The below-given Executive Secretary interview questions provide a snapshot of what type of questions to ask during the interview in order to assess the skills, approach, and knowledge required for the profile.
Considerations for Hiring an Executive Secretary
Executive Secretaries are responsible for performing clerical and administrative work generally for senior management. Look for experienced candidates as they will be handling a number of tasks. While many administrative assistants will stay focused on basic tasks, Executive Secretaries carry out detailed work that involves researching, preparing reports, and maintaining confidentiality.
Some companies prefer Executive Secretaries to have degrees even though that is not always essential. According to your industry, you can shortlist candidates depending on their knowledge of relevant legal guidelines or terminologies.
Begin the interview by asking candidates about essential skills like organizational ability, basic bookkeeping knowledge, typing, and communication. Then ask questions to check their familiarity with vendor management, reporting, and research techniques. If the candidate reports to the CEO or another senior-level executive, include situational questions in the interview about what they may face in this high-responsibility role.
Behavioral Questions
- Share an experience when you had to make a tough decision in the absence of your senior.
- Tell me about a challenging project that you worked on with a group. What was the aim, what type of challenges did you face and what was the final outcome?
- Share about a time when you had to complete many projects with tight deadlines. How did you prioritize your tasks?
- Have you ever made a serious mistake at work? What were the consequences?
Role-specific Questions
- Do you have any experience managing a budget? Share your experience with expense reporting.
- Share your experience of using “back-office” software.
- What is your typing speed?
- How does your experience make you a great fit for this position?
Operational and Situational Questions
- If a senior-level executive asks you about your supervisor’s plans regarding a particular project, what would you say?
- How do you ensure junior-level support staff performs their duties effectively?
- If your executive will be traveling to a new city. How would you go about making travel arrangements?
- How do you ensure confidentiality?
