10 essential skills for an assistant manager

Ever found yourself sifting through resumes for an assistant manager and feeling like you're looking for a needle in a haystack? 

The thing is, it isn’t about finding someone with the “right” experience – skills matter more than experience in this role. The exact skills you’re looking for will vary wildly based on industry. But, that doesn’t mean you're destined to wander in the dark. 

Understanding the skill set required for assistant managers is key to finding that perfect candidate. Whether you're in retail, hospitality, or any other field, each sector demands its own blend of leadership, communication, and problem-solving abilities. 

This article can be your roadmap to uncovering the essential skills your assistant manager needs. We can help you find the perfect fit for your team. Ready to crack the code? Let's dive in!

What is an assistant manager?

An assistant manager is like the right hand to the manager, helping oversee daily operations and ensuring everything runs smoothly. They work closely with the manager, jumping in wherever they’re needed to keep things on track. Of course, the manager they work with will depend on the industry. But, it’s usually a store manager, office manager, or site manager. 

On a regular day, assistant managers do a bit of everything. They might start by chatting with the team to plan out the day's goals. Then, they're off helping customers, solving problems, and handling stuff like schedules and inventory. They're like the middle ground between the team and the big bosses, making sure everyone's happy and things are running smoothly.

Assistant managers are jack-of-all-trades of the workplace. They’re always busy, juggling a bunch of different tasks to keep things humming along. And that's why they need various skills to do their job well. 

Core skills of assistant managers 

Keep reading to learn 10 hard and soft skills to look for in your next assistant manager. 

Hard skills

The exact hard skills your assistant manager needs will vary depending on your industry. Here are some core hard skills your assistant manager might need.

• Strategic thinking. Your assistant manager should be a master at seeing the big picture and plotting out the best route to reach your business goals. Whether it's anticipating market trends, planning for growth, or navigating unexpected challenges, they need to be ready to think several steps ahead. 

• Financial management. Assistant managers often need to be budget-savvy pros, keeping a keen eye on the numbers to make smart decisions about where the money goes and how to make it stretch further. Assistant managers in retail or manufacturing industries will most commonly need this skill, but assistant managers in other industries might also benefit from it. 

• Inventory management. From keeping shelves stocked to managing supplies, assistant managers are the masters of organization, ensuring everything is in its place and ready to go when needed. This skill will especially benefit assistant managers in retail or hospitality industries – but again, other assistant managers might also need it. 

• Data analysis. Many assistant managers dive deep into the numbers, spotting trends and uncovering insights that drive smarter decisions and keep the business on track for success. This skill is most common in project, bank, or office assistant managers. 

• Scheduling. Balancing shifts, managing time-off requests, and ensuring the right people are in the right place at the right time – assistant managers are the scheduling superheroes who make this all happen seamlessly. This skill will be most common in assistant managers in the retail, hospitality, or manufacturing industries.

Need to hire an office assistant for your company? Check out our office assistant job description template to start the process. 

Soft skills

All assistant managers require soft skills to manage relationships and handle everyday workplace issues effectively. Many of these skills are universal to all assistant managers. Here are some of the core hard skills they need.

• Leadership and people management. Most assistant managers lead by example, bringing out the best in their team with positivity, encouragement, and a can-do attitude.

• Interpersonal skills. All assistant managers need great interpersonal skills. They should be good at listening, easy to talk to, and great at working with all kinds of personalities – whether they're smoothing out rough patches between coworkers, creating a positive vibe in the office, or teaming up with different departments. 

• Communication. Whether it's chatting with customers or rallying the troops in a team meeting, assistant managers are top-notch communicators who can get their message across clearly and with a smile.

• Problem solving. When challenges arise, assistant managers roll up their sleeves and get to work, finding creative solutions and staying calm under pressure to keep the ship sailing smoothly.

• Time management. With a million things on their plate, assistant managers are time management experts who know how to prioritize tasks, stay organized, and get things done efficiently.

How to assess assistant manager candidates

Once you understand exactly what skills you’re looking for, it’s time to start assessing your candidates.

Anyone can list problem solving, customer service, or inventory management on their resume. But how effectively can they put these skills into action? Assessing these skills goes beyond just checking boxes – it's about digging deeper to understand how candidates approach challenges, interact with customers or team members, and manage tasks in a real-world setting.

TestGorilla can help you do this. We help you see beyond what’s on a candidate's resume and deep into your candidates’ skills. With our library of “400+” tests, you’re sure to find tests for assistant managers that fit your role. 

Plus, you can combine up to five of these to create a custom assessment and add any test questions to better suit your needs! The best part? You can invite candidates to take the assessment right at the beginning of your hiring process. This way, you can find top candidates right away.

TestGorilla automatically ranks candidates for you – showing you which ones have the skills you need. 

Here’s how you might approach your assessment.

Start with hard skills

Start by measuring a candidate's hard skills. We recommend you use the following tests. 

• Numerical Reasoning test. This test will help you measure a candidate’s ability to interpret numbers, data, and charts, as well as their knowledge of graphs and diagrams.

• Leadership and People Management test. This test enables you to measure an applicant’s ability to delegate tasks, support others’ growth, and offer guidance and feedback to the team.

• Budgeting test. This test helps you understand how a candidate reads and interprets data, monitors and controls a budget, and more. 

Then, move on to soft skills

Strong soft skills are key to being a great assistant manager. Here are some tests you might consider using:

• Communication Skills test. This test helps you measure a candidate's verbal and non-verbal communication skills. This includes how well they speak and write, interpret body language, and summarize information. 

• Problem Solving Skills test. This test assesses how well candidates can adjust schedules, interpret data and make decisions, and prioritize based on a set of rules. 

• Time Management test. This test helps you measure how well a candidate can plan, prioritize, and delegate to make the most of their time. 

• Customer Service test. This test measures how well a candidate understands customer needs and communicates with customers. It also helps you understand their customer service technique.

Check their culture add

Culture is key when you’re working as part of a team, and your assistant manager will play a crucial role in shaping and maintaining your company's culture.

But, don’t think they have to be a mirror of your current culture. Sometimes, the best candidates are the ones who come in, shake things up, and show you new ways of working. 

TestGorilla’s Culture Add test is the perfect tool to determine what someone can bring to the table. Simply fill out a quick survey to rank the values and behaviors you think are important for the job. Then, check out how candidates rank those same values and behaviors. This will help you see if they'll vibe well with your team and add to your workplace culture. 

Finally, deep dive with behavioral interview questions

Once you’ve measured a candidate’s skills and checked their culture add, pick the best candidates to interview. Interviews can happen in person or virtually, but they should always give an opportunity to dive deep into the candidate's experiences, behaviors, and thought processes. This is where behavioral interview questions come into play.

During the interview, try to uncover specific examples from the candidate's past behaviors that showcase their skills. Ask questions that prompt them to describe a challenge they faced, the actions they took to overcome it, and the outcomes they achieved.

You could try:

“Can you tell me about a time you had to make a difficult decision that had a big impact on your team or workplace? What happened, and how did you handle it?”

Or, you might ask:

“Tell me about a time you had to resolve a conflict between team members. How did you approach the situation, and what was the result?”

Asking these questions help you see how a candidate approaches issues, what their thought processes are, and how they communicate these challenges to you. It’s a great opportunity to understand how they learn and grow – and what difficulties they’ve faced in the past. 

If you're looking to bulk out your interview, check out this bank of 44 interview questions for assistant managers. 

2 mistakes to avoid when assessing assistant manager candidates

Watch out for these common mistakes when hiring for assistant manager roles. 

1. Ignoring the alignment between your managers

The bond between an assistant manager and their direct boss must be solid. When they vibe well together, everything runs smoother. But if there's tension or mismatched personalities, it's like trying to play a game with pieces that don't fit – things just don't work. 

Don’t ignore the dynamic for the sake of finding a candidate quickly. It's important to really consider how the two will mesh and make sure they're on the same wavelength. Otherwise, you might end up with a lot more headaches than solutions.

2. Not assessing virtual skills for virtual assistant manager roles

We haven’t talked about virtual skills yet, but they certainly come into play for virtual management roles! Picture this: You're hiring an assistant manager who will oversee a remote team. While focusing solely on traditional leadership qualities, you might accidentally overlook a candidate's ability to thrive in virtual environments. This can result in a manager who can’t communicate or collaborate effectively with their team.

To avoid this mess, you must evaluate candidates' proficiency in virtual communication (like their email skills), their familiarity with collaboration tools like Slack or Zoom, and their knowledge of managing remote teams. This way, you can make sure your assistant manager can tackle the challenges of a virtual setting head-on.

FAQs

What is the most important skill for an assistant manager?

Communication is the most important skill for an assistant manager. They need to be able to communicate complex information easily, stand up in front of a crowd, and handle difficult conversations with grace. 

What is the personality type of an assistant manager?

Assistant managers can have lots of different personality types. However, some personality types – like ENTJs or ENTPs – might have more natural management skills, making them more likely to succeed in this role. However, any personality type can succeed in this role with the right skillset and drive.  

Hire your next assistant manager with TestGorilla

The skills needed to be a great assistant manager will depend on the industry. However, there are some universal skills that hold all rockstar assistant managers together — like communication and problem solving. Measuring these skills right away will help you find the assistant managers with the core skills you need. 

That’s where TestGorilla comes in. We have a library of “400+” tests to help you find your ideal next hire. Whether you’re recruiting in retail, hospitality, manufacturing, or any other industry, TestGorilla will help you find that perfect assistant manager.  

Sign up for a free account or watch a live demo and see the difference we can make to your hiring process.