Administrative test in interview

rcool80

Hi,

I've finally got a job interview for an administrative role in a charity organisation but during the interview they are going to give me an admin test.

Do anyone know what this test entails? Or can anyone give me any hints/tips?

Thanks

Zazen999

Usually word or excel or do some prioritisation of paperwork/post coming in. It depends on what sort of admin role it is.

~Beanie~

Yes..all the ones I've done have included a list of jobs which I have had to put in order of priority.

I have also had to type a letter as well, they give you a scenario and you have to compose a suitable letter to whoever.

rcool80

Ok thanks....so I'll probably definitely have some sort of prioritising tasks. Any tips for that or is it just common sense??

Thanks

sammiboo

I did it in my interview for marie curie cancer care, they gave me all the info i had to put in a letter. Also had to create a spreadsheet in excel.

Nothing to worry about it. It was the easiest part of the interview for me

Good luck.

~Beanie~

rcool80 wrote: »

Ok thanks....so I'll probably definitely have some sort of prioritising tasks. Any tips for that or is it just common sense??

Thanks

Its mainly common sense.. mine had things like

- Distribute the agenda for a meeting to be held at 10:00am
- Prepare files etc for Manager for meeting at 1:00pm
- Organise leaving do for for a colleague

Stuff like that.. pretty obvious to anyone with half a brain which needed doing first!

rcool80

Thanks sammiboo - my interview is for a different charity but I guess similar things will come up in the test. I'd better brush up on my Excel skills!!

Thanks as well to Beanie - that exercise seems easy, I won't loose any sleep over that??

Does anyone know whether it will include a Maths/English test?

Savvy_Sue

Normally they would be assessing your maths/English as part of the tests.

For example, I had someone typing up a letter which included some figures which were meant to add up, but didn't. The instructions said to check the figures, so if they still didn't add up, you'd failed the maths bit (calculator provided!)

In my current job the letter would be a thank you letter to a regular donor, looking for a warm but not too gushy tone. Any spelling mistakes would count against you.

Prioritising: there are no absolutely right answers so you're right not to lose sleep over it!

rcool80

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

Normally they would be assessing your maths/English as part of the tests.

For example, I had someone typing up a letter which included some figures which were meant to add up, but didn't. The instructions said to check the figures, so if they still didn't add up, you'd failed the maths bit (calculator provided!)

In my current job the letter would be a thank you letter to a regular donor, looking for a warm but not too gushy tone. Any spelling mistakes would count against you.

Prioritising: there are no absolutely right answers so you're right not to lose sleep over it!

Thanks for your reply. The role I'm going for is actually dealing with the donors of the charity so a thank you letter to them may be an integral part of the test. I think I'll write one and memorise it in case it comes up. Thanks!

Evie82

I had a filing test in mine. I was given lots of named files and had to put them in alphabetical order, pretty simple.
Good Luck!

jezebel

Through a number of different admin based tasks I have been asked to:

- Alphabetise a series of address cards by name (eg Mann comes before Meredith etc)

- Type a letter which was handwritten and/or copytype one that was already printed.

- proofread a document for errors

- set up a basic spreadsheet (excel)

- prioritise a task list (an intray task)

- answer a phone call and take a message (done using an internal phone system with manager on the other end)

- Organise a travel itinery (using a print out of flight times, a schedule and a times of the world sheet (explaining time differences)

All are fairly easy to do and I wouldn't worry too much as sometimes the interview is more important (certainly in my own opinion as a now hiring manager :-))