The Skills to Look for to Hire the Best Administrative Assistant

Administrative assistants should be capable of taking on many tasks and challenging situations at the same time. They maintain an office while assisting with the duties of an executive, manager, company owner or professional organization.

However, a talented administrative assistant should be able to do more than just play a supporting role. In fact, they should also be capable of moving on to other jobs in the company or industry.

Below are a few skills to keep in mind when looking for a talented administrative assistant.

Computer skills

An administrative assistant works with business software programs, which includes spreadsheets, databases programs, word processers, graphics creation and presentation applications. They type up emails and uses the internet to conduct research. An admin may also be asked to learn employer-specific applications.

To be able to handle these standard job duties, an admin must not only be familiar with standard office software, they must also be comfortable learning both updates to standard programs and entirely new programs altogether.

Good communication

In a busy place of work, warm, friendly and effective communication is essential, as admins have interactions with a wide array of people. For instance, an admin might have to explain procedures on contacting staff or internal requests for supplies. An admin also parses tasks to effectively handle administrative duties, assigning clerical tasks and giving directions to other workers in the same office.

Leadership ability

While you may not think of an admin as a leader, they are often responsible for directing others and managing projects. In some offices, an admin oversees clerical personnel and handles demands from other workers, like time-off requests. If an applicant doesn’t have managerial experience but is otherwise qualified, they can gain valuable on-the-job training as many professional associations, local colleges or websites offer courses and training seminars.

Problem-solving skills

An assistant shouldn’t have to run to their boss every time a problem comes up. A good admin should be able to handle minor issues and the occasional unexpected situation. For instance, an admin may have to make adjustments to a boss’ schedule when priorities suddenly change. An admin should also be able to handle disagreements among staff, disgruntled clients and paperwork mix-ups.

Ability to organize

An administrative assistant must be able to manage both their own time and the time of their boss. Typically, this involves the use of a cloud-based calendar program. An admin uses standard emails to send out notifications and coordinate responses. They should also be able to respond to requests or invites.

An administrative assistant must be able to think in an organized manner in order to create effective office procedures, like establishing a standard procedure for workers to call in sick. An admin must also make sure their boss has adequate resources to finish projects on deadline.

At Career Concepts, we have years of experience sourcing talent for open admin positions. If you are currently looking to fill such a role, on either a temporary or permanent basis, please contact our team today!