How to Handle a Job Interview for Office Assistant jobs in Chicago

Office assistants play a key role in everyday functions of Chicago based companies. They handle a variety of office tasks including handling mails, managing documents, assisting the front office executive, among many other tasks. If you are looking for Office Assistant jobs in Chicago, you should be in a position to show that you have the key skills, education, and above all, passion to manage Office Assistant tasks professionally.

Research the company

Getting to know about your Chicago company is the most important part of your interview preparation process. You can create a good first impression by showing that you have done the necessary study to learn about the firm. As part of your investigation, you can go through the company’s website, annual reports to know about their competitors, products and services. You can go through employment forums to check out comments from those who have already taken such interviews. You can also have a look at what the former and current employees have to say about the company’s culture, working hours, etc. This helps you to form precise questions to be asked in the interview.

Talk about your resourcefulness

Give examples of how you were adaptable to efficiently handling a variety of tasks to assist several departments of your past employer. Mention any tools you are skilled in. Enumerate your expertise in handling specialized equipment, software and tools in your previous company. Emphasize on your specific business know-how that can be useful for office assistant roles in Chicago. If your past company was a financial firm, you can bring up your exposure to finance vocabulary, communication with accountants and participation in audits.

Show that you are a team player

Give specific examples of how you have been a proficient and dependable team player when it comes to handling administrative responsibilities. 

Be ready to ask questions

Typically, the interviewer wraps up the discussion by asking whether you have any last questions. Many candidates commit the slip-up of remaining silent and not bothering to ask any questions at all. This is your opportunity to show that you are enthusiastic about the Office Assistant job you have applied for. Make sure you ask relevant questions based on the research you had already carried out. For example, if you are keen on climbing the ladder from the Office Assistant role, ask the interviewer whether the company trains employees who want to learn new skills.