A good office administrator holds a small business together. They answer the phone when you can't, keep the diary straight, chase the invoices and make customers feel looked after. A poor one creates more work than they save.

The trouble is that most admin interviews ask the same vague questions, and every candidate gives the same polished answers. Here are twelve questions I recommend instead, grouped by what they test, with what a good answer sounds like.

Organisation and priorities

1. "Talk me through how you'd plan a busy Monday morning."

Listen for: a real method. Checking emails and voicemails first, listing what's urgent, blocking time for routine tasks. Be cautious of "I just get stuck in".

2. "Three people ask you for something urgent at the same time. What do you do?"

Listen for: asking about deadlines, deciding what affects customers or money first, and telling people honestly when they'll get it. Good administrators manage expectations, not just tasks.

3. "What tools or systems do you use to keep track of things?"

Listen for: specifics, such as Outlook calendars, shared spreadsheets, a CRM, or even a well-kept notebook. The tool matters less than having a system at all.

Communication and customer service

4. "A customer calls, upset that their order is late, and the person who handles it is out. What do you say?"

Listen for: staying calm, apologising without blaming colleagues, taking clear details and promising a callback by a specific time.

5. "Write me a two-line email telling a client their meeting has moved to Thursday."

This takes two minutes at the end of the interview and tells you more than any CV. Look for: clear, polite, correct spelling and the key details (day, time, place).

6. "Tell me about a time you had to deal with a difficult colleague or customer."

Listen for: a real example, what they actually did, and what they learned. Avoid candidates who only describe how unreasonable the other person was.

Accuracy and systems

7. "How do you check your own work before you send it?"

Listen for: concrete habits like re-reading figures, checking names and dates, or sense-checking totals. Small mistakes in invoices and letters cost real money.

8. "What would you do if you spotted a mistake on an invoice that had already gone out?"

Listen for: owning it, telling you straight away, and suggesting how to fix it with the client. Honesty here matters more than never making mistakes.

9. "Which software are you confident with, and which would you need help with?"

Listen for: an honest answer. Someone who says "I've used Excel for lists, but not formulas" is easier to train than someone who claims to know everything.

Reliability and fit

10. "How would you get here for a 9am start, and how long does it take?"

It sounds simple, but a long or fragile commute is one of the most common reasons people leave in the first few months.

11. "Why do you want to work in a smaller business rather than a big company?"

Listen for: liking variety, wanting to see the impact of their work, or enjoying being part of a small team. Be cautious if they seem to see you as a stopgap.

12. "What questions do you have for us?"

Listen for: questions about the team, the day-to-day work or how success is measured. No questions at all is a warning sign.

Answers that should make you think twice

  • Vague answers with no real examples.
  • Blaming previous employers or colleagues for everything.
  • Overclaiming software skills you can easily test.
  • No clear plan for getting to work on time.

Tips for a better interview

  • Use the same questions for everyone so you can compare fairly.
  • Add a short practical task, like the email in question 5 or tidying a messy spreadsheet.
  • Keep it conversational. Nervous candidates underperform in stiff interviews, and you learn less.
  • Decide quickly. Good administrators often have more than one offer. Aim to decide within a few days.

Let us do the first round for you

At Bridge Gap Recruitment, I help small and mid-size businesses across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and the Thames Valley hire office, admin, customer service and sales staff. We screen every candidate for skills, reliability and right to work before you meet them, so your interviews are only with people worth your time.

Our fee is a flat 10% of the first year's salary, paid only once your new starter begins. Most agencies charge 15 to 20%.

If you're hiring, tell us about the role and I'll come back to you personally. You might also like our guide to recruitment agency fees.