differently to increase your chances of landing the job. We focus on roles for Executive Assistants, Personal Assistants, Chiefs of Staff, EA Managers, House Managers and other support roles - however - this post is applicable to every job seeker! Learn more.

We all know that setting goals is an important part of bringing focus and direction to our lives. However, not all goals are created equal. A good goal should not only be a goal that is realistic, but it should also inspire us to take action each day and make progress toward our goal. In this blog post, we'll explore five effective strategies for setting goals that are both realistic and motivating in order to meet your goals. You can boost your productivity, boost your confidence, and experience a sense of fulfillment by incorporating these techniques into your goal-setting process in order to increase your productivity, boost your confidence, and achieve your desired outcomes.

Are you seeking a new job opportunity that aligns with your skills and aspirations? Look no further than LinkedIn – the ultimate professional networking platform that has revolutionized job hunting. In this blog post, we delve into a step-by-step strategy that harnesses the power of LinkedIn to help you secure your dream job. From crafting an attention-grabbing profile to networking with industry professionals and leveraging advanced search features, we'll walk you through the essential tactics to maximize your job search success. Discover how to optimize your profile for visibility, connect with decision-makers, and access a wealth of job postings. Elevate your job hunting game with our expert insights and make LinkedIn your pathway to a fulfilling career transition.

Are you on a mission to land your dream job through LinkedIn? Before you dive in, learn from the missteps others have made. Our blog post reveals the key mistakes to sidestep while job hunting on LinkedIn. From incomplete profiles to generic connection requests, we guide you through the pitfalls to ensure your LinkedIn journey leads you to your next career triumph. Stay ahead of the competition by discovering these must-avoid missteps for a seamless job search experience on the world's premier professional network.

In today's dynamic business landscape, executive assistants working with leadership teams need professional development training as a strategic necessity. Their proficiency can make the difference between a team that stumbles and one that soars, as they are the glue that holds the leadership structure together. Executive assistants who receive specialized training can enhance their organizational skills, refine their communication abilities, and develop a deep understanding of the changing demands of their leaders. Thus, they become more than administrators; they become invaluable strategic partners who anticipate needs, streamline processes, and elevate the overall efficiency and effectiveness of the leadership team. The professional growth of executive assistants is akin to strengthening the backbone of a successful organization in this era of constant change. The following professional development trainings will enhance an assistant's understanding and representation of their CEO, as detailed in our blog post here.