Getting past the gatekeeper.

You know the rules. In order to get the job, you've got to sell your skills, turn up the professional charm, and make a favorable impression on the interviewer. But what about his or her assistant? The buck may stop with the hiring manager, but it has to get past the "gatekeeper" first.

A survey by Menlo Park, California-based Office Team, a leading specialized administrative staffing service, revealed that 91% of executives consider their assistant's opinion an important factor in the employee selection process. Just five years ago, only 60% percent of executives felt this way.