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Administrative Manager Interview Questions

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  1. Will you please recite the role of an administrative manager for this particular company? See answer
  2. How do you handle confidential files and information about the company’s clients and employees? See answer
  3. How do you keep yourself organized during a busy workday with requests and tasks from various sources? See answer
  4. Your budget is dwindling and you only have enough left to pay for one item. Your company currently needs a new industrial copier, but it also needs an updated phone system. What do you do? See answer
  5. What do you believe are your key strengths as an administrative manager?
  6. How do you handle and motivate different personalities on your team as an administrative manager?
  7. What made you want to apply for an administrative manager position at our company over another?
  8. What’s your process for maintaining office supply and equipment inventories? Can you provide me with a few examples?
  9. What previous administrative roles have you held that make you eligible for an administrative manager position? What specific examples do you have?
  10. How many administrative employees were you responsible for managing at your last job?
  11. Do you have experience handling a budget? If so, how did you spread your budget over a specific time frame?
  12. As an administrative manager, you’d be responsible for speaking with branch department heads on a daily basis. How would you describe your interpersonal communication skills in relation to this?
  13. How do you evaluate administrative job candidates before and during a job interview? What examples can you provide from your previous job?
  14. Based on what you’ve seen so far, what types of administrative policies and procedures would you change and keep the same at our company?
  15. Have you ever written administrative or operational reports for your employer? What components did you include?
  16. Your employer wants you and your team to transfer all paper files onto a digital filing system. How do you approach the situation?
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6 Administrative Manager Interview Questions and Answers

Q:

Will you please recite the role of an administrative manager for this particular company?

A:

You want a candidate that clearly understands the role of an administrative manager. This simple question will allow you to see if the candidate can pay attention to the details of the job. Most of these answers should match the qualifications outlined in the job ad. This particular skill set is different from general administrative tasks, and the candidate should be able to differentiate between them. Your candidate should be able to explain their managerial style.

  • Managerial experience with an administrative department
  • Experience with certain office management software
  • A candidate that can meet deadlines
Example:

“An administrative manager is responsible for the smooth operation of the office. This role includes tasks like supporting the office staff and communicating with clients.”

Q:

What do you believe are the key strengths of an administrative manager?

A:

This answer should include the personal skills that make a successful administrative manager. Your candidate should know the responsibilities of the position with the strengths to be successful. Many of these answers should come from your job listing as well. The candidate needs to be able to lead the office staff and maintain close relations with the clients. A candidate who can think quickly and without any hesitation would be better suited to the position.

  • Clear response without any pause
  • Candidate clearly understands successful personal skills
  • Candidate should have a positive attitude
Example:

“An administrative manager needs to be organized, personable, and possess excellent communication skills. It is also important to identify and solve problems under strict deadlines.”

Q:

How do you handle and motivate the different personalities on your office team?

A:

One of the most important responsibilities of an administrative manager is handling the different staff members in the office. Everyone has a unique personality that works in a different way. A manager must supervise the team and have them strive towards one goal. A candidate will need to manage all the needs of the office. Your candidate should be able to focus the team and delegate responsibilities with all team members.

  • Understand the needs and importance of team work
  • Motivate a team of different personalities
  • Works towards a common goal
Example:

“I enjoy working in a team environment. I make every member feel valued, and I am able to delegate tasks based on everyone’s interests and strengths, making the best possible use of their skills.”

Q:

How do you handle confidential files and information about the company’s clients and employees?

A:

An administrative manager has access to private information, including employee files, client profiles, and executive schedules. Your candidate should stress the importance of protecting this type of information. The administrative manager should appreciate the sensitivity of this confidential information and fully understand why it needs to be safeguarded. A good candidate will also understand what types of information and files need to be secured as well.

  • Maintains a secured computer
  • Makes file security a top priority
  • Can give specific examples of protecting customer and employee data
Example:

“I always keep confidential information password protected on my computer. Before I leave my desk, paperwork is cleared and confidential files are locked.”

Q:

How do you keep yourself organized during a busy workday with requests and tasks from various sources?

A:

The administrative manager candidate should stress the importance of great organizational skills. These skills can keep the manager and other staff members on track during a busy day. Most of these tasks need to be prioritized in order of importance. Your candidate should provide examples of how their organization helped to ensure that deadlines were met. An ideal candidate has experience setting up alarms and calendars on the computer.

  • Provide examples of staying organized with deadlines
  • Be comfortable with office scheduling software
  • Can delegate tasks to other team members
Example:

“I keep a log of every incoming task to stay organized. I rely on software tools to prioritize jobs to make sure deadlines are met.”

Q:

Your budget is dwindling and you only have enough left to pay for one item. Your company currently needs a new industrial copier, but it also needs an updated phone system. What do you do?

A:

Administrative managers are responsible for ensuring that their company has the resources it needs to maintain daily business operations. This question allows interviewers to gauge a candidate's ability to consult with others and make difficult budget decisions based on overarching office needs. A candidate's answer should emphasize:

  • Ability to identify priorities
  • Verbal communication skills
  • Problem-solving skills
Example:

"First, I would speak to a member of upper management to see if there was any way to expand our budget. If not, I would speak with my administrative team and department heads to gauge their opinion on which would benefit them most. In this situation, I would recommend purchasing an updated phone system, as good communication between departments and clients is extremely important."

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