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Congratulations! You’ve written an effective resume, crafted a compelling cover letter, and now you’ve got a job interview for a benefits administrator job. Well done!
As you prepare for the big interview day, you might wonder about the top benefits administrator interview questions and how to answer them. You’ve come to the right place.
In this guide, we’ll provide:
- 5 of the most common benefits administrator interview questions and answers.
- Tips to help you put your best foot forward.
- Resources to help you throughout the interview process.
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Benefits administrator interview questions and answers
Interview questions for a benefits administrator position will depend on the job and the company, but most potential employers want to know if you have experience, if you’re invested in your career, and if you’re a good fit for the company. They also want to know if you have specific soft skills like leadership, relationship-building, communication and decision-making.
Practice makes perfect! Here are five common benefits administrator interview questions and our sample answers for you to use as inspiration as you prepare your own responses.
1. What experience do you have as a benefits administrator?
Hiring managers ask this straightforward benefits administrator interview question to see if you have work experience in the field and to gauge what you can do for them based on your impact on previous employers.
Example answer
When responding to this benefits administrator interview question, be as detailed and comprehensive as possible and highlight at least one accomplishment. Tie your former experience to the role you’re interviewing for whenever possible.
For example:
“In my current company, I worked my way up from benefits coordinator to benefits administrator and have been in this role for the last five years. In this role, I recently saved the company more than 20K in annual expenses by renegotiating vendor contracts and onboarding new vendors as needed. I understand that your department relies heavily on vendor relationships. I’d like to apply the negotiation and relationship-building skills I have sharpened in my current role to help you get the best vendor contracts possible.”
If you do not have work experience as a benefits administrator, focus on your previous roles and how they prepared you for this job, and talk about your transferable skills, such as leadership, interpersonal skills and ability to multitask.
If you’re interviewing for your first job, you might answer this benefits administrator interview question like so:
“While I do not have direct experience as a benefits specialist, I did learn a great deal about dental and health insurance, COBRA and compliance issues as an intern at XYZ Company, and I received my Certified Employee Benefits Specialist certification from Wharton Business School.”
2. How have you worked on career development in the past year?
Hiring managers often ask about career development to assess how serious you are about your career, your drive and initiative, if you are goal-oriented and if your goals align with theirs.
Example answer:
When responding to this benefits administrator interview question, think about what you’ve done to get to this point and what specific actions you’ve taken in the last year to develop your benefits administrator skills, ending with the most recent undertaking.
Your answer might be something like this:
“I think it is important to participate in career development for a successful and meaningful career. In the past year, I took courses offered by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans to review the lessons I learned when I got my certification in compensation and benefits. I also attended a seminar focused on leadership techniques and what people should do to improve their leadership ability. While both experiences were extremely informative, the seminar made me realize I was ready to take on a managerial role.”
3. How would you lead your direct reports?
Interviewers typically ask about how you might lead others whether or not you are applying for a role that requires leadership.That’s because many potential employers believe job candidates with leadership skills are more confident, inspire others and are more apt to take on challenges. Potential employers also ask this question to get a feel for your relationship-building skills.
Example answer:
When answering leadership-focused interview questions for benefits administrators, define your understanding of leadership and how it relates to your professional experience. Provide specific anecdotes of how you have demonstrated leadership in the workplace, school, or community.
Your answer might be something like:
“As a benefits administrator, I would play a direct role in coordinating tasks but I would not micromanage my benefits specialists. Instead, I would use one-on-one meetings to ensure everyone understands what is supposed to get done, and then I would leave each employee to his or her designated task. I would clarify that anyone can come to me should a problem arise.”
4. What do you think is the most important skill for a benefits administrator?
When potential employers ask this benefits administrator interview question, it is usually to get an idea about how much you know about the job, what your priorities are and if your skills match their needs.
Example answer:
To answer this question, think about the skills from the job description and how they match your own. If you have worked as a benefits administrator, then recall the skill you used most or the one that was most valuable to the job. If you don’t have experience as a benefits administrator then recall the job description and match your strongest soft skill to the job description. Tell the employer how you think the skill you chose can benefit the company.
For example:
“I think the most important skill for a benefits administrator is decision-making. Benefits administrators have to make decisions regarding their teams to ensure everyone is using their skills for the benefit of the company. The administrator also plays an important role in analyzing and choosing the benefit plans for the business. Someone in this position would have to take the time to weigh the pros and cons to ensure the best choice is made for the majority of stakeholders in the business.”
5. Why are you interested in this position?
Potential employers often ask this question to see if you are serious about the job and what motivated you to apply for it. They want to know if you understand the requirements of the position and if your goals align with theirs.
Example answer:
Be thorough when answering this interview question for a benefits administrator role. Chances are, you’ve already thoroughly researched the position and the company before applying for it and you’re positive your qualifications match. Tell your interviewer why you think so and how you can benefit the company.
For example, your answer might be something like the following.
“As a benefits specialist for eight years, I am thoroughly versed in benefits administration, but I am ready for a new challenge. I want this position because I believe I have the organization, communication, leadership and business skills your department needs to grow over the next fiscal year.”
Benefits administrator interview tips
- Research the company. Review the company’s website, LinkedIn account, news channels and employee reviews to learn about the company’s goals, needs, products and culture. Take notes and tie your findings into your answers as you prepare for your benefits administrator interview.
- Use the STAR interview method. The STAR method is a tried-and-true way of answering interview questions clearly and concisely. It will help you to be specific and keep track of your thoughts when answering benefits administrator interview questions.
- Use keywords from the job description in your answers. You’ve likely studied the job description by the time you reach the interview stage of the job application process. Review it before your interview and align your answers with keywords from the job requirements. For example, talk up your communication skills and knowledge of state and federal employee benefits regulations if they are listed in the job description.
- Practice with others and in front of a mirror. Use these questions and other commonly asked interview questions, such as “Why should we hire you?”, “Describe a time when you needed to cope with a stressful scenario,” or “Why did you choose this career?” to answer interview questions for a benefits administrator job.
- Be ready to answer behavioral interview questions. Most potential employers will ask at least one behavioral question so don’t let them throw you off guard!
- Prepare questions for your interviewer. Asking questions during your job interview is as important as answering benefits administrator interview questions. Have three to five questions ready to ask during or at the end of your interview. This is an opportunity to show you’ve done your research on the company and to ask pertinent questions about the job. Sometimes it helps to have them written down in a notebook so you don’t forget.
- Bring hard copies of your resume and cover letter. Impress your interviewers by bringing in a hard copy of your application documents.
- Write a follow-up letter to each person you interviewed with after your benefits administrator interview. Doing so keeps you fresh in the interviewer’s mind, displays professionalism and allows you to elaborate on answers from your interview or correct mistakes you might have made. An interview follow-up letter provides the opportunity to thank your interviewers for their time, and ask questions that you didn’t get to ask during your interview. Customize your letter for each interviewer to show you were paying attention and to personalize your correspondence. Time is of the essence: send your follow-up letter within 24 hours of your interview.
5 common benefits administrator interview questions key takeaways
- Research the company before your interview.
- Practice makes perfect. Review the 5 common benefits administrator interview questions and answers on this page to start.
- Use keywords from the job description to craft the answers for your interview questions for benefits administrators.
- The STAR method can help you articulate your answers to benefits administrator interview questions clearly and concisely.
- Follow up.
5 common benefits administrator interview questions FAQ
What is the STAR method for job interviews?
The STAR method is a technique to answer interview questions. It is an acronym for “Situation-Task-Action-Result.” It is particularly effective with behavioral interview questions, yet it can be used with any questions that require storytelling to highlight what you bring to the table. This method structures your answers to ensure you’re highlighting job-relevant skills and showcase how you used them.
How does it work? It shows you what to include and the order, giving your answer a beginning, middle and end. In simple terms:
Situation — This was the problem.
Task — This was my role or responsibility when said problem came up.
Action — This is what I did to solve the problem.
Result —This was the successful outcome of my actions.
Using the STAR method in an interview helps hiring managers learn about who you are as a candidate. Your resume tells them you have the skills; your STAR method answers will tell them how effectively you used said skills.
What questions should I ask a hiring manager during a benefits administrator job interview?
The best interview questions to ask a hiring manager for a benefits administrator job interview will come naturally during the conversation. We recommend you bring a notebook and a pen to jot them down as they come, although you should always arrive to a job interview with at least three questions prepared.
Some great questions you might ask are:
- What about this position is most important for the goals of the company?
- What would you want me to accomplish in the first six months?
- What is the team workflow process?
- In your opinion, what is the biggest challenge for a person in this role?
- What is the culture like here?
- How would you measure my success for this role?
- Are there professional development opportunities available for someone in this role?
What are the top three things to avoid in a benefits administrator job interview?
Job interviews are always nerve-wracking, no matter how prepared you are. Because of that, job applicants often spend so much time preparing that they forget what to avoid.
Here are our top three job interview killers:
1. Getting too personal.
It’s a great sign if you develop a strong rapport with your job interviewer. After all, a friendly attitude and a bit of humor go a long way to ease the tension and to show the interview a bit of your personality. Still, there’s a fine-line between being friendly and being to casual, so keep your questions and answers on the professional end of the spectrum.
2. Talking too much.
It’s natural to be nervous during a job interview but be careful that your nerves don’t get the best of you. Take a few moments to process each interview question and think about your answers before responding so you don’t trip over your tongue or ramble, which can ruin the interview. Job interviewers want clear, concise answers, so be straight to the point, provide pertinent details, and avoid tangents. Speak slowly and clearly and never interrupt your interviewer!
3. Focusing on yourself.
It’s vital that you share your professional achievements, skills and goals during a job interview, but to balance the conversation, your answers should focus on how you can use your experiences and skills to the potential employer’s benefit. To do so, use details about the company you gleaned from your research, call up the job requirements, and explain how you would go above and beyond to help the company grow.
How we reviewed this article
Since 2013, we have helped more than 15 million job seekers. We want to make your career journey accessible and manageable through our services and Career Center’s how-to guides and tips. In our commitment to bring you a transparent process, we present our Editorial Process.
Sources
The Wall Street Journal. Acosta, Deborah. Job Interview Preparation Tips to Help you Stand Out
Global Guideline. Compensation and Benefits Administrator Interview Preparation Guide