Henry writes in:
First off, thanks for existing. I just found your blog, and I love it (and bookmarked your Amazon link for the next time I buy something, in return for all that good advice)!
My question for you: In a stroke of luck, a friend of a friend is interested in hiring me as an office PA at a large TV network. We’re going to meet and discuss the position over lunch next week. I have some questions in mind to ask, but the only industry experience I have is a brief internship at a small production company. My limited background makes me worry that I might come off as ignorant or miss an opportunity to ask an important question. Is there something I should definitely inquire about now that I might not think of or that (putting pride aside here) might make me seem slightly less of an absolute beginner than I am?
As we mentioned last month, there are ways you can ask questions without giving up the fact that you don’t know what the hell is going on.
But luckily for you, you’re a PA, and no one expects you to know much. There’s no reason to ask them how they expect you to do a specific task. They assume you’re inexperienced, but the level of inexperience can be left vague. “Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and to remove all doubt,” as they say.
Occasionally, I’ve seen a coordinator ask a potential PA if they know how to do something (like, say, purchase orders), as a test. Just say you’re familiar with the process, but you’ll be happy to do it the way they prefer.
Here’s a few things not to ask, however–
- What are the hours? Your hours are going to be different every day. Don’t make plans during the week. Or the first half of Saturday.
- Can I have [day] off? If you have vacation plans locked in place, say, for a wedding or baby shower, don’t mention it during the interview. Ask about after you get the job, when it’s too late for them to hire someone else.
- What is [famous cast member] like? The cast are just like your other co-workers, except richer, prettier, and charming-er. If you give the impression that you’re going to give tips to a gossip blog, they’ll never hire you.
Some people say you shouldn’t ask about pay during the first interview, but for assistant jobs, there’s usually only one interview. If the subject doesn’t come up naturally in the course of the conversation, you can ask about rates and benefits at the end of the conversation.
When they ask if you have any questions, just say, “Well, I’d be pretty irresponsible if I didn’t ask about the rate.” If you’re in a relationship, you can even pawn it off on them: “My wife/husband would kill me if I didn’t get the rate before accepting the job.”
