AI Interviews for EAs and PAs: How to Prepare

But all of these worries, really, are about trying to get the tone right before you’ve even walked into the room. A kind of guesswork - piecing together what the company is looking for, and how you might fit into it.

Because once you’re in the room, you can read it. You can feel, quite quickly, whether what you’re saying is landing or not. You shift your tone, your emphasis, your approach as you go – often without really thinking about it. And most of the time, once you’re past those initial worries, it starts to feel easier - more like a conversation than something you’re trying to get right.

But now, there’s a different set of things to think about…

More companies - particularly in larger, corporate environments - are introducing AI-led interviews as an early stage. Instead of sitting across from someone, you’re answering pre-set questions on a screen, recording your responses, knowing they’ll be reviewed later - sometimes by a person, sometimes by a system first.

And with that comes a different kind of uncertainty. You’re no longer reacting to someone in front of you. There’s no expression to read, no shift in tone to respond to, no sense of whether what you’re saying is resonating or falling flat. Just a timer counting down, and the slightly strange feeling that you’re speaking into something that isn’t speaking back…

For EAs and PAs, this format doesn’t naturally play into the strengths of the role. PA and EA roles rely heavily on judgement, awareness and the ability to read a situation in real time. You’re constantly adjusting - picking up on tone, responding to cues, understanding what’s needed beyond what’s being said or asked. That’s really challenging to demonstrate in a one-sided format.

There’s no opportunity to respond to the person in front of you, no opportunity to adapt your approach as the conversation develops.

And unfortunately, this format is becoming more common - particularly in organisations where roles attract a high volume of applicants. It allows companies to filter candidates and move them through the initial stages quickly. So, while we can understand that it isn’t the most natural way to assess EA and PA talent, it has, in many cases, become part of the process.

But once you understand what it is and how it works, it becomes much easier to approach and navigate it with the right level of focus.

Most commonly, AI interviews entail recording answers to pre-set questions. You’re given a short amount of time to prepare, then a limited window to respond. There’s no interaction - just your answer, recorded and submitted.

In some cases, there’s a live element. You might still be speaking to a person, but AI is running in the background, analysing how you respond, how you communicate, how closely your answers align with the role.

And occasionally, the process is entirely text-based - responding to questions through a chatbot or written assessment.
The format varies, but the principle is the same. Your answers are being assessed for clarity, relevance, and alignment.

Despite how it sounds, AI interviews aren’t looking for something abstract or impossible.
They’re looking for signals:

• Are you answering the question clearly?
• Is your example relevant to the role?
• Does your experience align with what’s being asked?
• Is your communication structured and easy to follow?

Some platforms go further - analysing tone, pacing, even facial expressions. But at the core, it’s still about clarity and alignment. The system isn’t making a nuanced judgement about you as a person. It’s looking for evidence that you match what’s been asked for.

Part of what makes AI interviews feel more difficult, is the lack of feedback. In a ‘normal’ interview, you adjust as you go. If something isn’t working, you can shift direction. If something resonates, you can expand on it. Here, you don’t get that opportunity.

There’s also a time pressure that can feel quite unnatural - short preparation windows, limited response time, no opportunity to pause and think in the same way. And for EAs and PAs, who are used to working in a responsive, adaptive way, that can feel slightly restrictive.

It’s easy to feel like you need to “impress” the system. But you don’t. A clear, direct answer will always work better than something overthought.

Focus on:

• answering the question directly
• keeping your point easy to follow
• be succinct - avoid unnecessary detail

General answers are difficult for systems (and people) to interpret. Specific examples make your experience visible. Instead of speaking broadly, ground your answers in:

• who you supported
• what the situation was
• how you approached it

Your answer doesn’t need to be long; it just needs to be clear.

AI systems respond well to structure because it makes information easier to process.
A simple flow works well:

• context
• action
• outcome

• speak at a steady pace
• keep your answers concise
• maintain a calm, focused tone

You don’t need exaggerated energy. Composure works well.

The unfamiliar part is the format, so it’s worth practising:

• speaking to a screen
• answering within a time limit
• holding your train of thought without feedback

The more familiar it feels, the less it throws you off track.

If AI interviews feel slightly unnatural, that’s because they are. They don’t reflect how EAs and PAs actually operate. They don’t capture instinct, awareness, or the ability to read a room.

But they are increasingly becoming a part of the process. So, the goal isn’t to fight it or feel intimidated by it. It’s to understand how it works and adjust just enough to jump through the hoops.

Because once you’re back in a real conversation, you know exactly what you’re capable of.