“Why do you want to be an administrative assistant?” is a common interview question.
During an interview for an administrative assistant job, you will often be asked questions about your behavior and past work. One of these questions could be about why you want the job and why you want to be an administrative assistant in particular. Learn how to answer this question to get ready for your interview. This article talks about how important this question is and gives you steps and examples to help you come up with your own answer.
Employers often ask candidates, “Why do you want to be an administrative assistant?”
When someone is being interviewed for a job, the interviewer wants to learn as much as possible about the person. It’s important to know a candidate’s experience and training, but it’s also important to know why they want the job. The following are reasons why this question is important:
helps a company meet the goals of the position
This is a question that many hiring managers ask to learn more about a candidate’s career goals and the kind of work environment they prefer. The interviewer might ask the candidate where they want to be in a year, five years, or ten years. This lets them see how the job fits with their career goals, which helps them decide if it’s a good fit or not.
This helps the person in charge of hiring figure out how a candidate works.
Some people might find it boring that an administrative assistant has to do the same things over and over again. With this question, hiring managers can find out if a candidate knows what the job requires. It also tells them whether or not the person wants to be an administrative assistant.
Finds out how much the applicant knows about the job.
Interviewers may ask questions to see if a candidate has done research on the job and the company. You can use this question to show that you know not only what the job entails but also why it’s important to the company. The hiring manager will know if a candidate answers this question in a way that shows they fully understand the role.
Make sure the person you hire fits in with the way your company works.
Many people in charge of hiring think that the best administrative assistant is not necessarily the one with the most training or experience. Many companies put their company culture first and choose team members who fit in with that plan. This question can help a hiring manager figure out how well a job candidate fits in with the culture of the company.
How to answer, “Why do you want to be an administrative assistant?”
To answer this question, do the following:
1. Choose a part of your job that you enjoy.
Pick one of the best parts of your job as an administrative assistant. This could mean that you can help other people or work closely with customers. When you talk about what you like best about this job, try to be as specific as you can. This shows you know the job and what it takes to do it well.
You can add to your answer by drawing a parallel to another role. Explain why being an administrative assistant is the best job you’ve ever had. This shows you can think about your own needs.
2. Think about the soft skills you need.
Administrative assistants help businesses with their paperwork, and businesses rely on them to keep things organized and running smoothly. This is your chance to talk about skills you might not have had time to talk about in the interview.
This could mean being able to answer the phone, make appointments, use computers, or help with the hiring process. You could also talk about how good you are at writing or how resourceful you are, if those things are important for the job.
3. Think about what you want to achieve and how this job will help you get there.
You could also talk about your short- or long-term goals and how being an administrative assistant will help you reach them. Many interview questions try to find out how you can help the company, but this one lets you talk about your own goals and preferences for the job. Even if one of your goals isn’t to be an administrative assistant for the rest of your life, you can still talk about it.
4. Practice what you will say at the interview.
You can show how interested you are in the job by answering this question with passion or excitement. This is a common interview question, so you should practice answering it before your interview. Stand in front of a mirror and practice what you will say once you know why you want to be an administrative assistant. Watch how you stand, how you look at the other person, and how you answer.
Why do you want to be an assistant in the office?
You have a few options for how to answer this interview question:
Example 1
Here’s an example of a cover letter for an administrative assistant that talks about specific skills and why the candidate wants this kind of job over another:
“I’ve always liked and been good at helping other people. I’ve always been a good administrative assistant because I can figure out what other people want and need. I’d rather help out in the background than be the focus of attention, give presentations, or lead teams. I love my job as an administrative assistant because I can type quickly and learn new computer programs easily, and I don’t have to lead other people.”
Example 2
Here’s an example that shows how well the candidate knows the work environment and how much he or she wants to learn:
“As an administrative assistant, I like that my job keeps me busy. I’m looking forward to the variety and excitement of working in a busy office, where I can answer phones, make appointments, help clients, and take on new tasks as they come up. I can’t wait to learn more about the job you’re hiring for and the tasks that need to be done. I like the challenge of figuring out how to do a lot of things well while putting the needs of the client first.”
Example 3
Here is an example of a candidate’s long-term goals and how they think being an administrative assistant will help them reach those goals:
“I’ve had many jobs over the years, but working in an office has always been my favorite. I want to learn more about office work and how to run a business so that one day I can run an office. Even though I’m still in school and learning important management skills, I think my job as an administrative assistant gives me the foundation I need to reach my goals.”
Example 4
Here’s an answer from an administrative assistant that shows off their skills and puts the company’s needs first:
“I’ve learned that working with people and helping them is something I enjoy doing while I’m in college. As an administrative assistant, I can help people while I think about my other career options and how this fits in with them. I think my communication and problem-solving skills are great for this job, and I can’t wait to give your customers the great help they deserve.”
