Interview Questions For Admin Assistant

What Computer Skills Do You Have

7 ADMIN ASSISTANT Interview Questions and Answers (PASS!)

The goal of this question is to get a better understanding of the basic computer programs the applicant can use. What to look for in an answer:

Technical skills
Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Powerpoint, and Microsoft Word
Staying up to date with training

Example:

“I am proficient at using Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook. I have a basic understanding of Microsoft Excel so I am in the process of taking some additional training courses to better understand how the program works. In my current role, we also use a booking system for logging appointments so I’ve become quite the resident expert at the program.”

What Strategies Do You Use To Stay Organized

Administrative assistants typically have a lot on their plate, making organization essential. With this question, you simply want to outline techniques you use to stay on top of it all.

EXAMPLE ANSWER:

During my career, Ive developed several reliable strategies to stay organized. First, Im an avid calendar app user. Along with color-coding appointments for easier tracking and using notifications to keep everything on time, I block out time for all of my duties. That gives me a time-based to-do list, ensuring I stay on target.

When it comes to document management, color-coded filing systems and standardized naming conventions make a world of difference. With color-coding, its easier to find physical documents quickly. By using standardized naming conventions on digital files, searching for critical information is far easier. Altogether, those processes increase my efficiency while ensuring everything has its place and is easy to find again in the future.

What Software And Office Equipment Do You Know How To Operate

Your response to this question is crucial since it informs the employer about the software and office equipment you’ve used before and provides them with confidence that you’ll be able to get right into your work responsibilities with minimum training. Identify the computer software applications and office equipment you have used in the past and describe your degree of comfort with them while answering this question.

Example

“I am an expert user of the Microsoft Office Suite of products,” for example. Not only did I attend a computer class in school that concentrated on these tools, but in my prior position, I utilized Word and Evernote daily and Excel and PowerPoint weekly. I’m also at ease with a variety of office equipment, such as a computer, scanner, printer, fax machine, mail stamping machines, and multi-line telephones.”

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What Are Interviewers Looking For When Theyre Hiring For Administrative Assistant Roles

For entry- and mid-level administrative assistants, companies seek candidates with great soft skills, more so than a predefined number of years experience or technical background.

In general, hiring managers are looking for candidates who communicate effectively, solve problems creatively, and stay on top of endless details to support the team and help everyone move the business forward.

The main things hiring managers are looking for are:

Keep these skills in mind as you prepare to answer questions for your administrative assistant interview. Working them in where it makes sense can help solidify you as the best candidate in the mind of a recruiter or hiring manager.

Questions About Experience And Background

TOP 20 Administrative Assistant Interview Questions & Answers [2021 ed]

During your interview as an administrative assistant, you’ll also be expected to answer questions related to your experience in this profession. Here are some examples of questions you might be asked to determine how you perform and react during certain situations:

What’s your favorite thing about being an administrative assistant?
What’s your least favorite thing about being an administrative assistant?
What qualities make you a great administrative assistant?
What skills do you have that would help you do well at our company?
Describe your worst day as an administrative assistant. What did you learn from the experience?
What do you consider to be your biggest professional accomplishment as an administrative assistant to date?
What do you consider to be your biggest professional failure as an administrative assistant to date?
What tools do you use for time management?
Can you tell me about your strengths and weaknesses as a communicator?
Can you tell me about other skills you have that could be used in this administrative assistant role?

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What Skills Should I Put On My Administrative Assistant Resume

When you apply for a job as an administrative assistant, make sure you highlight the skills that are essential to the position and that will help you stand out from other applicants. Written and verbal communication skills are essential to this role.

In addition, you will need excellent time management and organizational skills to keep track of your varied responsibilities. Recruiters will focus on candidates equipped with software and computer skills to help them fulfill their duties.

Administrative Assistant Interview Success Tips

Here are some tips to help you excel in your interview for an administrative assistant job:

Study the job description well and get a feel of the companys culture as well.
Practice all the interview questions on administrative assistant job that have been provided in this article.
Be ready to sound bold and confident during the interview.
Be ready to name specific situations, with detailed real descriptions of the events or situation.
Dress for success and arrive early to the venue so as not to be stressed before the interview begins.

Basically an administrative assistant provides support and help in the running of the office. Having first-hand knowledge of the kind of questions to expect in an administrative assistant interview can help you greatly in preparing for the interview and giving a great performance.

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Be Prepared To Discuss Software Programs

Since many administrative assistant positions require frequent use of specific software, you may have to discuss the various programs youve worked with, how you have used these programs, and your level of expertise.

I love using technology and learning about new programs. I also have a knack for teaching co-workers who might not be so savvy about using systems. In my last job at Kent Associates, I volunteered to review project management systems for the team of professionals I supported. My boss approved my recommendation and we brought in a web-based system, Asana, that helps us to track projects and share information on a web platform.

I am the go-to person in the office for PowerPoint slides and enjoy helping our sales people to wow customers with their presentations. I am also an advanced user of Excel and create complex macros to prepare budget projections for project proposals.

Your answers will be more impressive if you provide specific anecdotes that exemplify your command of administrative tools and processes.

How To Answer Why Should We Hire You For An Administrative Position

Top 5 Administrative (Admin) Assistant Interview Questions and Answers

Hiring managers want to see job applicants comprehend what makes them unique. Use experiences from your last job to describe what makes you special. Managing multiple projects, completing special initiatives, or handling office culture. Go above and beyond the initial job responsibilities.

Best answer example:

I am highly organized, like making things go more efficiently, and have over ten years of expertise in this field. I continue to work in this field because I enjoy it. As an administrative assistant, I consider my work as ensuring that a complete office runs well, and it is my responsibility to do so.

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What Tools And Software Do You Use To Stay Organised

Recruiters expect administrative assistants to be highly organised. Whether it’s scheduling meetings, having documents ready on time or meeting deadlines, good organisational skills are essential to performing the role well. Knowledge of project management software and tools can help you improve your work performance, and it also gives the employer confidence that you’re able to start work with minimal training. When answering this question, think about which project management and calendar tools and computer software you have experience with from previous roles or in your personal life.

Example:’In my previous role, I synched my agenda with scheduling software, so I could easily move between my email, my calendar and to my to-do list. I’m also extremely proficient using common office software.’

Q1 Why Do You Want This Job And What Can You Bring To The Role Admin Assistant Interview

Refer to the job description.
Tell them you already have experience within this type for role.
List the qualities you have that match the job description.

I have studied the job description in detail and I feel strongly that I have the skills, qualities and experience to match the role. For example, part of the role requires an ability to plan, organise and be responsible for the organisations day-to-day activities. In my previous role I was praised for this type of work. I believe I have extensive experience of organising all types of work.

Refer to the job description

I can be relied upon to organise all of your tasks and will never miss an important deadline. In addition to being organised, I set myself very high-standards, have solid communication skills, can be trusted to deal with your customers and clients and am competent in all administrative software packages such as Excel, Word and PowerPoint. I feel strongly you will be impressed with my work ethic and I will not let you down if I am successful at interview today.

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Questions To Ask In An Administrative Assistant Interview

Along with the questions weve covered for administrative assistants, you should also expect to be given an opportunity to ask questions of your own. Here are good questions you can ask:

What are you hoping a new person can bring to this role?
Has anyone failed in this position, and why?
What does a typical day look like?
Can you show me examples of projects that I would be working on?
How much interaction with clients or customers will I have?
What abilities are most important for a new person in this job?
What would success look like in the first three months in this role?
What are the biggest challenges for a new person in this role?
What have people in this job gone on to do in the company?
When can I expect to hear feedback about next steps in the hiring process?
When do you expect to make a hiring decision?

For a list of further questions to ask employers, read this article.

And if youre speaking with a recruiter, here are 9 good questions to ask recruiters.

List Of Administrative Assistant Interview Questions Best Questions To Ask Secretaries Receptionists Legal/executive Assistants & Other Support

Top 10 senior administrative assistant interview questions and answers

1. Do you consider yourself a patient person?

2. Are you an introvert or an extrovert? Are you more outgoing or a private person?

3. How do you describe your personality? Bubbly? Upbeat? Reserved?

4. Do you speak any other languages?

5. Are you able to multitask? Provide me with an example of what you might be juggling on an average day.

6. What office equipment are you able to use?

7. With your current employer, what has been your attendance record?

8. How are you with understanding accents and working with individuals who are foreign nationals?

9. How do you handle stressful situations?

10. How many phone lines are you comfortable handling?

11. Are you capable of handling multiple inquiries simultaneously staff, front door, customers, phone?

12. What software are you comfortable using?

13. Are you comfortable placing cold calls to leads and existing clients?

14. Do you have experience making national and international travel arrangements?

15. Are you willing/capable of traveling should we require you to accompany a manager or executive on a business trip?

16. Would you be able to comply with our companys dress code?

17. How are you at handling as-needed projects? Do you mind unexpected tasks?

18. Do you consider yourself a brisk worker, or one who is slower paced yet persistent and consistent?

19. Outline the types of people or teams that you have supported over the years.

Are you losing job offers because your interviewing skills need some touch-up?

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Have You Supervised Other Office Staff Members Before

This question allows you to explain your level of expertise and supervisory experience. If you are asked this question during an interview, then the job will likely require you to supervise others in addition to managing your own tasks.

Example:”I have supervised a small group of four team members, including interns and receptionists while completing my own work.”

What Do You Think Is The Most Challenging Part Of The Administrative Assistant Role

This question is another way of asking about your weaknesses. How you answer this question tells the interviewer whether you’re able to identify and develop areas for improvement. When answering this question, use the STAR technique to describe a specific situation you found challenging and describe what you did to successfully overcome that challenge.

Example:’In my previous role, I realised that I sometimes struggled to prioritise tasks if I didn’t use a clear schedule to manage my time. I wanted to get everything done straight away and had difficulty putting things to one side or making someone wait for me to complete a task. I overcame this by creating an organised schedule for myself to follow that prioritises my tasks based on their deadline. I use an electronic calendar which allows me to plan my days and helps me stay on track.’

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What Skills Do You Believe Are Most Important To The Role Of An Administrative Assistant And Why

Your answer to this question will help the interviewer determine several things including the skills you believe are most important to the role, why those skills are important, how you have successfully used those skills in the past and how you would use the same skills to contribute to the success of your team. When answering this question, it is important to use the STAR technique to describe how you have used key administrative assistant skills in the past and how you will use them to contribute to this organization.

Example:I consider the administrative assistant role to be critical for making sure an office runs smoothly. In order to ensure the office runs smoothly at all times, an administrative assistant needs to have excellent communication, time-management and organizational skills. In my previous role as an executive assistant, I was responsible for creating and managing the schedule of four executives.

I did this by using a custom scheduling program to properly book appointments and meetings for each executive and communicated their schedules to them via e-mail weekly and in-person daily during our morning meeting. This helped keep the entire office on schedule. I can apply these same skills to your organization to make sure your office runs smoothly.

Tell Me About A Situation Where You Had To Deal With A Difficult Boss Colleague Or Client

This personality-based interview question is meant to assess your ability to deal with people in challenging situations. Administrative assistants can be the ultimate problem solvers and fixers. That can mean staying calm and focused, and achieving a good outcome.

Possible answer: You might focus again on specific scenarios from your work past where you kept your cool under fire. Youll be ahead of the game if you can reference your personality type from a Myers-Briggs test or similar assessment to talk about how that helps you keep your cool when work gets tough.

What Style Of Management Do You Prefer

This question helps the recruiter establish your level of independence in the workplace and helps them decide if their management style supports your work preferences. Administrative assistants need to be independent enough to keep the office running smoothly but, at the same time, it’s also important that their preferred management style aligns with their supervisor’s. Make sure you’re honest when answering this question to certify the job is a good fit for both you and the employer.

Example:’I prefer a manager who gives me the information I need to carry out my role and who sets clear expectations but also trusts me to complete my tasks without micromanaging. As I’m organised and efficient, I’m good at managing my time, and I don’t need someone to check in regularly to make sure I’m productive. I also appreciate occasional feedback that lets me know how I’m doing and gives suggestions for improvement if needed.’

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Q What Software Applications Can You Work With

Computer can be your best friend, or your worst enemy. It can make you more effective, and it can slow you down in work. But you should try to befriend it, and build a strong relationship with the machine, because unless you apply for an administrative assistant job in one of the least developed countries of our world, you will work with computer all day long.

Make a list of software programs you can work with, and mention each of them in your interview. Tell us how long you have been working with the software, and how it has helped you in your past job , to work more effectively. You can even say that you plan to attend evening computer classes, to improve your skills, or to learn other programs that will help you in your job and life.