50 Most Common Job Interview Questions
How do you handle pressure?
1. Planning and organizing the day. 2. Delegating work to others (colleagues). 3. Getting work-life balance. Pressure is very important to me. Good pressure—such as having many assignments or an upcoming deadline—helps me to stay motivated and productive. Of course, there are times when too much pressure can lead to stress. However, I'm very skilled at balancing multiple projects and meeting deadlines
What is a Administrative Assistant?
A legal administrative assistant works with lawyers and paralegals, providing them with support on research, correspondence, filing, and other essential duties. An administrative assistant in this field needs a solid working knowledge of various legal principles and terms, and they must feel comfortable drafting documents and correspondence related to complicated legal concepts. Often, a legal administrative assistant conducts some paralegal work involving document research to assist their organization's paralegals. They should be comfortable with specific search engines such as Lexis/Nexis and Findlaw. They must be able to draft documents for the staff across a variety of legal disciplines. They typically maintain and organize schedules for appointments, meetings, and cases for their organization's lawyers; as such, the administrative assistant must possess superior organization skills and be comfortable with calendar and scheduling software. The legal administrative assistant often manages the day-to-day running of the office. This can involve tasks such as keeping office supplies in stock, managing invoices, and conducting bookkeeping for the various office support accounts and utilities. Depending on the size and salary considerations of the organization, most legal administrative assistants need at least an associate's degree in business or a related field. They should obviously be fluent in a variety of office software, including word processing and spreadsheet work. Depending on the firm, prior experience as an administrative assistant could be required based on the high volume of correspondence and document drafting required by this position.
What do you know about us?
AV rated - Martindale-Hubbell's AV Rating is the highest level of professional excellence at which a firm can be ranked by its peers. Provide superior service in all types of insurance and business lawsuits Over 30 year experience defending corporations, insurance companies, and their business clients in civil litigation Support charities like "no kid hungry" & "my stuff bags"
What skills do you believe are valuable to this position?
Active Listening. Communication. Conflict Resolution. Creativity. Critical Thinking. Customer Service. Decision Making. Interpersonal. Management Skills. Leadership. Public Speaking. Problem-solving. Teamwork.
What's your availability?
As a college student I do have school M&W from 830-930am but I'm flexible about working any hours you would like including nights and weekends if neccesary.
Give a time when you went above and beyond the requirements for a project.
Every day is a chance to go above and beyond to me. Whenever it's slow in the restaurant it gives me a chance to work on the tiny details that we sometimes miss when it's busy. It's good to take advantage of some off time to get side work done which is something I do everyday at the job. It's almost like a trickle effect, if there's nothing to do and people see you doing projects, they tend to get motivated as a team we could accomplish a great amount.
What are your salary requirements?
File Clerk- Median 13.60$ 90%-17.68$ 21k-38.5k$ salary Administrative Assistant- 25/hr$ 51k -74k salary
How did you hear about this position?
I am good acquaintances with Mr Robert tyson, I'm currently employed at La Jolla Country Club where he's currently an equity member there
Would you work holidays/weekends?
I am willing to work holidays and weekends, If I could get my schedule in advance that would be helpful as well.
What are your weaknesses?
I believe I'm to hard on myself when it comes to mistakes, I like my work to be precise and correct the first time. Nonetheless I believe this weakness works as a strength because it helps motivate me to complete my work both fast and accurate.
Why should we hire you?
I believe what sets me apart is my attention to detail, time management, organizational, and computer skills. My personality makes it very easy to work with me I'm extremely open to constructive criticism I have pretty thick skin so people don't have to tiptoe around when they need things.
What can you offer us that someone else can not?
I believe what sets me apart is that I'm a detail-oriented, creative thinker who is constantly looking for ways to learn and grow to become a more beneficial employee. I constantly set goals for myself, and I persistently try to achieve them in a timely manner. I think these skills will make me a very valuable asset to the company.
Why do you want to leave your current company?
I have nothing but great things to say about the establishment I am currently working at, with their help I have gained an extensive knowledge of skills that apply to the service industry.. With that being said I am excited to take the skills I've gained and be able to apply them into this position to help me grow professionally and help build a base for my career.
Would you work 40+ hours a week?
I know certain jobs require extra work hours as projects come in and deadlines approach. I work efficiently, but when my colleagues need me to put in the extra time, I will gladly oblige.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years?
I see myself receiving a honorable degree or certificate. and I also see myself in the deeper stages of developing career possibly at a manager level or an entrepreneur level where i could be managing my own business
Are you willing to travel?
I'm definitely willing to travel. I find that travel allows me to expand my knowledge of the many facets of a company's customer base. Travel allows me to not only grow my education, but also my professional network.
Are you willing to relocate?
I'm open to opportunities within the company so if that involves relocation I would consider it.
What do you like the most and least about working in this industry?
I've always been a very energetic and fast paced person, so when working in a setting that requires me to sit I channel my energy differently to be able to work fast without loosing focus.
Discuss your educational background.
In high school i was involved in many extra curricular activities i created my own clubs, graduated with an IB diploma, and had the opportunity to take interships during each summer at UCSD and i got an experience of living on campus. now I am a returning college student at Mesa College with the goal of majoring in business and minoring in art.
What is a File Clerk, Receptionist?
Legal file clerks are responsible for maintaining records and documents used in a legal system or court of law. They must follow predetermined filing systems in regards to letters, legal files, case documents, correspondences, invoices, and memorandums, which is usually done using formatting software such as Pacer or ECF. Legal file clerks are required to retrieve and provide files as needed by members of the legal department, as well as ensure that these files are as up-to-date as possible. In addition to legal documents, they may also handle standard clerical duties, such as normal mail, faxes, phone calls, ordering supplies, and managing office equipment. A college degree is not strictly required for this position, though a high school diploma or GED may be a minimum requirement. No prior experience is needed, as most of the necessary knowledge can be learned on-site. If a legal file clerk is to double as an occupant in standard clerical services, job training will be provided for these services, as well. Legal file clerks typically work during regular weekly business hours and travel is minimal for this position, though some movement between branches of legal departments may occasionally be necessary. Legal file clerks are also expected to report to a number of superiors and may need to coordinate with other file clerks to process large requests.
How would you deal with an angry or irate customer?
Listen carefully and with interest to what the customer is telling you. Apologize without laying blame, regardless of who is at fault. Put yourself in the customer's place, and respond in a way that shows you care about his or her concerns. Use phrases such as "I understand that must be upsetting," or "I don't blame you for being upset; I would feel the same way." Ask pertinent questions in a caring, concerned manner and actively listen to the answers. Suggest one or more alternatives that would address the customer's concerns. Solve the problem quickly and efficiently, or find someone who can.
What is your dream job?
My dream job would have to be something along the lines of my degree, in this case I'm striving to get a major in business, so my dream job would be the business side of a company, or perhaps one day having a business of my own. Which if the case It would Definitely be a mixture of my major and minor in art
Why are you interested in working for Tyson & Mendes
My goals are to work for a company like this where i could continue to improve both professionally and personally. I enjoy challenges and taking on more responsibilities. Ultimately I'd like to move into management with a focus on the business side of law practice and work my way into a long term position where I can build a solid career. I also appreciate the values of your workplace, I see that you are involved in things such as children's charity and that's something which isvery important to me'
What are your strengths?
My strengths include being fast paced and accurate with my work. I like assuming more responsibilities so I consider myself a very determined and trustworthy employee I work great under pressure as it helps motivate me to produce fast and correct work
What are three things your former manager would like you to improve on?
One thing I've come to learn is that there is always room for improvement, If we want to continue to be the best version of yourself we have to be welcoming to constructive criticism, with that being said I believe a few things my former co worker would like me to improve on would have to my knowledge of wine and alcohol, Memorizing more member names if not all, and creating realistic expectations.
What are some of your leadership experiences?
Some of my leadership experiences include my internships during my summers in high school where I had the opportunity to go to UCSD and take college level courses and experience living on campus. As a server in the food industry I'm also well at delegating and assisting during high traffic hours. If it gets overly busy I'm usually the one that jumps in and organizes the workload so everyone knows exactly what it is their supposed to be doing without feeling overwhelmed with work the job is equally divided between us.
Tell me about a time you made a mistake.
There's been situations where a lack of reinforced communication causes inaccuracies in orders. For example, working in the food industry its always helpful to repeat orders back to the customers, there's been situations where a customer might forget what they've ordered & perhaps wanted it slightly different. Its good to repeat orders to properly point out what it is they are ordering in which case they could change something or accept their selection.
Describe yourself.
Well I consider my self a very fast paced and organized worker who enjoys working both by myself or in a team where i can practice my good leadership and communication skills. I"m a very creative thinker who's always looking for different ways to solve problems. I believe my Time management and computer skills in ms word excel and outlook makes me a good candidate for a position like this I currently go to school at mesa college with a major in business, my current position is as a server at La Jolla country club for over a year I've always worked my way up from the bottom in the service industry, beginning with my first job at Wendys i was able to use the job experience to land a seasonal job at Costco which was really helpful in helping me further my communication and people skills. Following that job i arrived at the opportunity to work in the retail industry, I really enjoyed my time there working on both the sales floor and stock i gained good sales/ customer service skills, organization, and deep product knowledge, as well as active listening skills
What motivates you?
What motivates me is the satisfaction of knowing I am a rare and valued member of the staff.
What questions do you have for me?
When should I expect to hear from you? OR I was prepared with questions but they were answered during the interview! What do you see as the most challenging aspect of this job?
Tell me about an accomplishment you are most proud of.
Working in the food and service industry id have to say my biggest achievement was being able to finish my training earlier than expected and been able to apply my hard work to the job on a daily basis, As long as I can deliver a good meal and make a memorable experience, my goal for the day is met :)
What was your biggest failure?
early in my career, I learned a valuable lesson when I under-communicated with a client. Ultimately, this led to a loss of revenue for the department. When I realized what I had done wrong, I immediately took responsibility. I went to the client and explained the missing details and why I had overlooked communicating these details. The client respected my honesty and even though it took a little while, i as able to regain the friendship. I learned the value of communicating, even the tough or negative information, and why it's important to establishing trust and holding on to clients. I only had to make this mistake once to learn from it, though it was a tough way to learn.
Tell me how you handled a difficult situation.
early in my career, I learned a valuable lesson when I under-communicated with a client. Ultimately, this led to a loss of revenue for the department. When I realized what I had done wrong, I immediately took responsibility. I went to the client and explained the missing details and why I had overlooked communicating these details. The client respected my honesty and even though it took a little while, we finally got the client to work with us again. I learned the value of communicating, even the tough or negative information, and why it's important to establishing trust and holding on to clients. I only had to make this mistake once to learn from it, though it was a tough way to learn.
What are your career goals?
ultimately i see myself working my way up to managment where i would have a focus more on the business side of law practice.