Still, despite all the pressure and stress, you still have to get the job done. Bosses have high standards and expectations from their employees, and as a secretary, you have to be much more efficient than the rest of the company because you hold everything together.

When you apply, the interviewer may ask this question: How will you handle your boss’ busy schedule? Why? It’s because he or she wants to assess how well suited you are for the job position and how you handle tasks and obligations as a secretary.

How are you going to answer this question? You need to demonstrate that you have the right qualities to handle the pressure of this type of job. Here are some of the qualities you can include in your answer to demonstrate how efficient and capable you are:

• Efficiency. Tell the interviewer how efficient and productive you can be – that you are motivated to finish everything on time or before the deadline. Provide examples that illustrate your competence and productiveness.

• Responsibility. As a secretary, you need to be responsible enough to be able to complete your daily tasks and requirements as well as the boss’. You have to show your interviewer that you possess this quality so that he or she will be place his or her full trust in you.

• Organization. An essential skill required of any secretary is the ability to plan and organize, which includes planning meetings, scheduling dates for your boss, and going over everything that has to be accomplished for that day, week, or month. Therefore, you should describe the steps you’ll take to keep yourself and your boss organized.

• Alertness. Secretaries need to be alert because bosses may need them at any given moment. You have to show how attentive and aware you are – that you can respond any time of the day to whatever your boss says.

• Ability to multitask. From planning meetings, to arranging your boss’ schedule, to answering phone calls and e-mails, to entertaining visitors and clients – you have to be able to juggle any combination of these tasks. If not, how can you be called a secretary?

• Patience. It cannot be denied that bosses have this tendency to get stressed because of company problems or issues. As a result, they might become demanding. You don’t have to say this overtly to the interviewer, but suggest that you have patience and that you understand what the boss is going through.

Clearly, a secretary’s job is not easy and they deserve a lot of credit. Succeeding in an interview means showing the hiring manager all of the great qualities you possess, including the ability to handle your boss’ schedule; do that, and you’ll have a great shot at the job.