Administrative assistant interview questions, with a scoring guide
Supports the team with documents, calendars, mail, invoices and supplies so the office runs smoothly. Here are 22 questions for an administrative assistant interview. Each comes with a follow-up and a 1 to 5 scoring guide so you can compare candidates fairly.
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Questions specific to the administrative assistant role
Role-specific
Walk me through how you take minutes at a staff meeting and what you send out afterward.
Follow-up: How do you make sure the action items actually get done?
1 WeakTries to write down everything, or captures nothing useful.
3 SolidRecords the main decisions and sends notes, eventually.
5 StrongCaptures decisions, owners and deadlines, sends clear minutes within a day or two, and follows up on open items.
Role-specific
Tell me about a time you caught a problem with an invoice, receipt or expense claim before it went for payment.
Follow-up: What did you do with it?
1 WeakDoesn't check; passes everything along.
3 SolidNoticed it and handed it back.
5 StrongMatched it to the order or receipt, flagged the specific problem, and got it corrected before payment.
Role-specific
Two managers each ask you for urgent work, and both say it's due today. What do you do?
Follow-up: What would you say to the one who has to wait?
1 WeakPicks one without saying anything, or tries to do both and misses both.
3 SolidDoes one first and apologizes to the other.
5 StrongChecks the real deadlines, asks for a priority call if needed, and tells both managers what to expect.
Role-specific
Describe a filing system, paper or digital, that you set up or kept so anyone could find what they needed.
Follow-up: How did you handle old or private records?
1 WeakKeeps things in their own head or inbox.
3 SolidUses folders with a loose naming habit.
5 StrongClear folders and file names, scans paper, locks up private records, and follows the retention rules.
Behavioural questions by skill
Behavioural questions ask about something the person actually did. Past behaviour is a better guide than "what would you do" answers alone.
Organizing and time management
Plans the work and meets deadlines.
Walk me through how you plan a typical work day.
Follow-up: What do you do when the plan falls apart?
1 WeakNo plan.
3 SolidA loose plan.
5 StrongA clear system, such as a list or calendar, and how they adjust it.
Tell me about a time you had several deadlines at once.
Follow-up: How did you decide the order?
1 WeakMissed some without warning.
3 SolidMet them by working late.
5 StrongPrioritized, planned, and met them or flagged early.
Describe a system you use to keep track of tasks, orders or paperwork.
Follow-up: Show me how you'd use it on your first day here.
1 WeakNone.
3 SolidMostly memory.
5 StrongA reliable system with an example.
Attention to detail
Gets the small things right.
Tell me about a time you caught a mistake before it caused a problem.
Follow-up: How did you spot it?
1 WeakNo example.
3 SolidCaught one by chance.
5 StrongCaught it because of a habit or check they always do.
Walk me through how you check your own work before calling it done.
Follow-up: Has that check ever caught something?
1 WeakThey don't.
3 SolidA quick look over.
5 StrongA clear routine that fits the task.
Describe a task where getting the small details right really mattered.
Follow-up: What would have happened if they were wrong?
1 WeakCan't name one.
3 SolidNames one, but light on how.
5 StrongExplains the details, why they mattered, and how they got them right.
Communication
Explains clearly and keeps people in the loop.
Tell me about a time you had to explain something complicated to someone who was new to it.
Follow-up: How did you know they understood?
1 WeakCan't explain clearly, even in the interview.
3 SolidExplained it but didn't check understanding.
5 StrongUsed plain words or examples and checked they got it.
Describe a time you had to give bad news to a customer, coworker or manager.
Follow-up: What did you say first?
1 WeakAvoided it or left it to someone else.
3 SolidDelivered it, but bluntly or late.
5 StrongDelivered it early and clearly, with a next step.
Tell me about a time a misunderstanding caused a problem at work. What did you learn?
Follow-up: What do you do differently now?
1 WeakBlames the other person entirely.
3 SolidFixed the issue with little reflection.
5 StrongFixed it and changed how they communicate, such as confirming in writing.
Honesty and integrity
Does the right thing, including when nobody's looking.
Tell me about a time you were asked to do something at work that you felt wasn't right.
Follow-up: What happened afterwards?
1 WeakDid it without question.
3 SolidDid it but felt uneasy.
5 StrongRaised it respectfully and did the right thing.
Describe a time you handled cash, stock or private information. How did you keep it secure?
Follow-up: Did anything ever go missing?
1 WeakVague answer.
3 SolidFollowed the basics.
5 StrongSpecific precautions and an example.
Tell me about a time you admitted you didn't know something.
Follow-up: What did you do next?
1 WeakNever has.
3 SolidAdmitted it when pressed.
5 StrongAdmitted it early and found the answer.
Adaptability
Handles change without losing their footing.
Tell me about a time your plans or duties changed at the last minute.
Follow-up: How did you feel about it at the time?
1 WeakComplained or resisted.
3 SolidAdjusted, but grudgingly.
5 StrongAdjusted quickly and helped others adjust too.
Describe the biggest change you've dealt with at work, such as a new system, manager or process.
Follow-up: What helped you get used to it?
1 WeakStill negative about it.
3 SolidGot used to it eventually.
5 StrongLearned it early and found what was useful about it.
Tell me about a time you had to do a task you'd never done before.
Follow-up: What did you do to get up to speed?
1 WeakRefused or avoided it.
3 SolidDid it with a lot of help.
5 StrongAsked the right questions, got going, and learned fast.
Customer service
Keeps customers looked after, even when it's hard.
Tell me about a time a customer was upset with you or your business. What did you do?
Follow-up: How did the conversation end?
1 WeakArgued, passed them off, or avoided the customer.
3 SolidStayed polite and followed the rules, but the customer left unhappy.
5 StrongListened, owned what they could, fixed it or offered a real option, and stayed calm.
Describe a time you went beyond what was expected for a customer.
Follow-up: How did you know the extra effort was worth it?
1 WeakNo example, or the 'extra' was the basic job.
3 SolidA good example with little thought for the business side.
5 StrongWent the extra step in a way that also made sense for the business.
Tell me about a time a customer asked for something you couldn't give them. How did you handle it?
Follow-up: What did they do next?
1 WeakJust said no.
3 SolidSaid no politely and explained why.
5 StrongExplained, offered an alternative, and made sure they had a way forward.
Prescreen questions for administrative assistant candidates
Ask these on a five-minute phone call or send them as a form before you book interviews.
- Are you legally entitled to work in Canada? (Yes / No)
- Which days and times are you available to work?
- When could you start?
- What pay are you looking for?
- What interests you about this job?
- How comfortable are you with word processing, spreadsheets and email (Microsoft Office or Google Workspace)? (Very comfortable / Comfortable / Still learning)
- This role includes some front-desk work, such as greeting visitors and answering phones. Does that suit you? (Yes / No)
How to score the answers
- Ask every candidate the same questions in the same order. That's what makes scores comparable.
- Write down what they did, not your impression. "Closed alone on a Saturday and restocked for the morning" beats "seems reliable".
- Score each answer from 1 to 5 against the guide under the question. A 3 is a solid, acceptable answer.
- Average the scores and read the notes behind any big gap between interviewers.
- Check references on the areas where you're least sure.
Questions to avoid
Hiring questions should be about the job. Human rights law in every province and territory protects people from being treated differently because of things like age, family status, disability, religion, race, place of origin, sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity. The list of protected grounds differs a little by province, so check yours.
Stay away from questions like these:
- "How old are you?" or "When did you finish high school?"
- "Do you have kids?" or "Are you planning a family?" The Ontario Human Rights Commission says an employer cannot ask whether an applicant is pregnant or plans to have a family.
- "Where are you from originally?" You can ask: "Are you legally entitled to work in Canada?"
- "Do you have any health problems?" You can ask: "This job involves [a real duty]. Can you do that, with or without accommodation?"
- "What do you make now?" Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island do not allow employers to ask about pay history. Asking what pay the person expects is fine.
- Questions about the hours a person can work that mention family or religious commitments. Ask only whether they can work the hours the job needs, and state those hours.
Criminal record and driving record: wait until you have made a conditional offer, and ask only for what the job needs. Manitoba and Newfoundland and Labrador guidance says to wait until a conditional offer. Quebec's rights commission says a conviction counts only if it is connected to the job. Ontario's commission says you may ask only about convictions that have not been pardoned, and that a driver's licence number or copy may be requested only after a conditional offer and only if relevant.
This is general information, not legal advice. Rules differ by province. Human rights bodies: see the official sources.
Rules that differ by province. Ontario (25 or more employees), British Columbia and Prince Edward Island require the pay or a range in public job postings. Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island do not allow pay-history questions. Ontario employers with 25 or more employees must tell each interviewed applicant within 45 days whether a hiring decision was made. Unpaid trial shifts that involve real work are not allowed in Ontario, British Columbia or Alberta. See hiring rules by province, checked 7 October 2026.
Questions
What should I ask in an administrative assistant interview?
Ask about the parts of the job that matter most: organizing and time management, attention to detail, communication, honesty and integrity, plus role-specific questions such as "Walk me through how you take minutes at a staff meeting and what you send out afterward." Ask every candidate the same questions so you can compare them fairly.
How do I score an administrative assistant interview?
Score each answer from 1 to 5 against a short guide that describes a weak, solid and strong answer. Score what the person actually did in their example, not how confident they sounded. Then average the scores and read the notes behind any big differences.
What should I ask before interviewing an administrative assistant?
Use a short prescreen: work eligibility, availability, start date, pay expectations and the must-haves for the role, such as "How comfortable are you with word processing, spreadsheets and email (Microsoft Office or Google Workspace)?" Ask what pay the person expects, not what they earn now: Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island do not allow pay-history questions.
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