Search
Close this search box.

Secretary & Administrative Assistant

Secretary & Administrative Assistant Interview Questions & Answers

Secretaries and administrative assistants perform routine clerical and administrative duties.

Interviewers look for candidates that demonstrate excellent skills such as:

In this blog, we discuss commonly asked interview questions during job interviews for Secretary & Administrative Assistant positions. We also discuss the qualities that interviewers look for in successful candidates. In other words, we’re here to help you out!

Also, read more about frequently asked job interview questions here and check our job interview preparation checklist.

Expand

Skills Interviewers Look For In Successful Candidates

Below we discuss the skills you can highlight in your answers to demonstrate that you’re qualified for the job.

Decision-making skills

Why interviewers are interested in your decision-making skills:

Secretaries and administrative assistants often prioritize tasks and make decisions on their employers’ behalf, so good judgment is essential.

Interpersonal skills

Why interviewers are interested in your interpersonal skills:

Secretaries and administrative assistants interact with clients, customers, or staff. They should communicate effectively and be courteous when interacting with others to create a positive work environment and client experience.

RelatedSecretary Cover Letter Examples & Writing Guide

Organizational skills

Why interviewers are interested in your organizational skills:

Secretaries and administrative assistants keep files, folders, and schedules in proper order so an office can run efficiently.

Learn more about organizational skills interview questions and how to answer them!

Writing skills

Why interviewers are interested in your writing skills:

Secretaries and administrative assistants write memos and emails when communicating with managers, employees, and customers. Therefore, they must have good grammar, ensure accuracy, and maintain a professional tone.

(source: bls.gov)

Secretary & Administrative Assistant Job Interview Questions & Answers

During a job interview, the hiring manager wants to discuss several things. Think of your:

Below you find a list of commonly asked interview questions.

Examples Of General Secretary & Administrative Assistant Interview Questions

  1. Tell me about yourself.
  2. How would you describe yourself?
  3. Why do you want to work here?
  4. What interests you about this position?
  5. Walk me through your resume.
  6. What motivates you?
  7. Why are you leaving your current job?
  8. Describe your work ethic.
  9. What is your greatest strength?
  10. How does your experience qualify you for this job?
  11. What is your greatest weakness?
  12. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
  13. Tell me about a challenging work situation and how you overcame it.
  14. What are your expectations for this position?
  15. What are your career goals?
  16. Why should we hire you?
  17. What did you like most about your last position?
  18. What did you like least about your last position?
  19. How do you handle stress?
  20. What is your greatest accomplishment?

Learn how to answer these common job interview questions!

Examples Of Specific Secretary & Administrative Assistant Behavioral Interview Questions

Learn more about answering behavioral interview questions by using the STAR interview technique.

  1. Tell me about a time you made a mistake while performing secretarial or administrative duties. How did you fix it? What did you learn from it?
  2. Give me an example of how you manage multiple people’s calendars. Do you use scheduling software? Which one do you prefer working with?
  3. How would you prioritize your tasks when you have to complete multiple projects with tight deadlines? Can you give me an example?
  4. Describe the steps you take to protect confidential information.
  5. Tell me about a time you had to deal with a difficult customer or client. How did you handle it?
  6. Describe a stressful situation at work and how you handled it.
  7. Give me an example of a time you demonstrated flexibility and adaptability at work.
  8. How would you deal with a situation where you disagree with your supervisor on how to manage a secretarial or administrative task?
  9. Tell me how you would respond to a caller who demands to speak to someone who is in a meeting.
  10. How would you go about planning and organizing a meeting for 10 people? Can you describe the steps you would take?

Learn more about questions to ask the interviewer during your job interview.

Rate this article

0 / 5 reviews 0

Your page rank:

Turn interviews into offers

Every other Tuesday, get our Chief Coach’s best job-seeking and interviewing tips to land your dream job. 5-minute read.

🤝 We’ll never spam you or sell your data