Hire office administrators
A good office administrator holds a growing business together: the schedule, the supplies, the vendors, the phones and the small tasks nobody else tracks. When that person leaves, the owner usually picks up the work at night. Optihire Staffing recruits office administrators and office managers for businesses across the United States.
Contingency Recruitment
You pay a recruitment fee only when a successful candidate is hired, subject to agreed terms.
What an office administrator does
Office administrators run the day-to-day side of the office. That often includes answering phones and email, managing calendars and appointments, ordering supplies, dealing with vendors and building issues, keeping files and records, and supporting basic bookkeeping such as invoices and expense reports.
In a small business the role tends to grow over the years into a mix of HR paperwork, light accounting and operations. Before you hire a replacement, list what the last person actually did each week, including the tasks that never made it into the job title.
What to screen for
The skills, credentials and habits worth checking before you make an offer.
Software skills, in detail
Ask which tools they use every day, such as Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace, scheduling software and accounting tools. Proficient in Excel can mean very different things, so ask them to describe something they built or fixed.
Organization and follow-through
Ask how they track tasks and deadlines for several people at once. A specific system is a good sign.
Discretion
Office administrators often see payroll, contracts and personal information. Ask how they handled a confidential matter.
Phone and front-desk manner
If they will greet visitors or answer calls, the screening call shows how they sound.
Initiative
Ask what they improved in their last office without being asked.
How we recruit office administrators
Your recruiter starts with a role brief and a review of your job description, so we recruit for the job as it works today. We sort applicants by what you need, such as software skills, accuracy and composure at a busy desk, and phone screen the strongest. You get a shortlist with a short note on why each person fits.
If you are weighing whether to use a recruiter at all, our article on recruitment agency vs in-house hiring compares the two. To see how the fee works, read how contingency recruitment works. See the other administration and operations roles we fill and our recruitment services, including screening for applicants you already have.
Interview questions to ask
Open questions that make candidates describe real work. Follow up on anything vague.
What did a typical week look like in your last office role?
Which software do you use every day, and what is the most advanced thing you have done in a spreadsheet?
How do you keep track of tasks for several people at once?
Tell me about a time you handled confidential information.
What did you change or improve in your last office without being asked?
Hiring office administrators?
Send us the role, the shift and the pay range. You pay a recruitment fee only when a successful candidate is hired, subject to agreed terms.