- How would you handle two employees having a conflict under your watch?
Are often tasked with overseeing the various ground level activities of a workplace in their manager’s place. As such, dealing with worker conflicts and issues can be a fairly common occurrence. Candidates should be prepared to handle these sorts of ordeals in a calm and professional manner.
What to look for in an answer:
- Conflict resolution and deescalation skills
- Ability to negotiate
- Ease in dealing with high-stress situations
Example:
“It’s not too uncommon for a disagreement to occur between coworkers. When this happens, the most important thing is ensuring it doesn’t escalate. If I’m called in to mediate, I want to make sure each person feels they’re being heard as this is usually the best way to reach a compromise. I’d also want to handle this by myself rather than call in my boss or another superior for help.”
- How would you tackle coordination between different departments in the company?
In larger companies with several distinct departments, are often the go-betweens for various individuals. They’re responsible for getting a lot of projects off the ground and in motion, so someone who’s a good fit for the position would be fairly personable and good with communication. They should also be somewhat proactive in setting things up between different representatives in departments.
What to look for in an answer:
- Excellent communicator with a good attitude
- Proactive and capable of making decisions
- Able to work independently and in groups
Example:
“Collaborating with different departments usually begins by contacting certain people in those departments. Sometimes I’ll be given a list of who to message but other times I can simply put together the right people on my own. From there it’s simply starting a correspondence and communicating what needs to be done.”
- What do you think is the most important part of helping an executive team work effectively?
Management assistants are often a large part of helping support executive or management teams from the sidelines by preparing documents, arranging meetings and the like. In this sense, finding what a candidate thinks is most important about their role in these events can be illuminating as to the kind of employee they will turn out to be.
What to look for in an answer:
- Dedication to helping others succeed
- Ability to focus on administrative tasks
- Skill in following orders precisely and efficiently
Example:
“I think the most important role I have in terms of supporting a team would be to stay on top of things. Processing papers, taking notes and generally getting things going on the ground level are what I do. So long as I can do these things effectively, others are freed up to take care of their own work.”
- If asked to help train new management staff, what approach would you take?
Are often involved in training new staff, particularly those who might also be taking management positions. A good candidate should have experience in helping others grow and develop while presenting a friendly demeanor that inspires confidence in new recruits. However, they should also know when to let people grow on their own.
What to look for in an answer:
- Skill in training and teaching others
- Positive and helpful attitude
- Ability to inspire growth and independence in others
Example:
“If I’m called on to help train others, I’d show them how we operate here and walk them through their daily tasks. While I’d stress that they can look to me for guidance as a senior employee, I’d also want them to go into work feeling confident in their own ability to handle the job given they’re on track to be managers themselves”
Your supervisor is critical of your recent performance. How do you handle this?
Provide administrative support services and should be prepared to deal with criticism. As an employer, this question enables you to evaluate a candidate’s ability to work under supervision. A skilled management assistant candidate would demonstrate the necessary skills for this position with their answer.
A candidate’s answer should emphasize:
- Ability to make a connection with a supervisor even during a difficult situation
- Ability to function well in a team setting
- Communication, conflict resolution and interpersonal skills
Example:
“I would use my active listening abilities to understand my supervisor’s concerns clearly. Then, I would show my appreciation for the feedback, evaluate my performance, identify areas for improvement based on the criticism and make any necessary changes in behavior or output. While doing these things, I would try to maintain and enhance my relationship with my manager.”
