Struggling with Interview Questions in Admin Roles: How Do You Tackle These Challenges?

Respected Seniors, please help me to provide answers to some interview questions. Every time the interviewer asks these questions, I try my best to give suitable answers, but somehow I fail. I am a regular MBA graduate working in a pharmaceutical company as an ADMIN EXECUTIVE.

Q1: What are the major challenges in ADMINISTRATION?

Q2: WHY DID YOU CHOOSE ADMIN? (Actually, I have a strong academic background.)

Q3: What challenges do you face in VENDOR MANAGEMENT?

Since my company has only 18 employees, they always ask how I will manage a company with 100 or more employees.

Please help me, sir, to find the answers to these questions. I will be so thankful.

Why don't you put down the replies here yourself that were given during these interviews? Let us also become acquainted with the kind of answers you provided to those discerning employers and where you may have fallen short.

In this forum, we have members who offer guidance based on the questions asked. Being well-versed in communication is essential, but the substance of what you communicate is what truly matters.

Thank you so much, Sharmila ma'am, for your concern. In response to them:

Q1: What are the major challenges in ADMINISTRATION?

Ans: Since I have no great experience in admin so far, what I told them is, "to select the best vendors...to complete the task even if given the short span of time with minimum resources and less cost on time etc."

Q2: WHY DID YOU CHOOSE ADMINISTRATION?

Ans: I chose this field for my bright future. I have prior experience (before MBA), so to make that experience count, I chose this line. I have good coordination skills, etc.

Q3: What challenges do you face in VENDOR MANAGEMENT?

I am totally confused about this answer. Kindly let me know your views, seniors/friends.

As an Administration Executive, your duties in the company may differ depending on the industry type, and they usually vary from company to company, but the overall responsibilities remain the same.

Q1. What are the major challenges in ADMINISTRATION?

Ans: Since I do not have extensive experience in administration so far, I told them, "to select the best vendors, to complete tasks even if given a short span of time with minimum resources and less cost on time, etc."

Generally, these are a few challenges that an Admin Executive might face:

- They often hold a supervisory role in managing clerical and secretarial positions within the company.
- A challenge is faced when this individual holds the responsibility to train the support staff with the procedures and policies applied to the organization.
- Liaison between departments to secure information to be passed in a close milieu.

Q2: WHY DID YOU CHOOSE ADMIN?

Ans: I chose this field for my bright future. I have prior experience (before MBA), so to make that experience count, I chose this line. I have good coordination skills, etc.

You can always say that you could very well manage the surplus of documents, time-office, payroll, leave policy, insurance, paperwork, proformas, phone calls, email handling, letter correspondence, travel booking/reservations, arranging seminars, and conferences, etc. An Admin always supports the staff with instant aid.

Q3: WHAT CHALLENGES DO YOU FACE IN VENDOR MANAGEMENT?

I am totally confused about this answer.

As I mentioned earlier, an Admin Executive should always create a liaison with his vendors. When a potential vendor is in line, the major challenge is understanding what you need and expect from him in return and what he expects. Documenting a "Request for Proposal" is quite common here, and this has to be carefully amended. In the case of non-local vendors, the major confrontation would be the use of effective communication tools like conference meetings through videos, CMS (content management systems), and other referrals by means of which the basics of a good partnership are to be revered.

Trust the above gives you the exact responsibilities of an Admin. However, I would request you to draw a parallel line to that of your job. You will definitely do wonders in your next interview.

All the best!