Interview scorecard by role
Administrative Assistant Interview Scorecard & Questions
A great administrative assistant multiplies the productivity of everyone they support. Hire for organization, discretion, written communication and proactivity — the ability to see what's needed before being asked.
What to assess: 5 core competencies
Copy this scorecard. Assign each competency to one interviewer, rate it 1–5 and write down the evidence before discussing the candidate with anyone.
| Competency | What good looks like | Score | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Organization | manages calendars, files and tasks reliably. | ||
| Proactivity | anticipates needs and solves problems before they grow. | ||
| Communication | writes clearly and professionally. | ||
| Discretion | handles confidential information appropriately. | ||
| Tech skills | uses office software and tools efficiently. | ||
| Overall | ☐ Strong no ☐ No ☐ Yes ☐ Strong yes | ||
10 structured interview questions for a administrative assistant
Ask the same core questions, in the same order, to every candidate. Probe with "What did you do?" and "What was the result?"
- How do you manage a busy executive's calendar with conflicting requests?
- Tell me about a time you anticipated a need before being asked.
- Describe a time you made a mistake in scheduling or travel. How did you fix it?
- How do you handle confidential information?
- Which tools do you use to track tasks?
- Tell me about organizing an event or offsite.
- How do you prioritize requests from several people?
- Describe handling a difficult visitor or caller.
- What process have you improved in an office?
- Exercise: draft an email rescheduling a meeting with three busy participants.
Rating anchors for the critical competencies
Anchors stop one interviewer's "4" from being another's "2". These cover the two competencies that most often separate strong and weak administrative assistant hires. Read our interview rating scale guide to write anchors for the rest.
Organization
| 1 — Below the bar | Relies on memory; things slip. |
|---|---|
| 3 — Meets the bar | Uses calendar and task tools consistently. |
| 5 — Exceptional | Builds systems others rely on and keeps everything up to date without reminders. |
Proactivity
| 1 — Below the bar | Waits for instructions. |
|---|---|
| 3 — Meets the bar | Follows up on open items. |
| 5 — Exceptional | Anticipates needs, prepares materials in advance and flags conflicts early. |
Red flags to watch for
- Careless with confidential details in conversation.
- Disorganized in the interview process itself.
- Purely reactive in every example.
30-60-90 day plan outline for a new administrative assistant
| Days 1–30: Learn | Learn people, tools and preferences; take over calendars and inbox triage. |
|---|---|
| Days 31–60: Contribute | Own travel, meetings and office logistics independently. |
| Days 61–90: Own | Document processes and improve one recurring workflow. |
Turn this into a full plan with goals and check-ins using our 30-60-90 day plan guide or the 30-60-90 Day Onboarding Kit.
Skip the setup: get ready-made, editable scorecards
Structured interview scorecards for 5 common roles — hire on evidence, not gut feel.
Interview Scorecard Pack — $19
Hiring end to end? The Complete Hiring Bundle adds the pipeline tracker and onboarding kit for $49 (save $23).FAQ
How many interview rounds should a administrative assistant go through?
Two or three focused stages are usually enough for a small company: a short screen, a structured interview using the questions above, and a practical exercise or final interview. Score every stage on the same 1–5 scale.
What is the most predictive part of a administrative assistant interview?
The practical exercise — "draft an email rescheduling a meeting with three busy participants." — because it shows real work rather than descriptions of it. Score it against the anchors on this page.
Generate more questions with the free interview question generator.