Top 10 executive assistant interview questions. Not an easy question to start with. If you can effortlessly show your expertise in these areas, then you can almost be sure the interview will go well to your liking. If you’re preparing to interview for a job as an administrative assistant, get ready to find ways to showcase a wide variety of skills.. A hiring manager will likely be looking to connect with you as a job candidate in ways that go beyond your resume and cover letter. FlexJobs is a subscription service for job seekers that features flexible and remote jobs. Interview. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. Rather than saying “I’m good with computers,” talk about your training, certifications, and experience. With an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau, the monthly subscription costs allow us to fully vet and verify all of the jobs on our site—ensuring that customers have a safe and positive job searching experience. But only share the numbers if they work in your favor. Administrative Assistant Interview. References Your answer to this question should play up your strengths across the board. You will need to use a variety of computer software and office equipment as an administrative assistant. Make sure you’re prepared with these interview questions and answers for an assistant job. Whether the job title is executive assistant, office assistant, administrative assistant or personal assistant, you want to do everything you can to show the interviewer your organization, communication and customer service skills. Last Updated: February 29, 2020 ), computer environments (Windows, Macintosh, etc. Mention any responsibilities you were given in past jobs because of your strength in a specific area, like written communication or dealing with the public. Which of the following would you say best explains why you've come to FlexJobs? By using our site, you agree to our. ), word processing, database and spreadsheet skills. QUESTION: What computer skills do you have? Because administrative assistant duties are so varied, the questions can fall anywhere on the interviewing spectrum, from general work styles to software-specific queries. To create this article, volunteer authors worked to edit and improve it over time. Give some thought to how to frame a response, highlighting specific experiences and successes from previous jobs. Greet the interviewer and let her take it from there. I also help prepare correspondence, presentations and reports. To gain … I interviewed at Amazon. Before that she used to attend a lot of interviews without success. While you should always be prepared for common job interview questions , there are assistant-specific questions that you’ll want to make sure you have practiced before hand. 1. You should be able to explain how you organize and manage a daily schedule, including what tools you use, how you set reminders and how you handle scheduling conflicts. If you do well, you may be given more responsibility or promoted to work directly for someone higher up. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Now let’s look at some scenario-based interview questions for administrative assistants (also known as behavioral questions). A hiring manager will likely be looking to connect with you as a job candidate in ways that go beyond your resume and cover letter. Possible answer: Be specific. Most likely, that will mean being able to talk about your prior experience and how it’s … These are questions that start with phrases like, “Tell me about a situation where you had to…” and require a specific story or example. Start by being calm, especially if a place is uncomfortable for you, don't express your feelings to other colleagues. This is excellent advice for any interview, but is particularly crucial for HR assistants, who often spend their days dealing with people. Getting things done on schedule and helping your supervisor or team members stay on track are common specifications for administrative assistants. Understanding the right administrative assistant interview questions to ask employer can go a very long way. You should feel comfortable answering questions about the insurance industry as well as the position itself. "The article gave me great tips on how to prepare myself for an interview, especially since I haven't been on one, "Very successful words for an administrative assistant's interview. However, if your efforts only saved or earned $50, you might want to let the hiring manager imagination take that one and skip that detail. It was not until a month later she realized she was not answering the “tell me about yourself” question correctly. Intent: You’ll likely be in front of a computer for the … Once you feel secure with your interview preparation, ask a friend to act as the employer for a mock interview, during which you can put your preparation to the test. Describe your computer experience including applications used (MS Word, Excel, etc. Apart from duties such as maintaining files, they also conduct research and draft legal documents. What skills and qualities are most important in an administrative assistant? Free interview details posted anonymously by Facebook interview candidates. Administrative assistant assessment example exercises and practice exercises can strengthen the candidate’s basic understanding of the test. If you saved or earned a company $2,000, share that number! Set a target or goal for the day, and do your best to achieve it. This personality-based interview question is meant to assess your ability to deal with people in challenging situations. Given the broad range of tasks that administrative assistants are often asked to cover, now’s the time to blow your own horn. We help lots of people in similar situations. Administrative assistants can be the ultimate problem solvers and “fixers.” That can mean staying calm and focused, and achieving a good outcome. Be sure to begin preparing for interviews well before their scheduled dates, so that you are ready to put your best foot forward when the big day comes. Great news, you're in good company! Legal Assistant Interview Questions. There is no "right" way to prepare for an interview; rather, there are strategies that you can use to improve your interview skills. Hiring supervisors who ask this type of question want to know about your clarity of thought, in both written and verbal exchanges. When interviewing for an HR assistant job, it is important to show up a few minutes early and come ready and dressed to impress.Maintain eye contact, stay confident, and offer a good, solid handshake. ", All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published. Have you earned … Average Interview. Multitasking is an integral part of being an administrative assistant, so prepare examples of how you manage a multitude of responsibilities at 1 time. Studying up on the types of administrative assistant interview questions can help you ace the interview. 5 Essential Steps in Preparing for an Administrative or Executive Assistant Interview There are many administrative and executive support professionals out there who can recite their set of skills at the drop of a hat, but it’s important to keep in mind that some interviews may ask more of you. Application. Legal assistants typically work in law offices and firms. If possible, you should also try to tailor your response to the specific job you're applying for, like mentioning why you want to work for that particular company. Begin by knowing yourself and the demands of the position; then ask questions that focus on the hard and soft skills needed to do the job: Hard-Skills Interviewing Tips To generate a list of interview questions for an administrative assistant, ask your current administrative assistant to write down each task they do … Are you interested in remote work at all? This question is related to queries about time management, but it goes more specifically to your judgement when it comes to prioritizing work. 5 Administrative Assistant Interview Questions & Answers. We'd love to show you the jobs we have that match your interests. The more specific you can be about the hours and days you want to work, the better. Briefly describe your work experience, especially the administrative and customer service aspects. Employers are happy to know that you have skills that may extend beyond the scope of the job you’re seeking. Why do you want to work as an administrative assistant? How do I answer, "Why do you want to work here? Just take a few seconds to let us know what you're looking for! Possible answer: You might focus again on specific scenarios from your work past (without naming names of the difficult people) where you kept your cool under fire. Q. Don't forget to share this article with friends! Employers value administrative professionals who not only manage their own time well, but also help others meet deadlines and priorities. Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. If a hiring manager asks about your transferable skills, take it as a great opening to discuss what you can bring to the job beyond what may be listed on your resume. TIP #1 – Working in the National Health Service (NHS) within an admin position requires an ability to be organised, being able to plan your work effectively and also multi-task.Before you attend the interview, have specific examples for how you have already achieved each of these important skills. Interview Tests. A degree in law isn’t always required. Be ready to explain during an administrative assistant interview how you treat sensitive information, and what steps you take to safeguard it. Be prepared by brushing up on administrative assistant interview questions that may be coming your way. How do I answer: How did you cope when faced with a workplace challenge you had never come across before? Possible answer: Avoid giving an answer that says “I’m good at this, but not good at that.” Instead, talk factually about a communications-based task you did well—a report or a presentation before a group, for example. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. Build My Resume. Sample answer to the interview question, ‘Tell Me About Yourself’ As you can tell from my CV, I have been in Administrative roles for 5 years now. Great tips, thank you! If you can't find outside help, practice in front of a mirror. If someone works as an administrative assistant, what are the downsides they may face? The application process can be extremely time-consuming, so when you finally land an interview, it’s normal to stress about providing the best possible answers to common interview questions. When interviewing for an administrative assistant position, you want to do everything you can to let the interviewer see what a great assistant you would make. What type of work schedule would you consider? Here are 5 of our best tips to make sure you are ready for your next administrative assistant interview: 1. In an interview for an administrative assistant role, for example, you'll need to show that you have the necessary qualifications to perform well at this job. Is your kid begging for a dog? MIKE'S TIP: When you answer any executive assistant interview question with an example, you usually want to quantify the details. Be ready to explain during an administrative assistant interview how you treat sensitive information, and what steps you take to safeguard it. Find out if they're really ready. I also like connecting with people and helping to make sure they receive the help they need." Give time and attention to the work, then the environment will become familiar to you. Now that you have an understanding of how to answer administrative assistant interview questions, let us connect you to opportunities. Organizations in various industries rely on Administrative Assistants to provide support to their team and help run the office. Administrative assistant interview questions can be difficult to prepare for. Use this as an opportunity to express your interest in the position, as well as to remind the interviewer of some of your more compelling qualifications. Here are several common administrative assistant interview questions and sample answers so you can feel confident about your face-to-face meeting. You may do this by writing something along the lines of, "Thank you for taking the time to interview me. Downsides can include: Having to work longer hours than you're meant to because the CEO or other bosses need you and work too hard; having to handle difficult clients or people wanting to see the boss; finding missing paperwork you didn't file but others did; several calls at once; lots of emails waiting for you every morning; weekend calls from the boss; making bookings to things already booked out, then having to change bookings already booked; doing things at the last minute because your boss just assumes you're available, etc. So besides talking about the specific job-related skills the employer may already know about, this question offers an opportunity to talk about soft or intangible skills like optimism, self-confidence, and trainability. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 175,673 times. Send a thank you note to each interviewer within 48 hours of the interview. What makes the best candidate when preparing for an administrative assistant interview? 21 Facebook Administrative Assistant interview questions and 20 interview reviews. You must be flexible, eager to learn, and able to work under pressure. Possible answer: While the job description may spell out a required schedule, be specific in your response and focus on the type of work flexibility you’re seeking. Hiring people who fit your corporate culture and want … I applied online. Your time management helpmates don’t have be apps or other “techie” tools; you can also talk about strategies like goal-setting (and goal meeting), organizational skills, and meeting or exceeding deadlines. We can hardly talk about a meaningful purpose of the job, about your inner calling to the position.Such an answer will work well in teaching, or in social work interviews, but not in the interview … It’s important you start thinking like an administrative assistant long before you ever step foot in that interview … Administrative Assistant Interview Questions and Answers While preparing, it can be useful to review questions you might be asked. Make a space for those persons who are lazy and rude. Behavioral Administrative Assistant Interview Questions. In this case, 93% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. If you’re preparing to interview for a job as an administrative assistant, get ready to find ways to showcase a wide variety of skills. Grace is currently working as an administrative assistant in an NGO based in Nairobi. In an interview, your potential employer may be looking to assess the qualifications and qualities that make you stand out, from your computer skills to your ability to work well with others. As an administrative assistant, you may be asked to handle confidential information. Possible answer: An administrative assistant job can be a jack-of-all-trades position. Multitasking is an integral part of being an administrative assistant, so prepare examples of how you manage a multitude of responsibilities at 1 … By figuring out how you might answer the most common Executive Assistant interview questions, you’ll also: Learn exactly what skills you need to prepare for an interview and to excel as an Executive Assistant Me about yourself ” question correctly asked to handle confidential information trusted research and draft legal.. 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