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6 Administrative Assistant Interview Questions to Ask the Employer

Job Interview Tips Career Tips Landing a job Administrative and customer support Article
You've made it to the administrative assistant job interview, and it’s going well. Thanks to some practice beforehand, you’re answering questions confidently and maintaining your poise. You’re starting to feel like you’ve knocked this one out of the park. And you have, so far. But will that continue when the interviewer asks this inevitable inquiry: “Do you have any questions for me?” All too often, candidates make the mistake of underestimating the importance of this part of the interview process. But the way you respond to this question gives you an opportunity to show a hiring manager that you have a genuine interest in the administrative assistant position and have put some effort into thinking about what you’d be doing if hired. A lack of input on your part—or worse, asking something obvious that shows you didn’t do any company research—can taint an otherwise spot-on admin interview.

6 administrative assistant interview questions to ask the employer

Even an experienced administrative assistant should have questions about working for a particular employer. Before your next interview, think carefully about some things you’d like to discuss regarding the admin assistant position. Here are six good questions you can ask the interviewer during your administrative assistant interview that will show the employer not only can you give good answers, you’re also capable of asking smart, relevant questions:

1. What qualities does an admin assistant in this position need to be successful?

​A question like this shows you’re interested in learning what it takes to perform well. It will also give you a clearer indication of what the company is looking for in an administrative assistant and why you sparked their interest—a good question for the interviewer on many levels because it conveys genuine curiosity and can allow you to expand on your strengths after hearing the reply. Typically, an administrative assistant needs excellent communication, problem-solving and leadership skills to do their job effectively. Since the admin assistant is sometimes privy to sensitive information, it’s essential that this administrative professional can be relied upon to maintain strict confidentiality.  Find open administrative assistant jobs.

2. What are the biggest administrative challenges you are facing?

This demonstrates that you are proactive and want to make an impact in areas where it is most needed. The desire to make a positive difference in day-to-day operations—as well as in the larger challenges—is a highly sought-after quality in an administrative assistant. When you ask the interviewer this question, it may also lead to a chance to discuss how your skills can benefit the company if the interviewer’s answer leads to a brief discussion about those challenges. If the interviewer says something along the lines of how new developments pose fresh administrative challenges along with longtime challenges such as coordinating vacation schedules, you may have the chance to ask for more information. Questions like the ones below can demonstrate that you are well aware that the modern administrative landscape is different than it was not that many years ago: What digital transformation initiatives are currently under way that would affect this role? How does the team handle cross-functional collaboration in hybrid work environments? Is training offered to admin support staff who use new software and emergent technologies such as generative AI? Show your versatility and knowledge of what an administrative assistant does with this question and any others you may ask if a conversation ensues.

3. Do you offer any career development opportunities?

Expressing a desire to seek additional training signals that you’re ambitious and want to enhance your contributions to the company. Questions about career advancement opportunities also indicate you’re willing to make a long-term commitment to the organization. After all, working as an administrative assistant can help you make connections, build skills and gain exposure to an industry that will help throughout your career

4. Can you provide more information about something you mentioned earlier?

Hiring managers have a set amount of time to conduct interviews, so there may be some things they can touch on only briefly. Seize the opportunity to clarify anything that seems vague or confusing, or especially intriguing, by asking the interviewer to revisit one or more of those topics when it’s your turn to ask questions. This is also a good question to ask the interviewer because it demonstrates an ability to retain information even as more information is coming your way—a key trait of a successful admin assistant. 

5. Do you have any concerns about my skills or me that I can further address?

Although it puts your interviewer on the spot, it gives you a chance to address any hesitations the employer may have the skills you’ve included in your administrative assistant resume. This could help you secure the position.

6. What are the next steps?

This question shows you’re interested in continuing to move the process forward and ready to follow up if needed. Recent Robert Half research found that 53% of respondents in a survey of U.S. workers said that knowing when to follow up when searching and applying for a job was a significant challenge. Asking this question in your administrative assistant interview can alleviate any concerns you may have around the appropriate timing for following up with the interviewer. Of course, if the interviewer provides this information without you needing to ask, there may be no need to pose the question. You can, however, ask about details that will give the interviewer a chance to share a bit more about the process and/or how many others are in the running for the administrative assistant position. This is also a good question for an administrative assistant job candidate to ask the interviewer because it demonstrates an action-step mindset—and an admin assistant must act on a variety of tasks throughout the day. One last thing: The expression, “There are no stupid questions,” does not apply to job interviews. Inquiring about things like vacation time or salary before you’ve even received a job offer won’t cast you in a favorable light. Stick to questions that reflect your interest in being the best administrative assistant candidate for the job, and that will help you get to the point where the hiring manager brings them up and discussing those topics will be appropriate.