Phone Interview Questions For Administrative Assistant

Which Of Your Strengths Helps You Excel As An Administrative Assistant

With this admin assistant interview question, the hiring manager learns how you view the role, as well as gets insights into your capabilities. Its a simple way to assess your mindset and find out about your strengths.

EXAMPLE ANSWER:

If I had to choose just one strength that I feel allows me to thrive, its active listening. An administrative assistant is generally a support role, ensuring others have what they need to manage their tasks. Active listening skills make me particularly effective.

As part of my process, I go beyond simply hearing whats shared. In my last role, I began with simple listening. Then, I restated what Ive heard, allowing me to ensure I fully understand. As necessary, Ill ask probing questions to gain additional clarity. Overall, Ive found the strategy is highly effective, allowing me to exceed expectations simply by gathering the right information from the beginning.

What Are The Common Challenges Faced By Administrative Assistants

The common challenges faced by administrative assistants are:

• Deal with various work strategies:

It refers to the plan of work where different situations require different strategies to complete.

• Interruption in work:

Co-workers of the company expect to be available at all times. Many times administrative assistant receives emails at all working hours. This situation might lead to an interruption in completing important tasks.

• Adopting new project work:

An administrative assistant has to provide many services to different people of the business. Therefore, in this scenario adopting new project work and priorities tasks can become challenging.

• Lake of privacy at the office:

Administrative assistants rarely have their office space, which is personal. Generally, they have to sit near communal spaces. So there are high chances of a lake of privacy at the office.

Why Would You Succeed In This Position

Next, the employer is likely to ask a question or two about why youre confident youd do well in the role.

They might ask very directly, like, Why should I hire you? or they may phrase it differently.

Be confident and answer directly. This isnt the time to be shy or humble. Your answer should sound like this:

You should hire me because I have a background in ___ and ___ and have been doing this for X years. In my last job, I accomplished ___, and based on your job description, it sounds like you need similar work here. Thats why Im confident I can succeed in this role.

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Questions About Background And Experience

The following HR assistant interview questions can give you an idea of what to expect when the interviewer asks about your experience:

• What is your experience working in human resources?

• What kinds of tasks were you responsible for in past roles?

• What aspects of assisting HR managers do you enjoy most?

• How would your past colleagues describe you?

• How do you prioritize your work?

• What is your experience with handling payroll?

• Can you describe a difficult situation you had with a teammate? How did you handle it?

• What do you feel are the most important values of an HR assistant?

• How do you handle working under tight deadlines?

• How will your skills help you succeed on the job?

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What Are Your Favorite Aspects Of Working As An Administrative Assistant

People who enjoy what they do at work are frequently more productive and effective. This question allows the interviewer to learn more about what you appreciate about your job as an administrative assistant and how much you enjoy your work.

Sample Answer

What I like best about working as an administrative assistant is being able to keep up with everything going on in the office and being a crucial figure in ensuring everything works well. In my former position as a receptionist, for example, I always enjoyed assisting my team in planning important events and meetings.

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How Do You Uphold Employee

Maintaining confidentiality is an important aspect of the HR assistant’s job, and the interviewer may ask this question to evaluate your approach to maintaining confidentiality when handling sensitive information. Give examples of how you ensure that only authorized staff members have access to employee files.

Example:”With sensitive paperwork, I use the information I need when entering data into our systems then shred the documents. I also receive biannual training on procedures for upholding confidentiality and work with my supervisors to ensure only authorized personnel have the passwords for entering our databases. In addition to this, my HR manager and I set up different levels of access for authorized and unauthorized network users, with employees able to access their personal information and some authorized staff able to edit information.”

Use Concrete Examples From Your Past

One of the key components of a good administrative assistant is making life easier for a manager or executive. Give the hiring manager solid examples of ways youve helped do that for superiors both in your cover letter and during the interview.

NOTE: If you are preparing for an executive assistant interview specifically as opposed to an administrative assistant position , then head over to our executive assistant interview questions article.

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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.

What Do You Feel Are The Most Important Skills An Administrative Assistant Should Have

This is another one of the most common administration interview questions, and employers ask this to make sure you understand the role and its purpose.

Be ready to name two or three skills that you feel are essential. And most importantly, explain why.

So you should format your answer like this: I believe the most important skills for an administrative assistant to have are communication, attention to detail, and the ability to work accurately under a tight schedule. I believe this because ___.

Also prepare for questions like, What do you feel is the purpose of administrative assistants in a company like ours?

This is going to be much easier to answer if youve carefully read the job description, so make sure you do that before every interview.

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Questions And Answers For Personal And Executive Assistant Interviews

The best way to prepare for an interview is to think about the subjects you will cover.

Lets face it there will always be a set of standard questions you will be asked, so you should prepare the answer before you go into the interview.

Why do you want to leave your current job?

Unless you have been made redundant, this question can result in quite a negative answer. There is the temptation to have a bit of a moan about your current /previous employee. But, try to find a positive response to this. There is nothing worse than hearing someone complain about their last job. It just sounds unprofessional.

For a long time, I enjoyed working for my current employee, and I have felt that I learnt a lot from the role and my Manager. However, the job is limited and doesnt provide me with much room to grow . I feel that this position will allow me to expand my skillset and also move forward in my career.

What are your strengths?

You should refer back to your core PA/ EA skills for this one. Also, think about the environment you will be working in. If it is a fast-paced commercial company, mention that you are not easily flustered if it is a traditional company with exact working methods. You state that you are organised and have a real eye for detail.

Im very organised. I dont get stressed out easily and can deal with most situations. Im also very intuitive and can juggle lots of different tasks.

What are your weaknesses?

Tell Me About A Time You Made A Mistake How Did You Handle It

This question can be tricky because its a behavioral interview question and it makes you focus on a time you failed. To answer this question successfully, show how you were able to bounce back and correct the mistake.

• I once missed an attendee on a meeting request. Luckily, I had set up reminders at the end of every day to double-check my work and caught the mistake the day it happened. After catching the mistake, I added the attendee to the invite without anyone realizing there was an error. Keeping myself organized and accurate really helped me that day.

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What Type Of Work Environments Do You Prefer

Theres a good chance the business youre interviewing at will want to make sure their administrative assistants will fit with the overall office environment. So in the job interview, expect a question about this.

Its best to sound like you can work well in a variety of work environments. For example, you could say, Ive worked for businesses with very different environments. For example, in my last job, I was working in a small start-up environment, handling the schedule for multiple Executives, and enjoyed the challenge. Before that, I was in a much larger corporation and was an administrative assistant to one single Executive. Thats how the entire administrative team worked in our department, and I enjoyed that, too.

How Do You Ensure Employee Databases Are Accurate And Up To Date

The interviewer knows that employees’ information can change from time to time, and they want to make sure that you take the initiative to communicate with staff about any changes to addresses, phone numbers and other details so you can ensure the HR database is complete and accurate. In your answer, provide examples of how you communicate changes with staff and how you manage a large employee database.

Example:”I would send monthly emails to company staff checking in for any changes to employee information. When I sent out the emails, I always included links that employees could click to let me know if they needed to update their information or to let me know their information was current. If there were changes to contact information, financial information or other employee details, I would update it in our database.”

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Do You Have Experience With Microsoft Excel

Were singling out asking about a candidates experience with Microsoft Excel here because it is one of the most widely used software programs in the world. That especially rings true with administrative assistants, who may use it for things like:

• Creating charts and graphs
• General basic accounting

Sample answer:

Im very comfortable using Microsoft Excel. I used it for a year at my past job and created an easy system for employees to submit their expenses and it automatically update within the expenses tracking sheet for various events.

Ive only used Excel sparingly, but Im a quick learner when it comes to learning new applications. I started taking an entry certification course when I learned this position required experience with Excel.

What Administrative Duties Have You Been Responsible For In Past Roles

Interviewers will likely ask this question as a way to address the responsibilities and skills you have outlined on your resume. This helps the hiring manager determine if and how they fit in with the administrative role you are interviewing for. This is also an opportunity to highlight the work experience you listed in your resume. Here is an example of how you can answer this question.

Example answer:As the administrative assistant for Time Wise Financials, I was the first person to meet customersin person and on the phone. I maintained the main office phone line as well as five separate lines for company vice principals. I was also in charge of managing the calendars of my vice principals, arranging business conferences and travel and helping produce presentations using PowerPoint and Apple Keynote.

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Top 20 Phone Interview Questions And Best Answers

• Questions To Ask Your Interviewer

Are you prepared for a phone interview? What will the interviewer ask you? Before you interview in person with a hiring manager, you may be asked to take part in a brief phone screen interview.

If you’re interviewing for a freelance or remote position or for any job with a virtual hiring process, you may have a longer and more in-depth interview. In these cases, a telephone interview may be the only actual interview you’ll have.

Phone interviews are conducted just like in-person interviews. They are used by hiring managers and recruiters as a tool for screening candidates for employment.

How Would You Motivate And Keep Employees Engaged

The interviewer wants to see that you have strategies in mind that influence employees’ engagement and productivity. If you have experience conducting performance evaluations, implementing incentive programs or another method of motivating your teams, describe this in your answer.

Example:”I recently developed an incentive program for my last where we offered $50 gift cards to employees for surpassing quotas at the end of the month. We also provided one extra hour of PTO every 60 days for employees with perfect attendance. I’ve also helped integrate teambuilding events and workshops at least three times per year to encourage socialization and collaboration and promote wellbeing in the workplace.”

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Share With Us Your Greatest Achievement

Interviewers will very certainly ask this question to address the responsibilities and talents you listed on your CV. This assists the hiring manager in determining whether or not they are a good fit for the administrative position you are interviewing for.

Sample Answer

I was the first person to meet consumers, both in person and over the phone, as the administrative assistant for AZ Financials. I was responsible for the main office phone line, as well as five additional lines for the companys vice presidents. I was also responsible for handling my vice presidents calendars, planning business conferences and travel, and assisting with PowerPoint and Apple Keynote presentations.

What Is The Biggest Challenge That You Foresee In This Job

This is a different approach to inquiring about your flaws. How you respond to this question indicates to the interviewer whether you can identify and establish particular areas for improvement. Whenever answering this question, use the STAR response technique to choose a specific circumstance that you found difficult to overcome and describe how you overcame it.

Sample Answer

In my previous position, I realized that if I dont employ a clear timetable to manage my time, I have trouble prioritizing assignments. I have difficulty putting things aside or having someone wait for me to finish a task because I want to get everything done right away. By constructing an electronic calendar, I was able to address this problem. However, I see that you are using a manual entry system here. This is a challenge I expect in this work, but Im sure Ill grow used to it after a while.

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Top Tips & Interview Questions For Administrative Assistant Selection

By Sheryl McAteeCategories: Administrative Assistant & Front DeskTags: administrative assistant interview

Administrative assistants are sometimes the first faces that customers and important stakeholders see. They may answer your phones, set up meetings and screen incoming information. On the other hand, other administrative assistants may be more back-office focused, interacting with few people, but engaging in the detailed work of file system administration and management.

The interview questions you ask when recruiting an administrative assistant are critical to getting the right person in the door for the right role. Here are examples of each diverse role:

Role: Executive Gatekeeper, Scheduler and Negotiator

For this type of administrative assistant, interview questions should assess interpersonal skills, critical thinking, political sensitivity and decision-making. Here are three examples:

• Name a time when you had to disappoint someone in a position of power to meet another persons needs. How did you handle it?
• You notice that the executive you are supporting seems overwhelmed and is forgetting things. What do you do?
• Name a time when you had competing priorities with the same deadline. How did you handle it? What was the outcome?

Role: Back-Office Administrative Support, Filing System and Records Management

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What Administrative Tasks Do You Have The Most Experience With

Sometimes you want the candidate to explain their experience to you, rather than ask them individually about each skill required for the role. Ask them where they have the most experience, and it will lead you to what they feel they are most comfortable with. After youve gathered this information, you can vet where the candidate in lacking skills.

Sample answer:

My primary experience is with data entry, social media, and some basic bookkeeping tasks. However, data entry is my strong suit. Ive worked within Microsoft Excel for three years.

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