Interview Questions & Answers

Tell me about yourself./How would you describe yourself?

"I am highly organized. I always take notes and use a series of tools to help myself stay on top of deadlines. I like to keep a clean workspace and create a logical filing method so I can always find what I need. I find this increases efficiency and helps everyone else too.

What should I know that's not on your resume?

Due to me having to wear alot of different hats at the dealership I sometimes had to take on a managerial/dealership role. My leadership helped the dealership run well during the time the boss was not available to be in office during a week.

Sell me this object

First I would need to know about said product in full detail. Next I would ask you as the consumer what you want/need and how said product can benefit you.

Tell me what you know about the position/what we are asking for?

From the posting on indeed I see you are looking for an admin assistant that can provide support for the Infastructure department. As well as someone who is able to provide support in meetings (preparing materials, taking minutes,e.t.c).Also someone who can provide coverage in other areas such as the receptionist area or for other admin assistants.

What are your greatest strengths?

I am a great multi-talker, highly organized and a great communicator

What are you looking forward to in a new position?

"I'm looking for a new challenge that can help me broaden my experience. I believe this change of industry will do just that. With my skill set and experience, this would give me an opportunity to build new working relationships and learn new things."

Why are you leaving your current job?

"In my current position I really enjoy my workplace and my co-workers. The atmosphere is great, and my colleagues are always ready to help when I need it. However, I have realized that staying with the same company for too long will minimize my chances for career growth because my duties won't provide much room for developing new skills.I am looking forward to progressing my career into a new role which would help me develop a rich skill set..

What do you like least about your current job?

"The thing I like least about my job right now is the limited opportunities to advance and be promoted in the company. It's a great dealership and I've learned a lot here, but it's such a small company that it's difficult to find ways to move up. My group is only four people, for That's one reason I'm job searching right now; I'm looking for a larger organization that can offer more opportunities in the long-term for upward movement and career progression."

How do you handle conflict?

"When faced with a conflict, I like to ask questions and understand my coworker's perspective. This helps keep the situation calm, helps them feel like they're being heard, It's something that I personally appreciate, getting the chance to be heard and not just be brushed to the side. Afterwards, I've found it's much easier to come to an agreement or compromise while both parties are a lot calmer."

Tell me about difficult situation you have dealt with?

A difficult situation for me would be getting a new job position and learning the new tricks while adapting to a new way of living (the pandemic).

What are your greatest weaknesses?

I am a perfectionist and I have a very specific "if I want it done right I need to do it myself"; I don't really like to ask for help too much

Tell me a little bit about what you do now

I am currently the internet sales manager at 100 Percent Autowholesalers. My main duties include: keeping the dealer website and other posting sites up to date with our current inventory. As well as inputting any new cars, promotions (such as sales). I am also responsible for setting up appointments for prospective customers by reaching out through email. Just to name a few.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I am interested in making a long term commitment to the company so in five years I see myself at the company; as someone who has aided in the improvement and growth of the department, but who has also learned alot of new skills and knowledge. The job description is exactly what I am looking for so I see myself very happy and accomplished.

What makes you unique?

I am unique in the sense that I am easily able to wear many hats at a company while staying organized. I have held many hats at my current company from administrative/customer service to sales; two very different jobs but with each I was easily able to learn duties & responsibilities and apply myself to the best of my ability.

What are you passionate about?

I am very passionate about music and movies. I love to spend my weekends finding/watching new movies or just listening to music.

What can you do that other candidates can't?

I am very quick on my feet, I find the most efficient solution to any problem/ tasks when given. Also as a perfectionist I give no less than 110% when working, I always put my all into my work

How did you hear about this position?

I found this listing on Indeed while looking for administrative/office positions

What work environment do you prefer?

I have worked in many types of environments and enjoyed learning new things from each. I would say that while I don't prefer a particular environment, I really like working with people who are committed to getting things done and who are passionate about their work.

Do you consider yourself successful?

I like to consider myself as such. I started working an administrative role right after high school as well as going to community college. I later took on a completely new (and originally daunting) position during the height of a pandemic (changing everything I was used to) and graduating from community college. I plan on achieving much more in the future.

How do you stay organized?

I stay organized by planning/mapping everything out. I use notion and google suite to keep my personal life and work life organized. Orginaztion is a priority for me because it keeps me from being stressed/overwhelmed.

Why should we hire you?

I think you should hire me because I am a multi-tasker with high responsibility and the attention to detail. I have held similar positions in the past few years that allowed me to gain great administrative/secretarial as well as clerical experience. I feel like I will assimilate well into the company.

Can you explain why you changed career paths?

I went from secretarial to sales because there was an opening at the dealership. Due to it being a smaller office I applied, I enjoy it but I would like to advance in a different field)

If you were an animal, which one would you want to be?

I would say I would be an dolphin, like them I am intelligent and regarded as friendly, easy going by people who know me.

What is your work style?

I would say my work style is multitasking and concise. Once I get into a specific rythym I keep going and don't like to procrastinate.

Why do you want to work here?

I've always excelled in an office work. feel like I can succed in this position due to my several years of experience in the field. I also work well in a collaborative team-like environment. I enjoy the busyness that comes with working as an administrative assistant. Answering phones, scheduling appointments, assisting clients and managing new tasks as they come up makes me look forward to the versatility and excitement of working in a busy office

How would your boss and co-workers describe you?

My boss would describe me as someone who is hardworking, someone who really goes out of their way to get things done and easily adabtle. When I first switched over from doing secretarial work to marketing I was trained for only a few days and easily caught on to the new way of working. My coworkers would describe me as someone who is easy to communicate with, someone who likes to help others whenever needed/asked and someone who is great with engaging with customers.

What are your career goals?

My career aspirations include advancing in the administrative field, down the line becoming an executive assistant or office manager.

What's your management style?

My management style would have to be someone who gives me very specific and clear directions/istructions. I like to make sure that I do my work in the best and most efficient way possible and I appreciate when I am told in a succinct way the expected outcome/result.

How do you plan to achieve your career goals?

My plan is to apply myself to achieve my goals is to do my best at my job. I plan on applying my pre-existing knowledge and skills to prove myself as a great employee.

What do you like to do outside of work?

Outside of work I love spending time with my family and best friend. I value spending time with my loved ones and I am grateful whenever I get the chance to do so. Whether it be going to see a movie, going out to a new restaurant.

Describe yourself in three words

Perfectionist, centered, helpful

What are some of your pet peeves

Some of my pet peeves are bad communication disorganization, it affects everyone and their ability to complete their work to their best ability.

What role do you think admin takes in the office?

The admin assistants are the people who keep the cogs of the machine (office) running smoothly. In addition to keeping up with everyday tasks such as filing, organization and maintaining schedules, they also help the people they support by providing important information when needed and making sure everything runs smoothly.

What would your first few months in this new role look like?

The first few months would include me being adapted to the new way of things in the office. I will have created great functioning relationships with my coworkers and constantly learning new things.

How do you prioritize your work?

The order in which I priortize my work is by referring to my to do list/s & addressing duties in accordance to most important/deadlines.

How do you deal with pressure or stressful situations?

The way I deal with stress/pressure is to not psych myself out and allow myself to recenter. Afterwards I plan out the best plan of action (as best as possible bc despite how much I love to plan things out not everything always goes according to plan) and preserve until I get things done.

Walk me through your resume

Well as you can see on my resume, after I graduated high school I started working as a secretary for the dealership. I have experience working in different fields such as sales/marketing & customer service/administrative work as well. My most recent position is the one that I currently hold as sales manager at the dealership, I have been working as so since March of 2020.

What can you bring to the company?

What I can bring is my several years of experience in administrative work as well as my custom service experience.I have many skills such as being: adaptable, organized, communicative and very detail oriented.

What motivates you?

What drives me is the opportunity to constantly learn something new, taking on new responsibilities and the ability to grow.

Questions to ask them

What's the next step in the interview/hiring process? How long does your recruitment process usually take? What is the key to succeeding in this role? Could you tell me a little bit about the person I would report to directly? What is the onboarding process like for new hires? How many people will I be working with? What is the work culture like here? Can you tell me what the team is like? What do you/employees like most about working here? What are the prospects for growth? What types of people are the most successful here? What type of things would I need to achieve to advance within the position/company?