I had a short introductory interview by phone. It was a tad impersonal and the interviewer was polite as expected in business. I was told there are several steps to secure the job which seems to be an odd trend for an Executive Assistant opportunity, as it's difficult to gauge if someone will be an assistant based solely on a number of interviews. Despite my extensive experience I was told they went with someone who "is a better fit". I was told they preferred individuals who could commute to the office each day so I'm not even sure why they wasted time interviewing individuals out of state if they know they prefer someone who can commute.
The major surprise was seeing the job reposted shortly after I was told they'd hired someone. The job is still open and they are still taking applications.
Because they do no skills tests and/or don't have the opportunity to speak to references, they honestly have no idea who will be the best fit for an EA position. People tend to base these things on whether or not they like the person's personality vs. if someone can actually do the work. A better way to find valuable Executive Assistants would be to speak to their references and even offer a small skills test for common tasks.
For a company that is supposed to be helping the interview process, their process could use some work. I felt like it was a waste of my time honestly I don't feel I was given serious consideration due to my location - especially with my level of experience. This is fine if they wanted someone nearby, but don't the time of serious job seekers if you have no intentions on seriously considering them.