Administrative Assistant jobs can be very lucrative depending on your level of experience, and the sector you work in. Each job sector could require different skills from an administrative assistant but there are some common skills that most successful administrative assistants possess.
1. Be multi-lingual
In an age of globalization, having linguistic flexibility is a plus when you deal with the public. Sure, English is the language of communication for the world, however, it does not hurt to be able to speak the local or native language of the person with whom you are communicating. Quite often, administrative assistants have to deal with customers directly, whether face to face or on the phone. It is a plus for the company if its employees can speak several languages and communicate with customers in their own language, as well as in English. That said, English is the language of communication for the world and an administrative assistant in almost any country in the world today should be able to communicate in English first and foremost. So, if you are seriously pursuing a job as an administrative assistant, brush up on your linguistic skills – especially English – and make sure to highlight your language skills on your resume.
2. Be organized; and be able to manage your time, and multitask
A good administrative assistant is organized. He or she is able to manage their time and multitask so as to avoid creating havoc and chaos for the bosses. For example, it is never a good sign when an administrative assistant has a messy desk, even when he or she is convinced that there is a “method to the madness.” Remember that an administrative assistant “assists” others and makes their lives easier. So, as an administrative assistant, you cannot be the one to be disorganized, or have a messy desk. An administrative assistant also has to help others keep up with their calendar and schedule. This means that a good administrative assistant will be able to manage his or her own time before they can efficiently help someone else manage theirs. As far as multitasking, an administrative assistant can usually expect that things will come up and that at one point or another, her or she will be expected to manage more than one task at the same time. If you are someone who cannot multitask there is a good chance that you will not excel in a job as administrative assistant.
3. Be people-friendly
An administrative assistant will have to interact with the public quite a bit. So, you have to be people-friendly if you want to excel as an administrative assistant. You have to possess good interpersonal skills. The administrative assistant could be one of the first levels of contact that customers and potential customers have with the company, for example. The behavior of an administrative assistant can therefore impact the way customers think of your company. If you hate people but you seek a job as an administrative assistant, you could wind up chasing away customers. Over time, if you chase away enough customers with unfriendly behavior, this could result in the failure of your company and you in turn could find yourself out of a job.
4. Be able to accept criticism
An administrative assistant will face criticism from the boss at some point in time, and it is imperative that you are able to accept criticism without coming apart at the seams, because your boss is not always going to be happy with your work. Note that criticism can be both constructive and unconstructive. It may be necessary to accept a bit of both depending on the circumstances. There are times when bosses go too far, obviously, and their criticisms create a toxic working environment. This is something different that no one should have to put up with. But a little bit of criticism, here or there, should be expected when you are in the role of an administrative assistant because the boss sometimes needs someone to blame.
5. Be able to think on your feet and out of the box
A successful administrative assistant will be able to think on their feet and out of the box. This is not a role that the boss will be able to spend a lot of time spoon-feeding the employee. Bosses hire administrative assistants because there is an overflow of responsibilities and tasks that they need help with. If the boss has to spend the whole time training you and re- training you in your role as administrative assistant, you are not going to last very long on the job. Sometimes, you also need to think outside the box. This means that you need to be proactive and creative to troubleshoot problems that crop up, rather than waiting for your boss to spoon-feed you everything and solve minor issues themselves. Again, this is why you were hired. To help the boss to solve issues and problems, not create new problems for the boss or be completely inept at troubleshooting little issues that crop up unexpectedly.
6. Be able to put out fires
One of the best skills that successful administrative assistants possess is the ability to “put out fires” so that their boss can work drama-free and focus on the more important tasks. Not only are successful administrative assistants skilled at putting out fires, but they are also good at stopping the fires before they even start. The term “fires” is metaphorical, of course. It simply means that to achieve success as an administrative assistant, you need to be able to solve problems and nip things in the bud before they become a problem.
7. Be computer literate and skilled at admin software
Nary a successful administrative assistant exists that is not computer literate. Administrative assistants need software for everything from managing company strategies and staff to saving files and documents, to keeping track of important deadlines. If you are still talking about DOS, WordPerfect, and PCtools, you might want to freshen up your skills a little bit. Some popular software for administrative assistants are Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Outlook.
8. Be able to put a professional face forward
A successful administrative assistant can put a professional face forward no matter what the circumstances. He or she is patient and diplomatic and can hold their tongue under trying circumstances. They watch what they say in a professional setting. For example, the most successful admin assistants speak well and avoid profanity while on the job.
9. Be detail-oriented
A good administrative assistant is detail oriented. This dovetails with them being organized and being able to multi-task, as mentioned above. But administrative assistants go further than just their organizational skills. They see the details and they understand that the devil is in the details. They save their bosses enormous headaches by paying attention to the details – and catching costly errors that less detailed personalities miss.
10. Be a good communicator (written and verbal)
A good administrative assistant needs to be a good communicator. This includes both verbal and written communication skills. An administrative assistant will likely be required to communicate with the bosses, colleagues, clients, customers, and the general public at large. He or she will be called upon to write and respond to emails, make presentations, prepare documents and letters, and quite often work in a fast-paced environment. He or she will be part of a team. So being able to work in a team and communicate effectively with team members is also likely to be very important. In conclusion, the job of an administrative assistant is not for the faint of heart. This person could literally be required to hold down the fort at work. To be good, or even excellent, it is necessary for you to possess the necessary skills and temperament as detailed above. Here at WLS, we offer a training program for administrative assistants. Contact us today for more details.