Top 30 Office Clerk Interview Question And Answers

An office clerk’s role requires certain tasks to upkeep such as filing, data entry, scheduling and overall general support  of the office teams. The interviewer would want to assess your organizing skills, communication and multi tasking skills through these 30 questions:

Tell us about your experience as a clerk?

Reason: to assess your organising skills and how you use them professionally.

Answer:

“I have 7 years of experience as an office clerk and my responsibilites included filing, managing databases, making phone calls and arranging meeting schedules”.

How do you prioritise tasks during multitasking?

Reason: to evaluate your ability to multi task and withing a given time.

Answer:

“I prioritise tasks according to urgency and their deadlines. Moroever, i try to complete time sensitive tasks and greater impacting tasks first so that business operations run smoothly”.

What is your experience with office software and tools?

Reason: to gauge ypur familiarity with office technology and how you include that in your job.

Answer:

“I am proficient in the use of Microsoft Office, Excel, Powerpoint and Outlooks. Moroever, I am also well experienced in the use of Google sheets, Docs and Meet.”

How do you keep confidential information safe?

Reason: to assess how you handle confidential information and adhere to confidential rules.

Answer:

“I handle confidential information by making sure it stays between me and the information holder. Additionally, i adhere to all company rules and maintaining discretion”.

How do you handle a difficult customer or client?

Reason: to assess your problem solving skills in complex situations.

Answer:

“I handle a difficult customer by listening to their needs and making them feel valued and heard. Moreover, I try to devise a suitable solution for their problem within the office rules”.

How do you manage accuracy during repetition of tasks?

Reason: to evaluate your attention to detail during slow work.

Answer: 

“I stay focused during repetitive tasks by taking necessary breaks and breaking my tasks into smaller manageable ones. Moreover, i ensure accuracy by double checking all the info before filing or data entry”.

How do you accurately perform data entry?

Reason: to evaluate your attention to detail and accuracy.

Answer:

“I make sure to double check all my entires and use shortcuts like auto fill to minimise the chance of errors. I also cross check with the original data to ensure accuracy”.

How do you manage office supplies?

Reason: to assess how you manage office supplies resourcefully and organise them.

Answer:

“I keep track of inventories to restock and reorder any office supplies within the budget to avoid shortages or excess. Moreover, i check stock often to take care of the office resources”.

How do you face tight deadlines?

Reason: to understand how you work under tight deadlines efficiently.

Answer:

“I face tight deadlines by staying calm and prioritise my tasks accordingly. Additionally, I allot time for all my tasks and complete those tasks within the deadline”.

How do you approach filing and documentation?

Reason: to understand your experience with documenting and filing information and data.

Answer:

“I use digital and physical tools for documentation and filing. I keep the systems and files updates and use a chronological order of each document with a easy name for retrieval”.

How do you communicate with different departments?

Reason: to asses your communication skills and collaborative nature of your role.

Answer:

“I maintain open and clear communication with all departments through email, phones or face to face meetings. I make sure that I provide important information concisely and follow up on any issue going on”.

How do you handle multiple lines ?

Reason: to assess your ability to multi task and provide excellent customer services along with it.

Answer:

“I handle multiple lines by ensuring to handle each call promptly and courteously. Moreover, i direct visitors and handle enquiries accordingly”.

How do deal with discrepancies in office?

Reason: to analyze whether your have a keen eye out for work and how you correct any errors.

Answer:

“I handle discrepancies in work by paying attention to detail and cross checking information with respective departments to rectify any errors in documenting”.

How adaptable are you to new procedures or softwares?

Reason: this question evaluates your willingness to learn and how quickly you adapt to new concepts.

Answer:

“I am adaptable to new softwares and procedures because i am always eager to learn and adapt to newer concepts. I approach these lessons with an open mind”.

How do you improve ongoing procedures in office?

Reason: to assess your innovative skills and how you can further smoothen ongoing functions.

Answer:

“I improve ongoing procedures by assessing which of our daily operations can be more efficient and then use suitable solutions to implement efficiency”.

How do you accomplish a task with incomplete information?

Reason: to assess whether you can handle uncertainty and solve problems.

Answer:

“I make sure gather all the information needed from the sources around me. If need, I would ask for help from my colleagues or supervisors to ensure all information is complete”.

How do you adapt to a sudden change in priorities?

Reason: to assess how adaptable you are to quick change of circumstances or situations.

Answer:

“I adapt to sudden changes in priorities by assessing the reason of change, meeting with all my team and updating myself with the revised deadlines and desired outcome”.

How do you cope with stress or pressure?

Reason: to see how you prevent burnout or stress and how your work under pressure.

Answer:

“I cope up with pressure or stress by taking short mental and physical breaks to avoid burning out. I also stay organised and keep a positive attitude to minimise stress”.

How do you ensure accuracy while typing?

Reason: to understand your attention to detail and accuracy.

Answer:

“I ensure accuracy while typing by double checking my document, checking for any grammatical errors and cross checking all the information from the original document”.

How do you handle criticism at work?

 Reason: to asses your ability to handle criticism and how you approach it.

Answer:

“I take criticism professionally and calmly. I make sure to listen carefully to focus on areas of concern so that i can work on them for improvement”.

What are the main qualities of an office clerk?

Reason: to assess your knowledge of the role and its requirements.

Answer:

“The main responsibilities of an office clerk are managing data systematically, filing documents, creating meeting schedules and keeping track of office resources”.

How do you stay positive during repetitive task?

Reason: to evaluate your interest and motivation in the role.

Answer:

“I stay positive during repetitive tasks  by focusing on the outcome of my tasks and its impact on the company.”

How do you describe your experience with calendar management?

Reason: to assess your ability in organising schedules for meetings.

Answer:

“I used to manage calenders and dates by communicating with the team as clearly as possible and use Outlook to send out reminders to avoid any conflicts”

How do you focus on your tasks during distractions?

Reason: to asses your ability to develop focus during any distractions.

Answers:

“I focus on tasks by minimising distractions and only indulging in extra activities while i am on break. I use specific time windows for reaching out in calls or emails”.

How do you manage a high volume of work?

Reason: to assess your skills with managing high workload and stay productive.

Answer:

“I manage a high volume of work by prioritising, delegating for any updates and using automation of repetitive tasks”.

How do you contribute to a positive team environment?

Reason: to assess your team contribution and how you create cordial relations with team members.

Answer:

“I contribute to a positive team environment by using open communication, celebrating achievements and understanding each member personally”.

How do you stay updated with the office changes?

Reason: this question is to asses your ability to keep up with any changes throughout the workplace.

Answer:

“I stay updated with office changes by having one to one meetings with the team and departments to know of any change in ruling or technology”.

Why should we hire you?

Reason: to understand what motivated you to choose their organisation.

Answer:

“You should hire me because i bring to the table responsibility, ethic, attention to detail, honesty, customer service and a positive impact on overall team work”.

How flexible are you ?

Reason: to assess your work timings and availability.

Answer:

“I can work ten hours full time during weekday and 5 hours on a weekend. Additionally, i can do overtime as well”.

Do you have any questions for us?

Reason:to understand your perspective of them and what you want to know.

Answer:

“Yes! I would like to know the clerk employee benefits and the team dynamics of the office and how they would enhance my growth”.

We hope this article provided you with a full insight if all the aspects of an office clerk’s job, requirements, responsibilities and general knowledge of the role.