LIKELY QUESTIONS
- Can you walk us through your training in Secretarial Services or your KNEC secretarial qualifications, and how they prepare you for this Assistant Office Administrator III role?
- What practical experience do you have in records management, filing systems, or maintaining confidential office documents?
- How would you prioritize your work if you had to handle phone calls, visitors, correspondence, and meeting scheduling at the same time?
- What computer applications are you proficient in, and how have you used them to support office administration tasks?
- Describe your experience managing diaries, appointments, or travel schedules for an office or supervisor.
- How would you respond to a visitor or caller who is upset or demanding information you are not authorized to share?
- This is a public sector role. How would you ensure professionalism, accuracy, and confidentiality in your daily work?
- Why do you want to work for the Water Resources Authority, and what interests you about administrative service in a public institution?

BEHAVIOURAL QUESTIONS
- Tell us about a time you had to organize records or documents so they could be retrieved quickly and accurately.
Model approach: Situation - Filing system was disorganized and documents were hard to find. Task - Improve accessibility and accuracy of records. Action - Reviewed categories, created a clear filing/indexing structure, labelled files consistently, updated registers, and checked for completeness. Result - Faster retrieval, fewer misplaced documents, and improved office efficiency.

- Describe a situation where you had to deal with multiple urgent tasks at once.
Model approach: Situation - Several responsibilities came in at the same time, such as calls, visitors, and document preparation. Task - Manage all tasks without compromising service quality. Action - Assessed urgency, handled time-sensitive items first, communicated waiting times politely, used a checklist, and followed up on pending tasks. Result - All tasks were completed accurately and stakeholders were attended to professionally.

- Give an example of a time you handled confidential information.
Model approach: Situation - Had access to sensitive records or communication in an office or training setting. Task - Protect confidentiality while still completing the assignment. Action - Restricted access, followed office procedure, avoided sharing information unnecessarily, stored records securely, and confirmed authority before releasing details. Result - Information remained secure and trust was maintained.

- Tell us about a time you provided good customer service to a visitor, caller, or colleague.
Model approach: Situation - A client or colleague needed help, clarification, or quick assistance. Task - Resolve the issue professionally and efficiently. Action - Listened carefully, asked clarifying questions, gave accurate information or directed them correctly, remained courteous, and confirmed the issue was resolved. Result - The person was satisfied, the matter was addressed promptly, and service standards were upheld.

SMART QUESTIONS TO ASK
- What are the most important priorities for someone in this role during the first three to six months?
- How are records management, correspondence handling, and scheduling currently organized within the office?
- What does success look like for an Assistant Office Administrator III at WRA?
- What training or onboarding is provided for systems, procedures, and public sector administrative standards?
- How does this role interact with other departments and support the wider work of the Water Resources Authority?

RED FLAGS TO WATCH FOR
- Vague answers about workload, reporting lines, or day-to-day responsibilities, which may suggest poor role definition.
- Little clarity on records procedures, confidentiality standards, or tools used, which may indicate weak administrative systems.
- No clear explanation of training, supervision, or development opportunities despite advertising career growth.