Student Services & Support Officer Interview Questions & Answers

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This is something that might be very difficult to answer. Whatever you choose to talk about, important to remember is to say what the outcome was and state what you learned from this experience. Don't say that you were fired!

Multitasking is a necessary part of an administration job, so say that you enjoy multitasking and the challenge of ensuring that multiple functions and jobs are completed accurately and on time is part of what motivates you in your work.

Meeting people and speaking to customers is often a vital part of being an administrator. Say that you enjoy talking to people and that interaction with other people is often what makes the work most interesting.

This is similar to "what can you bring to this organisation?"

Answer that by staying organised and keeping a strict diary you find that stress does not become a real issue. As soon as you identify a possible delay due to high work volumes you raise this with your manager to see if the work can either be reallocated or given priority.

Ideally, you will be able to touch type well, so say yes to this. Shorthand is a dying art and fewer people are learning how to do this well. If you have the opportunity to learn it, then do so, because some managers like their administrators to be able to take down shorthand.

Say that you deal with authority as you deal with customers - with integrity, professionalism and politeness.

This could be through study, training or experience. It all depends on the type of person you are and the type of skills you have.

Translates to: Is this what I want to be doing? You don't want to accept a job where you don't really know the sort of things you'll be doing, especially if you find that your daily tasks are too easy.

Provide some examples of occasions where you were under pressure and you succeeded.

Translates to: Is this the sort of company I want to work for, 8 hours a day, 5 days a week? If you're a very laid back person, a very strict work place might not be for you (and vice versa).

If you have experience, mention the packages you have used. If not, get some training in the most important packages before your interview. Ask your recruitment consultant what are the best packages to learn.

Do your values align with mine? If you are working for a company that values the same things as you (for example, greener technology, pro bono work) then you may enjoy working for a place like that better.

Not all administrators need to be excellent problem solvers so if you are not the best, be honest and say so. You could say that you are not good at solving problems but you understand the skills of your colleagues well and will always be able to persuade somebody to assist.

This question allows you to brag on yourself, but keep in mind that the interviewer wants strengths relative to the position. For example, being a problem solver, a motivator, and being able to perform under pressure, positive attitude and loyal. You will also need examples that back your answers up for illustration of the skill.

While gaps have been more common during the recession you need to show doing something of value. It could include improving your skills, certifications or connections. Building relationships as a volunteer is a usual answer, but you need to show how you were productive. Play down the vacation, reflection time, etc. If you did consulting work build up the value of what you got out of it. Don’t disclose how little you might have been paid.

Do I fit the bill for the kind of person they are looking for? Maybe you'd know whether you are up to the job better than they.

Everyone should learn from his or her mistakes. I always try to consult my mistakes with my kith and kin especially with those senior to me.

I enrolled myself into a course useful for the next version of our current project. I attended seminars on personal development and managerial skills improvement.

Be honest here but you don’t need to lay it all out either, for example if you and your boss didn’t get along. Don’t bash your former employer. It could be the culture, it could be there was little room for career progression, you didn’t agree with the vision of the company say what it is, then move quickly to focusing on what you want instead.

Although this would seem like a simple question, it can easily become tricky. You shouldn’t mention salary being a factor at this point. If you’re currently employed, your response can focus on developing and expanding your career and even yourself. If you’re current employer is downsizing, remain positive and brief. If your employer fired you, prepare a solid reason. Under no circumstance should you discuss any drama or negativity, always remain positive.

☛ Dedication
☛ Initiative
☛ Innovation
☛ Motivation
☛ Enthusiam
☛ etc

You’ve done some soul searching, weren’t completely fulfilled or your talents weren’t being utilized enough in the current industry and realized this was the right path for you. I’ve had clients say that to employers and they were impressed they had taken the time to really find their direction and that they had such focus. Another reason could be they want to add to their skill set.

Say that they are very good and that you can communicate well face-to-face, on the telephone and via the Internet on email. Tell us about a time in your professional career when you went out of your way to complete a task for someone else

Hopefully, you have some real experiences - but you may have forgotten them by now. Think back and try to recall a time that you may have helped somebody when they were under pressure or off sick.

This question needs to be carefully answered as it is your opportunity to stick out from the rest of the applicants. You should focus on skills that you have, including those not yet mentioned. Simply responding “because I’m really good” or “I really need a job” isn’t going to work. You shouldn’t assume the skills of other applicants or their strengths, focus on yourself. Tell the interviewer why you are a good fit for the position, what makes you a good employee, and what you can provide the company. Keep it brief while highlighting achievements.

Don’t be afraid to talk about their reputation “On the Street” and how you are a good fit. If they are viewed as aggressive for example, talk about how that fits with you, or the interest in where this culture can take the business. Avoid sugar coating your comments as the finance industry is too sophisticated to accept simplistic answers that don’t represent a deeper understanding.