You walk into the panel interview. Four people. All staring at you. Taking notes. They fire questions rapid-fire: "Tell us about yourself." "How do you prioritize?" "Describe a time you failed." "What's your management style?" You're trying to remember who asked what. You're repeating yourself. You're losing track. You're spiraling. By question 12, you're completely in your head: Am I talking too much? Did I already say that? Why is that guy frowning? Panel interviews aren't designed to...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
You get the offer. $85,000 base salary. Benefits start in 90 days. Two weeks PTO. You're excited. Relieved. You want to say yes immediately. So you do. "Thank you so much! I'm excited to join the team. When do I start?" Negotiation window: closed. You just accepted $15K-$25K less than they would have paid you. Here's what should have happened: "Thank you for the offer. I'm very excited about this opportunity. I'd like to take 24-48 hours to review everything and get back to you. When would be...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Job posting: "We're looking for someone who thrives in a fast-paced environment!" You think: Great, I'm adaptable. I can handle busy. You accept the offer. Three months later, you realize "fast-paced" meant: Understaffed and chaotic No systems or processes Constantly changing priorities with zero notice "Urgency" used to justify poor planning You're doing 3 jobs for 1 salary You didn't get hired into a fast-paced environment. You got hired into a dumpster fire. And you didn't catch it because...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
Stop romanticizing the grind. Being exhausted isn't a personality trait it's a sign you're under resourced. You don't have to hustle yourself into burnout. I see this so much with high-performing EAs: You're working 50-60 hour weeks. You're checking email at 10pm. You're working through lunch. You haven't taken a real vacation in 2 years. And when someone asks how you're doing, you say, "Busy! But I'm crushing it." You post on LinkedIn about your "hustle" and your "dedication." You wear your...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Interviewer: "Why do you want this job?" What you're thinking: Because I need money and you're hiring. What you say: "I think it would be a great fit and I'm really excited about the opportunity to grow." Vague. Generic. Forgettable. That's a $70K answer. Here's the $120K answer: "Three things drew me to this role. First, the scope—supporting a COO at a high-growth company means I'd be working at the strategic level I'm ready for. Second, I've been following [Company]'s work in [specific...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Interviewer: "What's your biggest weakness?" You: "I'm a perfectionist! I just care too much about doing things right. Sometimes I work too hard." That answer is so overused, interviewers now roll their eyes when they hear it. You think you're being clever turning a weakness into a humble-brag. They think you're either: Unself-aware Dishonest Using a script you Googled Here's what actually works: "I used to struggle with delegating because I wanted to make sure everything was done perfectly....
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
Reader, Reader, Reader "Willing to wear many hats" is not a skill—it's how companies justify underpaying you for doing three jobs. Let me paint you a picture: Your job description says Executive Assistant. But in reality, you're also doing event planning, HR coordination, some marketing, a little IT troubleshooting, project management. Somehow you've become the go-to person for literally everything that doesn't fit neatly into someone else's job. When you mention this in your review, your...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
Listen Reader, "Detail-oriented team player with strong communication skills" is on every EA resume. And no one with that resume is getting paid the big bucks. I review a lot of EA resumes. About 90% of them say some version of the same thing: "Detail-oriented professional" "Strong organizational skills" "Excellent communication" "Team player" "Ability to multitask" These things might be true. They're also an ATS (applicant tracking system and AI's grandpa) dream. And look, you probably ARE...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
When they ask "Tell me about yourself," you think they want your resume timeline. They don't. When they ask "Why did you leave your last role?" you think they want the truth. They don't. (Not all of it, anyway.) When they ask "What's your salary range?" you think they want a number. They absolutely do. But the wrong number costs you $15K-$25K before you even start. Here's the problemo: You're answering the literal question. But interviewers are asking something completely different...
2 months ago • 1 min read