Job Advertisement

administrative assistant

Category: Administrative
Reports To:      

Job Description/Responsibilities
We are seeking a strong self-starter to implement administrative systems, procedures, and policies; and contribute to administrative projects.  You’ll also utilize high-level skills in the performance of secretarial support and operational/supervisory support functions; and organize office work flow and provide organizational guidance and training to staff.  This position also is responsible for supervising filing systems and preparing and recording accurate reports, summaries, and tabulations from such data.

Qualifications/Skills
You’ll need the ability to work independently in carrying out assignments to completion.  The successful applicant must have excellent communications skills and be able to interact with managers in all departments and levels.  The job requires considerable ability to adhere to prescribed routines and practices; and compose effective and accurate correspondence.  Key skill: dealing with non-routine matters, such as special projects, with minimum specific instructions.  Plus you’ll maintain operational procedures relative to office clerical activities and work flow in and out of the department.

Education/Background
High school diploma or equivalent is required.  Office experience is a plus.

Please send [résumé and salary history/requirements] to:      

Job Description

administrative assistant

Category: Administrative
Reports To:      

Job Description
Implements administrative systems, procedures, and policies, and contributes to administrative projects.

Qualifications
•	Requires the ability to work independently in carrying out assignments to completion.

•	Must have excellent communications skills and be able to interact with managers in all departments and levels.

•	Requires high-level skills in the performance of secretarial support and operational/supervisory support functions.

•	Requires considerable ability to adhere to prescribed routines and practices; compose effective and accurate correspondence; and deal with non-routine matters, such as special projects, with minimum specific instructions.

•	High school diploma or equivalent required.  Office experience is a plus.

•	     

•	     

Duties
Percentage
of Job	Exemption
Classification	Duty	Essential Function	
     %	Non-Exempt	Organizes office work flow and provides organizational guidance and training to staff.	Y / N	
     %	Non-Exempt	Supervises filing systems and records and prepares accurate reports, summaries, and tabulations from such data.	Y / N	
     %	Exempt	Conducts subject research as necessary to complete special projects and report assignments.	Y / N	
     %	Non-Exempt	Maintains operational procedures relative to office clerical activities and work flow in and out of the department.	Y / N	
     %	Non-Exempt	Performs clerical duties as necessary, including typing, dictation, etc.	Y / N	
     %	Exempt	Assists supervisor in all administrative projects.	Y / N	
     %			Y / N	
     %			Y / N	

Exemption Analysis
As 541.203(d) points out, Administrative (541.200) exemption is a possibility.  However, exemption is not likely to apply unless the employee is administrative assistant to a high-level management official in a large firm.  Even in that case, a careful evaluation should be done in order to avoid misclassification.

The duties reflected as “Exempt” have been given the “exempt” code because they possibly could qualify as exempt administrative activity, but they may actually be non-exempt — depending on the relationship of those duties to management or general business operations and the extent to which the duties include “the exercise of discretion and independent judgment with respect to matters of significance.”

If the basic requirements for Executive (541.100) exemption have been met, at least a portion of the duties under Essential Duties 1, 2, and 4 might be exempt on that basis, causing a combination exemption to be possible.  See 541.708.

Category Decision
The duties and responsibilities for this position have been analyzed.	
Manager:	Date:	
On that basis, this position has been judged to be        Exempt          Non-Exempt.	

Interview Questions

administrative assistant

Category: Administrative
Reports To:      

	Tell me about a particularly challenging assignment and how you handled it.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
	Evaluate: Distill out of this answer the traits or qualities you want your administrative assistant to possess (e.g., ingenuity, teamwork, persistence, etc.).
	1	2	3	4	5

	What special skills related to this position have you trained for (short-hand, typing, telephone)?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
	1	2	3	4	5

	Tell me about word processing, spreadsheet, and database management programs that you have worked with, explaining which ones you like the best, and which ones you have had problems with, and why.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
	1	2	3	4	5

	What operating systems are you most proficient with and why?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
	1	2	3	4	5

	Exactly what are you looking for in your next job that is different from your current/previous one?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
	1	2	3	4	5

	A manager tells you to screen all telephone calls from a certain individual.  What do you do if this person becomes angry or upset at not being able to get through?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
	1	2	3	4	5

	Why do you think your previous work experience qualifies you for this position?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
	1	2	3	4	5

	The position you’re applying for reports to three different managers, all of whom will place demands on your time.  How would you handle a situation in which two managers insist that their respective jobs must be given top priority?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
	Evaluate: Candidates who become flustered when trying to explain how they would set priorities are probably not good candidates for the job.
	1	2	3	4	5
	An administrative assistant has access to a great deal of confidential information about employees and customers.  How would you handle a request from a manager for such information?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
	1	2	3	4	5

	A company calls for reference information on a former employee who was fired for excessive absenteeism.  How would you handle the request?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
	1	2	3	4	5

	In what ways do you motivate yourself at work when you are under pressure?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
	1	2	3	4	5

	Have you ever made a decision or suggestion that saved your company time or money?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
	1	2	3	4	5

	Have you ever been told by a supervisor to do something you knew was wrong?  How did you react?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
	1	2	3	4	5

Additional Questions
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
	1	2	3	4	5

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
	1	2	3	4	5

Overall Impression
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Average Rating
1	2	3	4	5

Your Recommendation
	Hire
	Do Not Hire
	Second Interview
	Need More Information

________________________________________________
Print Name

________________________________________________
Signature

________________________________________________
Date

APPLICANT COMPARISON FORM 

Date:      
	Evaluator:      	
Position:      		

Once you have completed the interview process, transfer the notes and rating tallies you completed to the chart below.

Candidates’ Names	Average Rating	Recommendation	Overall Impression	
1.      	1	2	3	4	5		Hire
	Do Not Hire
	Second Interview
	Need More Information		
2.      	1	2	3	4	5		Hire
	Do Not Hire
	Second Interview
	Need More Information		
3.      	1	2	3	4	5		Hire
	Do Not Hire
	Second Interview
	Need More Information		

Candidates’ Names	Average Rating	Recommendation	Overall Impression	
4.      	1	2	3	4	5		Hire
	Do Not Hire
	Second Interview
	Need More Information		
5.      	1	2	3	4	5		Hire
	Do Not Hire
	Second Interview
	Need More Information		
6.      	1	2	3	4	5		Hire
	Do Not Hire
	Second Interview
	Need More Information		
7.      	1	2	3	4	5		Hire
	Do Not Hire
	Second Interview
	Need More Information		

Candidates’ Names	Average Rating	Recommendation	Overall Impression	
8.      	1	2	3	4	5		Hire
	Do Not Hire
	Second Interview
	Need More Information		
9.      	1	2	3	4	5		Hire
	Do Not Hire
	Second Interview
	Need More Information		
10.      	1	2	3	4	5		Hire
	Do Not Hire
	Second Interview
	Need More Information		

Comments:      

Evaluator’s Signature: