This question tests something beyond your qualifications. Interviewers want to know whether you’ve chosen administrative work deliberately or are just applying for any job that might hire you.
The distinction matters because motivated employees who genuinely want to do the work perform better, stay longer, and contribute more positively to their teams than people who fell into roles accidentally and might leave when something “better” comes along.
Your answer needs to convince them you’re the former, not the latter.
Why This Question Is Trickier Than It Seems
The obvious answer, that you need a job, applies to virtually everyone but satisfies no one. Every candidate needs income. That doesn’t explain why administrative work specifically.
Equally problematic are answers that treat administrative work as a stepping stone to something else. “I want to be an administrative assistant so I can eventually become a manager” suggests you’re already looking past the role they’re trying to fill.
And vague responses about liking to help people or enjoying organization sound generic because they are. Plenty of careers involve helping people and being organized. Why this one?
What Good Answers Include
Strong responses demonstrate genuine understanding of what administrative work involves and connect that reality to authentic personal preferences or strengths.
They show you know what you’re getting into. Administrative work means supporting others, often behind the scenes, handling details that keep organizations functioning while others receive more visible credit. If you’re genuinely drawn to that role rather than tolerating it while hoping for something else, say so and explain why.
They connect to your natural inclinations. Maybe you’ve always been the person who organizes group projects, coordinates family events, or gets called when things need sorting out. These patterns suggest administrative work aligns with how you naturally operate rather than being a random choice.
They reference specific aspects of the work that appeal to you. The variety of tasks, the constant interaction with different people, the satisfaction of keeping complex operations running smoothly, the opportunity to develop deep organizational knowledge that makes you valuable. Pick what resonates authentically.
Building Your Answer
Start by honestly reflecting on what draws you to administrative work. If you’re pursuing it purely for practical reasons like job availability, that’s legitimate but won’t make a compelling interview answer by itself. Dig deeper to find aspects of the work that genuinely interest you even if practical considerations initiated your exploration.
Consider your work history for patterns that point toward administrative strengths. Even in non-administrative roles, you may have gravitated toward organizing, coordinating, or supporting functions that suggest natural fit with this career direction.
Think about what kind of contribution satisfies you. Some people need their name on visible accomplishments. Others find genuine satisfaction in enabling success that might be credited to someone else. Administrative work suits the latter better than the former.
Example Responses
For someone with relevant experience already.
“I’ve been doing administrative work in various forms throughout my career, and I’ve realized it’s where I’m most effective and most satisfied. I’m naturally drawn to creating order, anticipating what people need before they ask, and handling the details that let bigger initiatives succeed. When I look at days that felt most productive, they’re invariably days when I helped other people accomplish their goals by removing obstacles and managing logistics. That’s what administrative work is at its core, and I want to build my career around what I’m genuinely best at.”
For someone transitioning into administrative work.
“In my previous role, I noticed that I kept volunteering for the administrative aspects that others avoided. Scheduling, coordinating, organizing information, communicating across departments. I was good at it and enjoyed it more than my primary responsibilities. That realization led me to pursue administrative training through the Administrative Assistant Institute, and the more I learned about the profession, the more confident I became that this is the right direction. I want to do administrative work because it aligns with my actual strengths rather than fighting against them.”
What to Avoid
Don’t suggest administrative work is a fallback because you couldn’t get something else. Even if that’s partially true, framing it that way tells interviewers you’ll leave as soon as alternatives materialize.
Don’t focus entirely on benefits like schedule, location, or compensation. Those factors legitimately influence job choices, but leading with them suggests the work itself doesn’t interest you.
Don’t be vague about what administrative work actually involves. Answers that could apply to any job suggest you haven’t thought specifically about why this job.
Don’t oversell passion you don’t feel. Interviewers can usually detect performative enthusiasm. Authentic interest, even if moderate, comes across better than exaggerated excitement that seems manufactured.
Connecting to the Specific Role
Generic answers about administrative work generally are fine, but answers that connect to this administrative role specifically are better.
Research the organization enough to understand what administrative assistants there actually do. Supporting a fast-paced sales team differs from supporting a methodical research department, and your reasons for wanting the role can reflect that specific context.
If the job description mentions particular responsibilities that interest you, reference them. “I’m especially drawn to the event coordination aspect of this role because that’s where I’ve had the most impact in previous positions” shows you’ve read the posting carefully and thought about how you fit.
Company mission or culture can inform your answer if you genuinely connect with them. “I want to be an administrative assistant in an organization focused on education because supporting that mission through my daily work would be meaningful to me” rings true if you actually care about education and hollow if you’re just saying what sounds good.
The Through Line
Your answer to this question should connect logically to your other interview responses. If you claim to love detailed work here but describe yourself as a big-picture thinker elsewhere, the inconsistency undermines your credibility.
Think about the overall narrative you’re presenting across the interview. “Why do you want to be an administrative assistant” is one chapter in that story, and it should fit coherently with the other chapters.
Prepare this answer in conjunction with your response to “tell me about yourself” and other predictable questions. Together they should paint a consistent picture of someone with genuine reasons for pursuing administrative work, relevant preparation for doing it well, and specific interest in this particular opportunity.
