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Secretary Interview Questions

Sample secretary interview questions that explore your personal traits and motivation for the secretarial job.

secretary interview questions

Use the answer guidelines to develop your own excellent interview answers and get the secretarial position you want.

What made you apply for this secretary job?

Use your company background research to prepare for this interview question, this way you will stand out from the other candidates for the secretarial vacancy. Find something specific about the company and position that attracts you. Look at the company mission, vision and successes and at the responsibilities and activities involved in the job itself.

What motivates you to do a good job?

What does motivate you will depend on your background and experience but try to make it relevant to what this position and company provides. Different motivators include challenge, increased responsibility, team involvement, interpersonal interaction, task complexity, learning opportunities and growth.

What qualities do you consider the most important in a Secretarial or Administrative Professional job?

Secretaries today are increasingly taking on the roles of information and communication managers. Key qualities include planning and organizing ability, oral and written communication skills, initiative, confidentiality, adaptability, integrity, reliability, accuracy and attention to detail. Look at the key tasks of the position in the job posting/ad and see which qualities would be essential for performing these tasks - for example if "scheduling" is a key activity then she or he would need to be organized and able to plan and prioritize effectively.

As a secretary, highlight your strengths and your weaknesses.

Focus on three or four strengths that refer directly to the secretarial job requirements. Potential examples include organizing and planning, adaptability, information management, attention to detail, problem-solving, reliability, initiative , discretion, multi-tasking, prioritizing, good judgment and communication and interpersonal skills. Back up your answer with specific examples that demonstrates your strength in the work context.

It is best to refer to one or two true weaknesses and then to detail the steps you have taken to try to overcome the weakness.

What did you like best about your last secretary job and what did you enjoy least?

The interviewer is trying to assess your fit with the job so try and make your answers relevant to the requirements of the position. Appropriate general answers about what you enjoyed can include meeting new challenges, dealing with diverse people, learning new skills, meeting daily and weekly goals.

Your dislikes should not relate to the characteristics of the job you are interviewing for. Also avoid dislikes that relate to working conditions such as overtime, office environment and pay. Criticism of your manager or colleagues raises red flags about your interpersonal skills. Keep it general and rather refer to the absence of something in your previous job such as insufficient challenge or not enough work to keep you busy.

Secretary Interview Questions that Explore Your Skills and Experience
Questions to ask in your secretary interview

Behavioral interview questions and sample answers for the secretary or administrative professional job.

Describe a situation in which you had to schedule your activities to meet an objective.

Tell me about a time that you were not satisfied with your work performance. What did you do about it?

Describe what you do to control mistakes in your work.

Good sample answers

Describe a difficult problem you had to sort out in your last job. Good sample answer

Describe a time when you were faced with a stressful situation that demonstrated your coping skills. Good sample answer

Standard Job Interview Questions & Answers
Secretary Job Description
Receptionist Job Description
Clerical Interview Questions and Answers

The best way to land that secretary or administrative professional job is to prepare your interview answers to common secretary interview questions and practice delivering these in a confident manner.



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