132 administrative interview questions and answers pdf

132 administrative interview questions and
answers
Useful materials: • interviewquestions360.com/free-ebook-132-administrative-interview-questions-and-answers
• interviewquestions360.com/free-ebook-top-18-secrets-to-win-every-job-interviews

The interview questions below can be used for positions: administrative manager,
administrative assistant, administrative coordinator, administrative specialist,
administrative supervisor, administrative controller, administrative consultant,
administrative executive…
Other materials for administrative interview:
• behavioral interview
• situational interview
• types of interview questions
• interview thank you letters

Useful free ebooks for administrative interview:
• interviewquestions360.com/free-ebook-132-administrative-interview-questions-and-
answers
• interviewquestions360.com/13-types-of-interview-questions-and-how-to-face-them
• interviewquestions360.com/job-interview-checklist-40-points
• interviewquestions360.com/top-8-interview-thank-you-letter-samples
• interviewquestions360.com/free-42-cover-letter-samples
• interviewquestions360.com/free-48-resume-samples
• interviewquestions360.com/top-15-ways-to-search-new-jobs

You can ref top 25 administrative interview questions and
answers (excerpt from list: 132 administrative interview questions and answers)
as below:

1. Tell me something about yourself?
This is a question which is asked by
almost each and every employer to their
employees before hiring them. The
required answer for this question must
include all the qualities essential for the
job of an administrative assistant. Do not
describe your family background while
answering this question. This will
decrease the chances of your selection
for the next round of the interview. Try to
give examples of your qualities such as
your decision making skills,
communication skills, how do you handle
your targets, and many more.

2.What computer software can you work with?
Computer is a best friend (or worst
enemy) of every assistant. You should be
rather friends… Make a list of all
programs you can work with before the
interview starts. Polish your knowledge
of MS Excel and Outlook (or equivalent
popular in your country), to be prepared
for practical tests in an interview.

3.What was the biggest mistake you made in your
administrative work?
One of the key abilities of a good
assistant is to avoid mistakes. Honestly,
assistants are more important as
generally believed, and it is not such an
exception to see that in fact the
administrative assistant, and not his
boss,leads a small company!
Anyway, you should answer honestly and
mention what you did to minimize, or
completely eliminate, the consequences
of your mistake.

4.Are there any duties you are not willing to do?
In our imaginative minds, relationship of
administrative assistant and her boss
often exceeds the borders of the
office. However, this is just rarely true
and you should not target it in your
answers to the questions in an
administrative interview. To mention that
you are willing to do everything that will
help the smooth run of the office and
what you are capable of is a perfect
choice.

5.How do you handle multitasking?
Multitasking is a challenge for everyone,
not only for office workers. If you have
done this job before, you probably have
your own way how to handle it. If it is
your first interview, to mention you
always assign priorities to each task and
start working on the one with the highest
priority is a right way to go.

6.Are You Comfortable with High Call Volume and Complex
Telephone Systems?
One of your primary duties as an
administrative assistant will be answering
telephone calls efficiently and
courteously, and as such, your
interviewer will want to know how
comfortable you are with this. If you have
not yet had much experience with this,
you should never try to fake it. Be honest
and state that while you have not been
introduced to handling complex
telephone systems, you are a quick
learner and you understand the
importance of handling all calls
professionally. If you have had
experience, be sure to point this out.
State that you have experience handling
several calls at once and that you are
able to keep the conversations separate,
friendly and professional at all times.

7.How Well Do You Work with Others?
Depending upon the size of the company
for which you are interviewing, you may
be expected to work alongside two or
three other administrative assistants. You
should be sure to reply with any
experience you have had working with
others and any strategies that you
developed to stay on top of your duties.
As an example, maybe you were required
to coordinate your breaks so that
everyone was able to take lunch at times
when the call volume was low. Similarly,
be sure to describe any systems that you
developed in relation to improving your
team’s overall productivity, such as
utilizing each team member’s strengths
when delegating administrative tasks.

8.Has your ability to maintain confidentiality ever been
called into question?
No matter the level of responsibility, it’s
likely that a person in an administrative
role will come into contact with
confidential information, whether it’s
high-level business matters you discuss in
front of them or personal information on
forms they handle daily. Make sure the
person you identify knows how to keep a
tight seal on confidential matters.

9.Name an instance when you had little to no help with a
task. How did you accomplish it and what was outcome?
Administrative professionals have to be
able to think on their feet and figure out
where to get the information they need
often with little to no direction or
help. Get a good understanding of their
problem solving skills in the interview so
you know how they can integrate into
your business.

10.You will be supporting a very demanding company officer,
how will you communicate with him/her without wasting
their time?
This is a loaded question. Can the person
you’re hiring develop systems that work
with the way you operate your business
to maximize your time? Are they adept
in figuring things out on their own so
they don’t have to stop you every five
minutes with questions? Even entry-
level admins should be sensitive to your
time and be adaptable to maneuver their
interruptions around your schedule.

11.How do you check for errors in your work?
Many assistants could take a cue from
Santa Claus in making a list and checking
it twice. Attention to detail and not
letting things fall through the cracks are
important qualities in this position. Find
out if they already have their own
systems for maintaining high standards in
their work, and, if they don’t, can they
think on their feet to develop them as
they learn the landscape of the new role.

12.Describe a complicated problem you recently had to deal
with in your job. How did you go about sorting it out?
If they can think on their feet, can they
also outline their work into smaller
manageable tasks for efficiency?
Understanding how a person breaks
down a process can give you insights into
the way they problem solve. Do they
require someone else to tell them the
steps to a task? Ask yourself what sort of
management the applicant will require
and if this fits in line with what you are
willing to provide to the work dynamic.

13.Tell me about a time when you went above and beyond
your assigned duties.
We all want people who give 110%, and
an assistant position is no exception. In
fact, it’s probably a requirement. You’re
looking for a candidate who can make
your job easier, who looks for better ways
to do things, or takes notice to how they
can affect change in the office, even if it’s
only in raising moral every day with a
friendly hello.

14.How do you make sure you have clearly and accurately
understood an inquiry or request made of you?
Hiring a “yes” man (or woman) can be
tricky. Everyone wants employees who
will say yes to taking on tasks, but the
trick is to hire the employee who says yes
and knows what to do after the
fact. Make sure you select someone on
your team who is not afraid to speak up
to get the job done right the first time.

15.How do you organize your daily schedule and prioritize
your activities?
Organization can be key to success in any
administrative role. With that said,
methods of organization come in all
shapes and sizes–some people have the
pile system (which can look like
disorganized stacks of papers–but they
can amazingly pull out that requested
legal brief at a moment’s notice), while
others are software task-list
junkies. Whatever their system or
methods, make sure it works for them
and it can work for you.

16.Tell me about a situation where you had to re-prioritize
quickly to meet changing demands.
Is the candidate flexible? Are they
amenable to change? Administrative
assistants have to be able to shift gears
quickly with many new tasks coming at
them at a moment’s notice. Even if
you’re hiring a person to accomplish
repetitive tasks in the office, business
needs change, and so can your
expectations of their role–make sure you
are not only filling your needs for the role
today but looking ahead, when you make
your hire.

17.Give me an example of how you had to multitask to meet
your deadlines.
Changing schedules, answering phones,
and prioritizing clients can all have a
dramatic effect on the work day. A good
admin knows (or can quickly learn)
what’s most important to your
business. They will know what deadlines
can be pushed (or will ask) and can adjust
their tasks accordingly to get the most
out of each day. (And, yes, this probably
also means learning when to push back
on occasion and saying no, when
appropriate.)

18.Tell me about a specific contribution you made to
improve team performance.
Assistants are often the face of your
company both externally and
internally. Even if assigned to a particular
person or group, do they facilitate and
promote a positive team dynamic?
Whether they’re a gatekeeper, a manager
of data and filing systems, or in an office
manager role, a great assistant knows
that their role doesn’t just support one
person or one project but has a larger
impact on the office as a whole.

19.Describe a project you worked on that involved a large
amount of detail, how did you manage it?
Details, details, details! It can’t be
stressed enough how important having a
handle on organization and details is to
this type of role. Even in what may seem
to be the simplest or rote of tasks, or the
most complicated, make sure you are
identifying in the interview process that
the applicant applies the same focus to
each of their tasks and understands the
importance of accuracy, efficiency, and
quality.

20. Why should we hire you as an administrative assistant?
Answer: Do not answer hastily to such a
question. “You should hire me because I
am the best candidate for this position”
is a very bad answer. Do not answer like
this at all. If you do so then you are
directly out of the race for the job. An
answer that will highlight all your positive
points those are very much in accordance
with the job profile will definitely make
the best answer for such a question.

21. Why do you want to leave your previous job and join our
company or organization?
Be careful while answering this question.
Make sure that you do not pass any
negative comments about your previous
employer or your previous job. Try to
give an affirmative answer and focus on
the positive points. For example, you can
say that, “I have learnt a lot from my
previous job, and now I am here to learn
some new skills and face new challenges.
I like learning new things, and this will
increase my knowledge and give me a
broader exposure to the world.” By
answering this way, you can create a very
good impression on the interviewer.

22. What, according to you, is your greatest weakness or
your negative point?
You need to be very cautious while
answering this question. Do not say that
you don't have any weakness or you have
no negative quality within you. Each and
every individual has some or the other
weaknesses or negative qualities. Hence,
if you say 'no' as an answer to this
question you may loose the job. Instead
give an example where you learned how
to overcome it and improve yourself. This
will impress the interviewer a lot.

23. Where do you see yourself in the near future?
There is no definite answer to this
question. By asking this question, the
interviewer or the employer wants to
analyze how ambitious and career
oriented you are and how committed you
are towards your profession so that you
prove to be an asset for the company. So
give such an answer which states these
points. Do not tell them about your
retirement plans while answering this
question. Instead try to explain them
how will you earn a name and fame for
the company with your innovative
strategies.

24. When did you experience your biggest failure till date
and what did you get to learn from it?
Do not answer hastily to this question
like you did not face failure till date or
you are very perfect in everything you
do. This may create a bad impression on
the employer. Also, remember that do
not answer something which exposes
your biggest drawback. Hence, answer in
such a way that reveals not only your
failure but also your positive side that
you developed because of it. If possible,
support your answer with a real time
example.

25. When do you feel motivated?
If you answer this question like "I feel
motivated when I do a good job and get
rewarded for it.” there is nothing wrong
with this answer but it tells the employer
very little about you. You can also answer
it in a much better way. This is a golden
chance to highlight your positive traits, so
do not waste it by giving such vague
answers. Prepare an answer such that it
will give the employer a hint of some of
your very good characteristics. Here also
try to concrete your answers with some
examples.

Top 14 job interview tips

1. Conduct Research on the Employer, Hiring Manager, Job
Opportunity.
Success in a job interview starts with a
solid foundation of knowledge on the job-
seeker's part. You should understand the
employer, the requirements of the job,
and the background of the person (or
people) interviewing you. The more
research you conduct, the more you'll
understand the employer, and the better
you'll be able to answer interview
questions.

2. Review Common Interview Questions and Prepare
Responses.
Another key to interview success is preparing
responses to expected interview questions. First,
inquire as to the type of interview to expect
(which you can do by asking your contact person
at the organization). Your goal is composing
detailed yet concise responses, focusing on
specific examples and accomplishments. A good
tool for remembering your responses is to put
them into story form that you can tell in the
interview. No need to memorize responses (in
fact, it's best not to), but at least develop talking
points.

3.Tailor your story to the job.
Tailor your story to the jobApplying your story to a
specific employer or job is the next step. Lining up
the stories that apply to the opportunity at hand is
critical. Put yourself in the interviewer’s shoes and
pose the questions you would ask. Which stories
are relevant to this job interview? Think about
personal stories that show how you handled
change, made choices under pressure, or learned
lessons from mistakes and failures. You should
also think about stories you can tell in the
interview that reveal your skill set.
Learning and appreciating your story is a
prerequisite to any interview process. Don’t rely on
your ability to think on your feet. Anticipate the
questions and have answers at the ready. In the
end, this is about making a great and memorable
impression that demonstrates competency and
ability.

4. Dress for Success.
Plan out a wardrobe that fits the organization and
its culture, striving for the most professional
appearance you can accomplish. Remember that
it's always better to be overdressed than under --
and to wear clothing that fits and is clean and
pressed. Keep accessories and jewelry to a
minimum. Try not to smoke or eat right before the
interview -- and if possible, brush your teeth or use
mouthwash.

5. Arrive on Time for the Interview -- and Prepared for Success
There is no excuse for ever arriving late for an
interview -- other than some sort of disaster. Strive
to arrive about 15 minutes before your scheduled
interview to complete additional paperwork and
allow yourself time to get settled. Arriving a bit
early is also a chance to observe the dynamics of
the workplace.
The day before the interview, pack up extra copies
of your resume or CV and reference list. If you
have a portfolio or samples of your work, bring
those along too. Finally, remember to pack several
pens and a pad of paper to jot notes.
Finally, as you get to the offices, shut off your cell
phone. (And if you were chewing gum, get rid of
it.)

6. Make Good First Impressions -- to Everyone You Encounter
A cardinal rule of interviewing: Be polite and offer
warm greetings to everyone you meet -- from parking
attendant or receptionist to the hiring manager.
Employers often are curious how job applicants treat
staff members -- and your job offer could easily be
derailed if you're rude or arrogant to any of the staff.
When it's time for the interview, keep in mind that first
impressions -- the ones interviewers make in the first
few seconds of greeting you -- can make or break an
interview. Make a strong first impression by dressing
well (see #3), arriving early (see #4), and when
greeting your interviewer, stand, smile, make eye
contact, and offer a firm (neither limp and nor bone-
crushing) handshake.
Remember that having a positive attitude and
expressing enthusiasm for the job and employer are
vital in the initial stages of the interview; studies show
that hiring managers make critical decisions about job
applicants in the first 20 minutes of the interview.

7. Remember Body Language, Avoiding Bad Habits
While the content of your interview responses is
paramount, poor body language can be a distraction at
best -- or a reason not to hire you at worst.
Effective forms of body language: smiling, eye contact,
solid posture, active listening, nodding.
Detrimental forms of body language: slouching, looking
off in the distance, playing with pen, fidgeting in chair,
brushing back hair, touching face, chewing gum,
mumbling.

8. Ask Insightful Questions
Studies continually show that employers make a
judgment about an applicant's interest in the job by
whether or not the interviewee asks questions.
Thus, even if the hiring manager was thorough in
his or her discussions about the job opening and
what is expected, you must ask a few questions.
The smart job-seeker prepares questions to ask
days before the interview, adding any additional
queries that might arise from the interview.

9. Sell Yourself Throughout and then Close the Deal
An adage in interviewing says the most qualified
applicant is not always the one who is hired --
which means the hired candidate is often the
job-seeker who does the best job in responding
to interview questions and showcasing his or her
fit with the job, department, and organization.
Some liken the job interview to a sales call. You
are the salesperson -- and the product you are
selling to the employer is your ability to fill the
organization's needs, solve its problems, propel
its success.
Finally, as the interview winds down, ask about
the next steps in the process and the timetable
the employer expects to use to make a decision
about the position. If you are applying for a sales
job -- or a position requiring equivalent
aggressiveness -- consider asking for the job at
the end of the interview.

10. Be Authentic, Upbeat, Focused, Confident, Candid, and Concise.
Once the interview starts, the key to success is the
quality and delivery of your responses. Your goal
should always be authenticity, responding
truthfully to interview questions. At the same
time, your goal is to get to the next step, so you'll
want to provide focused responses that showcase
your skills, experience, and fit -- with the job and
the employer. Provide solid examples of solutions
and accomplishments -- but keep your responses
short and to the point.
By preparing responses to common interview
questions (see #2), you'll ideally avoid long,
rambling responses that bore interviewers.
Always attempt to keep your interview responses
short and to the point.
Finally, no matter how much an interviewer
might bait you, never badmouth a previous
employer, boss, or co-worker. The interview is
about you -- and making your case that you are
the ideal candidate for the job.

11.Focus more on what you can do for the company, rather
than what they can do for you
At the beginning of the job interview process, someone has
to assume the role of the seller, and someone has to be the
buyer.
You're the seller at this early stage of the process.
As the interview progresses you will eventually be
asked: Do you have any questions for us?
It’s a bad idea to say, no, I can’t think of anything. It’s also a
bad idea to have a grocery list of interview questions a mile
long.
Appropriate Job Interview Questions to Ask Your
Interviewers
• How would you describe a typical day in this position?
• In my first 90 days on the job, what’s my first priority?
• What is one of the most difficult challenges facing your
department?
• Is this a new position, or am I replacing someone?
• What’s the company’s strategy for generating new
business?
• What is your management style like?Useful materials: • interviewquestions360.com/free-ebook-132-administrative-interview-questions-and-answers

12.Bring examples of your work
Use the power of the printed word to your
advantage. As an executive recruiter, I can’t
tell you the number of times I’ve been called
by a hiring manager after an interview, and
told how impressed they were with one of my
candidates who brought examples of their
work.
Most job seekers fail to do this in preparing
for a job interview. This one job interview tip
alone will set you apart from other
candidates.
Idea: Some job seekers bring a copy of their
most recent written evaluation to the
interview. Obviously, you should only do this
if your evaluation is outstanding.
The power of the printed word applies here as
well. If you share your strengths with your
interviewers, it's duly noted. If one of your
bosses said those same things about you...it's
gospel.
Another great example of your work is any
chart or graph that illustrates specifically how
you saved the company time or money...or
how you made the company money.

13.Don’t bring up salary or benefits during the first
interview
The interviewing process is a 2-way
street. Just as the company is evaluating
you, you are evaluating them.
A job change is a big deal and you should
know things like how the 401K plan
works, how the bonus is figured, what is
their vacation policy, and what kind of
benefits they provide.
However...
It is interviewing suicide to ask these
questions during the first interview. The
appropriate time to ask these questions is
after the company has decided to extend
you an offer.
Once a company has decided that they
must have you on their team, then it is
timely and appropriate for you to ask
these kinds of questions.

14. Thank Interviewer(s) in Person, by Email, and Postal Mail
As you have already seen from previous
tips, common courtesy and politeness go
far in interviewing; thus, the importance
of thanking each person who interviews
you should come as no surprise. Start the
process while at the interview, thanking
each person who interviewed you.
Writing thank-you emails and notes
shortly after the interview will not get you
the job offer, but doing so will certainly
give you an edge over any of the other
finalists who did not bother to send
thank-you's.

Useful materials for administrative interview:
• interviewquestions360.com/top-36-situational-interview-questions
• interviewquestions360.com/440-behavioral-interview-questions-ebook-pdf-
download
• interviewquestions360.com/top-40-second-interview-questions
• interviewquestions360.com/95-management-interview-questions-and-
answers-ebook-pdf-download
• interviewquestions360.com/top-30-phone-interview-questions
• interviewquestions360.com/290-competency-based-interview-questions
• interviewquestions360.com/45-internship-interview-questions
• interviewquestions360.com/15-tips-for-job-interview-attire (dress code,
clothes, what to wear)
• interviewquestions360.com/top-15-written-test-examples
• interviewquestions360.com/top-15-closing-statements
• interviewquestions360.com/20-case- study-examples for job interview

• interviewquestions360.com/top-25-scenarios-interview-questions
• interviewquestions360.com/top-25-tips-for-interview-preparation
• interviewquestions360.com/top-10-tips-to-answer-biggest-weakness-and-
strengths-questions
• interviewquestions360.com/tips-to-answer-question-tell-me-about-yourself
• interviewquestions360.com/16-job-application-tips
• interviewquestions360.com/top-14-job-interview-advices
• interviewquestions360.com/top-18-best-interview-practices
• interviewquestions360.com/25-career-goals-examples
• interviewquestions360.com/top-36-technical-interview-questions
• interviewquestions360.com/18-job-interview-exam-samples
• interviewquestions360.com/Q-A-25-questions-with-answers
• administrative interview questions and answers free pdf download

• interviewquestions360.com/12-followup-email-thank-you-letter-samples
• interviewquestions360.com/15-tips-for-job-interview-withour-no-experience
• interviewquestions360.com/15-presentation-ideas-for-job-interview
• interviewquestions360.com/12-job-interview-role-play-examples
• interviewquestions360.com/10-job-interview-techniques
• interviewquestions360.com/11-job-interview-skills
• interviewquestions360.com/tips-to-answer-question-why-should-I-hire-you
• interviewquestions360.com/25-interview-questions-to-ask-employer
• interviewquestions360.com/25-job-interview-assessment-test-examples
• interviewquestions360.com/15-tips-to-answer-experience-questions
• interviewquestions360.com/12-tips-to-answer-education-knowledge-questions
You can download this free pdf file: administrative interview questions and
answers by registering an account from slideshare.net

• interviewquestions360.com/15-screening-interview-questions
• interviewquestions360.com/22-group-interview-questions
• interviewquestions360.com/22-panel-interview-questions
• interviewquestions360.com/22-case-interview-questions
• interviewquestions360.com/top-12-tips-for-career-development
• interviewquestions360.com/top-9-career-path-tips
• interviewquestions360.com/top-14-career-objectives
• interviewquestions360.com/top-12-career-promotion-tips
• interviewquestions360.com/11-performance-appraisal-methods
(includes appraisal templates and forms)
• interviewquestions360.com/top-28-performance-appraisal-forms
• interviewquestions360.com/top-12-salary-negotiation-tips
• interviewquestions360.com/top-9-tips-to-get-high-salary

Fields related to administrative career:
The above interview questions can be used for fields as:
Construction, manufacturing, healthcare, non profit, advertising, agile, architecture, automotive,
agency, budget, building, business development, consulting, communication, clinical research,
design, software development, product development, interior design, web development,
engineering, education, events, electrical, exhibition, energy, ngo, finance, fashion, green card, oil
gas, hospital, it, marketing, media, mining, nhs, non technical, oil and gas, offshore,
pharmaceutical, real estate, retail, research, human resources, telecommunications, technology,
technical, senior, digital, software, web, clinical, hr, infrastructure, business, erp, creative, ict,
hvac, sales, quality management, uk, implementation, network, operations, architectural,
environmental, crm, website, interactive, security, supply chain, logistics, training, project
management, administrative management…
The above interview questions also can be used for job title levels: entry level administrative,
junior administrative, senior administrative, administrative assistant, administrative associate,
administrative administrator, administrative clerk, administrative coordinator, administrative
consultant, administrative controller, administrative director, administrative engineer,
administrative executive, administrative leader, administrative manager, administrative officer,
administrative specialist, administrative supervisor, VP administrative, executive administrative
assistant interview questions, secretary interview, secretary interview, office interview questions.

132 administrative interview questions and answers pdf

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (20)

Viewers also liked

Viewers also liked (15)

Similar to 132 administrative interview questions and answers pdf

Similar to 132 administrative interview questions and answers pdf (20)

132 administrative interview questions and answers pdf