How to Answer: Describe a time when you motivated yourself to complete an assignment or task that you did not feel like doing.
Advice and answer examples written specifically for an Admin Assistant job interview.
16. Describe a time when you motivated yourself to complete an assignment or task that you did not feel like doing.
How to Answer
Show the interviewer that you will still get the job done even when you aren't excited about the task at hand. Think about a time when there was a work-related task that you did not want to do. Perhaps the dreaded file room needed to be purged of outdated files to make room for the new.
'Describe a time when...' means that the interviewer is looking for a story-based example for this behavioral-based interview question. This style means forming a response using the STAR method. STAR is an acronym for Situation, Task, Action, Result. Organizing your response using this framework will ensure that you provide the interviewer with the right amount of information and detail to form a compelling answer.
Tell the interviewer about the overall situation, what your task was, and explain why you were not excited about it. Be sure to tell the interviewer that even though you were not enthusiastic about the mission, you made it happen promptly, knowing that it would help the organization as a whole. Give as much detail as you can regarding the actions you took to reach the finish line.
Entry Level
"(Situation) During my recent internship, I had the task of cleaning the office supply closet. It was a daunting job. (Task) The 1,000 square foot room had become a dumping grounds of junk and random items that we never use. As the intern, I knew it was up to me to put my whole heart into the task, making the lives of my new co-workers so much better through the art of organization. (Action) I came to work over the next four days, prepared with comfortable clothes and shoes, and tackled the job. I created a pile for keep, one for recycling, one for donating, and one for the garbage. (Result) In the end, the supply room looked like an office supply store! Everyone appreciated my hard work, and I was glad that I chose to shift my mindset and find the motivation to get the job done with enthusiasm."
Answer Example
"(Situation) My current company receives an incredibly high volume of online job applicants every day. (Task) As the Admin Assistant, it is my job to review the resumes in our job portal every week. The task can be repetitive, and it takes a lot of care and attention. (Action) I set rewards for myself. Sometimes there will be up to 200 resumes to review. They all begin to look the same over time, so I set a goal to look at 20 at a time, give myself a quick break, then return to the task. (Result) I do this every week and have been able to get through all the new resumes every week. As a result, no applicants wait more than seven days for a response, which I believe is excellent business practice."