Kahori Aoki

“If you were a cake, what cake do you think you would you be?”

I had been sitting for interviews for a couple of weeks and had received offers from several other law firms.

Allen & Overy was the last on my interview list because “the Partner was on the road, and the HR was having difficulties setting up an interview”. Not knowing that the “difficulty” would soon become familiar, I remember thinking “How difficult can squeezing in half an hour in someone’s diary be?”

Couple of years later, I can still remember the interview, the answer I gave, and the impact the question had on me.

I instantly knew that this Partner was the person I wanted to work for.

When I asked him recently what he thought about my answer, and whether I gave him the right answer.

He told me that it was his signature question, and that the question itself really had no meaning…

Anyway, that was the last question at my interview, and my fate was sealed.

People sometimes ask, “How can PA work possibly differ based on the person you work for, or be exciting?”

My answer? “Completely different, and my work is exciting.”

Understanding the size of the projects my Partner works on, and feeling like part of the team, makes all the difference.

Besides the usual administrative and documentation work, my Partner trusts me to assist with all aspects of his professional life. He brings new challenges every day, and never ceases to amuse me.

Working with colleagues in other offices, and the seamlessly coordinated service offered to clients makes you truly understand that the earth is round. My work may not be everybody’s cup of tea, but I am very glad I was the one given the opportunity.

“Carrot cake” was my answer, whatever that means. Like Partner, like PA