The employer wants evidence that you can accept editorial feedback and improve, because ghostwriting requires iterative matching to a unique voice.
Use the STAR structure to show a specific mismatch, the feedback you received, the concrete changes you made, and the positive outcome. Focus on learning rather than defending your first draft.
Start by walking through one specific incident, not a general habit. Name the email or message, the executive, and the context briefly, then say plainly what you first wrote and why it missed. Explain that your initial draft leaned on formal, generic phrases because you were trying to sound professional, but your executive valued a shorter, more direct, and often warmer tone. Describe the feedback you received, whether it was a quick note, a marked-up version, or a verbal correction, and resist the urge to defend your work. Instead, say that you studied their previous approved messages to pull out patterns: their sentence length, their use of plain words, their habit of opening with a decision or a question rather than pleasantries. Then list the concrete changes you made, such as cutting filler phrases, replacing passive constructions with active ones, or shifting the greeting to match their preferred register. Close by noting the outcome, perhaps that the executive sent it without further edits or that the recipient responded positively, and add one sentence on what you now do differently, like drafting closer to their voice from the start or asking for one example before you begin. Keep your tone measured and confident, and if you slip into Taglish, correct yourself smoothly by repeating the point in English, as that shows self-awareness under pressure.
A common mistake in interviews is saying 'Nakakahiya naman kasi, I made it too formal kasi I thought okay lang.' That mixes languages and sounds unprofessional. Instead say 'I realized my draft used generic phrases that did not reflect my executive's direct style, so I revised it using his past examples.'
Situation
In my previous job as a remote assistant for a digital agency founder, I drafted a rejection email to a candidate who had reached the final interview stage.
Task
The founder wanted to decline the candidate warmly but clearly, and my first draft came across as too generic and overly apologetic compared to his usual style.
Action
The founder gave feedback that he never uses phrases like 'unfortunately' or 'we regret to inform you' because they sound robotic. I reviewed his past candidate rejection and client decline emails, then rewrote the message to open with a genuine compliment about the candidate's portfolio, state the decision plainly, and offer to keep the candidate in mind for future roles. I also removed all hedging words and shortened the email by one third.
Result
The final version matched his voice so closely that he used it as a template for future candidate declines, and the candidate replied thanking us for the specific feedback, which the founder said rarely happened before.
Generic corporate phrasing can destroy an executive's authentic voice; revision against real examples is essential.
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