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Administrative Manager Interview Questions

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Indeed’s Employer Resource Library helps businesses grow and manage their workforce. With over 15,000 articles in 6 languages, we offer tactical advice, how-tos and best practices to help businesses hire and retain great employees.

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Whether you are preparing to interview a candidate or applying for a job, review our list of top Administrative Manager interview questions and answers.

  1. How do you keep your office and administrative resources organised? See answer
  2. Describe a time you needed to discipline an administrative team member. See answer
  3. What ERP systems do you have experience using as an administrative manager? See answer
  4. What are the primary responsibilities of an administrative manager? See answer
  5. How do you take part in professional development for your position? See answer
  6. Describe your experience with creating and maintaining an operational budget. See answer
  7. What size of administrative teams do you have experience leading? See answer
  8. What qualities do you look for when hiring administrative team members? See answer
  9. How do you prioritise day-to-day tasks and larger project duties? See answer
  10. How would you describe your management style as an administrative manager? See answer
  11. Describe your experience with completing performance evaluations for your team. See answer
  12. How do you communicate the goals and objectives of the company to your administrative team? See answer
  13. What unique characteristic makes you stand out from other candidates? See answer
  14. How has your education and training prepared you for an administrative manager’s position?
  15. Describe a time you weren’t an effective communicator in your position.
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Hire your next Administrative Manager today.

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Hire your next Administrative Manager today.

Post a job
Our mission

Indeed’s Employer Resource Library helps businesses grow and manage their workforce. With over 15,000 articles in 6 languages, we offer tactical advice, how-tos and best practices to help businesses hire and retain great employees.

Read our editorial guidelines

15 Administrative Manager Interview Questions and Answers

How do you keep your office and administrative resources organised?

An administrative manager needs to keep track of resources within the office effectively. The question's goal is to evaluate the candidate's process for organizing supplies and other office resources. What to look for in an answer:

  • Ability to organise and manage office supplies and resources effectively
  • Interested in keeping an inventory of items used for ease of ordering
  • Ability to create an organisation system that is concise and easy for others to use

Example:

"I like to have a clear inventory of all office supplies so that I can keep track of what's being used consistently. This allows me to monitor ordering and make sure we stay within our budget. I also keep files on all office equipment, such as photocopier leases."

Describe a time you needed to discipline an administrative team member.

Because an administrative manager handles the administration team, they must provide leadership and direction. The goal of the question is to evaluate the candidate's ability to judge when an employee needs to receive a warning or disciplinary action. What to look for in an answer:

  • Ability to provide fair job performance evaluation to all team members
  • Ability to set clear expectations and lead by example
  • Management skills to give feedback and disciplinary action as required

Example:

"One example I can remember was an administrative assistant who consistently took excessively long lunch breaks. Once the issue came to my attention, I sat down with the individual to discuss break periods. I gave a warning and set clear expectations to avoid the issue from recurring."

What ERP systems do you have experience using as an administrative manager?

You may require an administrative manager to have previous experience with a specific enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. The goal of the question is to determine the candidate's knowledge of ERP systems in their previous positions. What to look for in an answer:

  • Solid foundational skills in computer literacy
  • Interest in learning new software programmes
  • Experience with company-specific ERP software, or related tools

Example:

"I've used several ERP systems in previous positions, including Oracle, SAP, and Microsoft Dynamics. I used these programmes to create purchase orders, keep track of office expenditures, timesheets, and assist other departments with projects."

What are the primary responsibilities of an administrative manager?

A successful administrative manager must balance several duties and responsibilities effectively. The goal of the question is to determine the candidate's priorities. What to look for in an answer:

  • Awareness of the full scope of duties and responsibilities of the position
  • Critical thinking to discern the most important parts of the job
  • Experience balancing various administrative duties and leading a team

Example:

"An administrative manager's primary responsibilities are to provide leadership and direction to the administrative team. It's my job to give everyone the tools they need to succeed and define expectations clearly. It's also my responsibility to communicate the company's overall goals and objectives."

How has your education and training prepared you for an administrative manager's position?

You may require a successful candidate to have specific academic training, such as a bachelor's degree or diploma. The question's goal is to determine the candidate's academic history and how they use their knowledge within their position. What to look for in an answer:

  • Completion of company-specific educational requirements or equivalent
  • Ability to adapt and apply knowledge to real-world practise
  • Experience implementing what they've learned

Example:

"After completing my bachelor's degree in business administration, I had a solid foundation in business operations and best practises. I could then use that knowledge to develop my management style to build and develop a successful admin team in my last position."

How do you take part in professional development for your position?

A successful administrative manager needs to stay current with knowledge, technology, and skills development. The goal of the question is to evaluate the candidate's interest in continuous learning. What to look for in an answer:

  • Interest in taking part in professional development opportunities
  • Ambition and desire for career growth and continued success
  • Ability to learn and implement new concepts and knowledge

Example:

"I believe in continuous learning and jump at the opportunity to take part in professional development opportunities. I'm part of a networking group with other administrative managers where we meet monthly to discuss best practises and listen to a guest speaker. I also..."

Describe your experience with creating and maintaining an operational budget.

As part of the management team, an administrative manager must operate efficiently within an operational budget. The question's goal is to evaluate the candidate's level of experience in creating budgets and managing them effectively. What to look for in an answer:

  • Understanding of how to create and manage an operational budget
  • Critical thinking and problem-solving skills to develop creative solutions
  • Analytical skills to assess various areas of improvement within a budget

Example:

"Within my five years' experience as an administrative manager, I've worked with various operational budgets. I've created them both on my own and with the help of the company controller. I review my budget weekly to ensure my department stays within the financial boundaries and I make adjustments along the way."

What size of administrative teams do you have experience leading?

Depending on your company, you may desire a candidate to be proficient in leading a small or large team, both of which have unique challenges and advantages. The goal of the question is to determine the candidate's experience with leading different sizes of groups. What to look for in an answer:

  • Leadership skills to develop and build a successful team
  • Interpersonal skills to manage varying sizes of groups
  • Ability to adapt experience to benefit the current situation

Example:

"When I first started in my career, I worked with small teams of up to five people. As I improved my management and leadership skills, I felt ready to take on larger teams. In my last position, I managed a team of twenty-two administrative team members."

What qualities do you look for when hiring administrative team members?

An administrative manager typically hires office support or administrative team members. The question's goal is to evaluate the candidate's experience in interviewing potential employees and the characteristics they prefer. What to look for in an answer:

  • Communication skills to ask thought-provoking interview questions
  • Interpersonal skills to build rapport quickly with potential candidates
  • Conscious of hiring team members that fit into the company culture

Example:

"Some qualities I look for in a potential candidate are reliability, organisational skills, and work ethic. I also want to get a sense of their personality and ensure they fit into the team."

How do you prioritise day-to-day tasks and larger project duties?

A competent administrative manager must handle daily tasks and long-term projects. The goal of the question is to evaluate the candidate's ability to manage multiple responsibilities effectively. What to look for in an answer:

  • Solid organisational and time management skills
  • Ability to analyse duties and prioritise accordingly
  • Ability to delegate tasks to other team members

Example:

"I have stellar organisational skills. I keep a calendar and personal project management system so that I can visualise all my daily tasks and long-term goals at a glance. I also believe in delegating appropriate tasks to my team to help them learn and grow within their positions with my supervision."

How would you describe your management style as an administrative manager?

A successful administrative manager is aware of their unique management style. The goal of the question is to evaluate the candidate's description of how they manage and lead a team. What to look for in an answer:

  • Communication skills to describe their style effectively
  • Awareness of different management styles
  • Interest in developing their management and leadership skills

Example:

"I would describe my management style as collabourative and mentoring. I believe in putting the best people in the right position and letting them do their best work. I'm here to provide guidance, direction, and support. It's my job to create a productive work environment and to communicate the company's goals and objectives so everyone is working towardss a common goal."

Describe your experience with completing performance evaluations for your team.

An administrative manager typically completes yearly or quarterly performance evaluations and goal setting with their team. The goal of the question is to evaluate the candidate's experience with this process. What to look for in an answer:

  • Ability to provide objective feedback to team members
  • Interest in helping their staff improve and develop their skills and abilities
  • Goal setting experience to provide a clear path for professional development

Example:

"I have several years' experience completing performance evaluations in my previous role. We completed an evaluation review after the first three months of employment and then every six months after. I enjoyed sitting with my team, learning about their goals and desires for their careers, and helping them map it out."

How do you communicate the goals and objectives of the company to your administrative team?

Communication is a crucial skill of a competent administrative manager. The goal of the question is to determine the candidate's ability to communicate effectively with their team. What to look for in an answer:

  • Communication skills to explain a company's objectives clearly
  • Ability to break down significant objectives into personal goals for team members
  • Ability to motivate and show their team how they play a part in the success of a larger goal

Example:

"I like to hold monthly team meetings to review general business and provide updates on department goals. Being open and transparent with my team is critical to the understanding and buying into the company's larger vision."

Describe a time you weren't an effective communicator in your position.

A successful administrative manager must be an exceptional communicator. The question's goal is to evaluate the candidate's ability to handle miscommunication or an unclear message. What to look for in an answer:

  • Communication skills to provide clear messages to the administrative team
  • Awareness of when they have been ineffective in their communication, and how they improved
  • Ability to learn from experience

Example:

"One example of ineffective communication was when I was rolling out a project several years ago to my admin team. I sent out an email describing the project and everyone's responsibilities. The email was too long, so most employees were confused about the expectations. I adjusted my message and held a team meeting instead. This helped me learn..."

What unique characteristic makes you stand out from other candidates?

Every candidate has qualities they want to highlight during their interview. The goal of the question is to provide the candidate with an opportunity to share what makes them unique. What to look for in an answer:

  • A positive and enthusiastic attitude about the company and position
  • Research and preparation for the interview
  • Confidence in their abilities and experience

Example:

"The unique quality that makes me stand out is my extensive knowledge of your company. During my bachelor's degree programme, I researched and completed a term paper on your company's point of difference within the industry. So I have in-depth on the company's history, customers, and overall place in the market."

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