Administrative assistants often play an integral role in a business team, so it is not surprising that they must demonstrate the right set of skillsets when applying.
Check out these top attributes of a great assistant.
Accountability
Your success begins with managing your workload, your career and the relationships with your colleagues and executives. Decisions have to be made and results have to be owned. These are the types of qualities that executive assistant headhunters look for.
Fast Paced Strategic thinking
In order for Executives to achieve the organization’s objectives, Assistants have to think strategically.
Understanding quickly why a task needs to be done, how it fits into the business strategy, why it takes precedence over others, and what impact it has on the business bottom line, is vital.
Communication is Everything
As an administrative assistant, you need to demonstrate excellent communication skills. You need to be able to be trusted to represent the company and other employees.
Customer correspondence, supplier correspondence, or partnership correspondence should be handled professionally and in a timely manner.
When interacting with customers, guests, and other employees, admin assistants or clerks should have a friendly and positive attitude.
Tech Savy
As an administrative assistant, technological skills are highly sought after, such as the ability to enter data, manage calendars, and create reports. It is essential to be familiar with Microsoft Office software as well as Google’s software and how to integrate the two when needed.
Assisting admin assistants in entering data into customer relationship management (CRM) systems, customer service platforms, and virtual help desks is also not uncommon. To succeed in this position, you must have a thorough understanding of computer software, browsers, and operating systems.
Show Iniative
A great assistant must demonstrate initiative and be proactive. To support your Executive and the organization’s objectives, you should always be aware of opportunities to improve processes and procedures and have the confidence to make decisions and adapt new ways of working.
Good assistants can anticipate their boss’ needs and carry out important tasks without being asked. An amazing assistant, you will not wait around for approval or direction, but instead take initiative to support the business.
Attention to detail
Great assistants always produce professional-looking documents that are grammatically correct. But, the importance of details goes beyond proofreading and a good assistant brings this characteristic to everything he or she does.
A professional is someone who ensures that everything they touch is high quality, everything they put their name and reputation behind is professional. In that, you reflect your values as well as those of the Executives and the organization.
Time is Money
A good time management system is crucial to making sure your time is effectively allocated and planned. It’s possible to stretch yourself too thin if you don’t. So, plan your tasks and the time it will take you to be the best resource for your team.
Strategic Planning
Like time management, administrative assistants must plan strategically as well. You can prioritize tasks according to importance and plan out processes for the whole office to follow. When unexpected cancellations or changes occur on employee or executive calendars, planning skills are also necessary.