Administrative Secretary Interview Questions

The primary function of an Administrative Secretary is to ensure that the administrative operations of the office they work in run smoothly. Unlike other Secretaries, Administrative Secretaries are responsible for a variety of administrative aspects in addition to standard secretarial duties.

Administrative Secretaries can be employed by any kind of company with a need for administrative and secretarial work. Since their work tends to involve the handling of confidential or sensitive information, Administrative Secretaries often work in medical, legal, governmental or educational fields. They typically report to a higher-up member of staff, such as a manager or executive, and work exclusively in a standard office environment.

Whether you're a job seeker preparing to be interviewed for the role of Administrative Secretary or an employer preparing to interview candidates for Administrative Secretary position, these Administrative Secretary interview questions will help you prepare yourself for the job interview session.

Administrative Secretary Interview Questions

Below are a list of some skill-based Administrative Secretary interview questions.

1. What is your experience with meeting planning and calendar maintenance? If I asked you to schedule a meeting and ensure that all aspects of the meeting are taken care of, what will you do?
2. How would you respond to a caller demanding to speak with an executive in a meeting?
3. Do you have experience working with confidential information?
4. A colleague asks you for a financial report's password. How do you respond?
5. Describe your experience with word processing and spreadsheet software.
6. What cash-handling or expense reporting have you done? Can you describe the process you use to record expenses?
7. Can you tell me your experience maintaining and filing large amounts of paperwork?
8. Provide an example of a time when you had to deal with a difficult person or situation at work.
9. What software tools do you use on a daily basis as an Administrative Secretary?
10. How would you rate your computer skills?
11. What kinds of documents or correspondence have you prepared?
12. Which administrative tasks do you enjoy the most?
13. Which administrative tasks do you enjoy the least?
14. Describe your experience in sending and replying emails.
15. What do you think is the most important skill for an administrative secretary to have?
16. Multiple employees ask for your help at the same time. How do you communicate with them to determine priorities?
17. What experience do you have using a multi-line phone system, and how do you manage calls when it’s busy?
18. Are you familiar with composing meeting minutes? Can you provide an example from your previous role?
19. A client calls with a complaint about your company’s services. How do you react and who do you transfer them to?
20. As an Administrative Secretary, how do you keep your managers updated on their work schedule?
21. What office equipment are you experienced in using?
22. Have you worked in a secretarial or administrative position in your previous jobs? If yes, describe your experience.

Administrative Secretary Interview Questions and Answers

Every interview is different and the questions may vary. However, there are lots of general questions that get asked at every interview.

Below are some common questions you'd expect during Administrative Secretary interviews. Click on each question to see how to answer them.

1. Why Do You Want To Leave Your Current Job?
2. Why Should We Hire You?
3. What Is Your Greatest Accomplishment?
4. Are You a Leader or a Follower?
5. What is Your Greatest Weakness?
6. Tell Me About Yourself
7. Do You Have Any Questions for Us?
8. What is Your Greatest Strength?
9. What is Your Salary Expectation?
10. Why Do You Want This Job?