Administrative assistant software skills

Check out this list of focus books to develop that skill. Time management is one of the most important executive assistant competencies. Staying focused and completing tasks on time is crucial for job success. Not to mention, executive assistants receive steady streams of work, and can easily fall behind if they do not stay on top of assignments.

Good time management skills keep operations flowing smoothly, and reduce stress levels. Assistants need a good sense of which jobs to prioritize, and how much time to spend on each endeavor. When a task takes longer than expected, good assistants know when to reach out for help or delegate the job to a teammate. Also, capable assistants know how to carve out efficient workflows and set boundaries. If executive assistants do not cycle through responsibilities within the workday, then they can find themselves working late hours or overworking.

To avoid burnout, the smart assistant stays focused during work hours and unplugs at the end of the day, responding only to emergencies after hours. Here is a list of the best books on time management. You can manage your schedule with time keeping software. Communication skills are crucial for executive assistants. First, assistants must know how to speak and write professionally to executives, business partners, and high-level clients.

Grammar is crucial, as are writing conventions. For instance, assistants should know how to properly format a formal business letter, and should triple check spelling before sending emails. Tone is important too. Savvy assistants know when to strike a more personal and friendly tone and which situations call for strict formality.

Length and medium should be appropriate too. A passing mention or a memo may suffice for lesser news, while bigger announcements or issues merit a detailed email or formal report. Executive assistants should also be able to give directions. Top assistants often oversee other administrative assistants and coordinate departments on special projects.

These responsibilities require the ability to give clear instructions and communicate respectfully with staff. You can play vocabulary games to improve your communication. Data entry is one of the most desirable technical skills for executive secretaries. Record-keeping is one of the key functions of assistants.

Executive secretaries often take and edit meeting minutes, upkeep databases, and manage filing systems. These individuals must be able to input information with a high degree of speed and accuracy. They must also know how to retrieve data quickly. Basic technological skills are also helpful.

In a perfect world, the IT department would answer the call every time a spreadsheet went wonky. In reality, issues often take time to diagnose and fix. Exceptional assistants are able to find workable solutions in the meantime to ensure important data is accessible. People skills are absolutely essential for executive assistants. Every day, assistants interact with dozens of people, both inside and outside of the organization, digitally, on the phone, and in person. To excel in the job, executive assistants must develop relationships with many of these folks.

Assistants often have to ask for favors, and having a rapport makes a big difference. Folks are more inclined to lend a hand to pleasant individuals. Most importantly, personal assistants must develop positive relationships with their executives.

The best executive assistants are personable yet tough. They can tell when to challenge the boss and when to acquiesce.

They know when to lighten the mood and when to stay serious. They are friendly with the boss without crossing boundaries. Executives both like and respect these individuals. You can develop your people skills by reading HR books. Executive assistants need to be just as adept at the art of the deal as executives. Maybe they need to score sold-out concert tickets for the boss, or negotiate a discount on catering.

Learn about the CK publication. James Gallagher is a self-taught programmer and the technical content manager at Career Karma. James has written hundreds of programming tutorials, and he frequently contributes to publications like Codecademy, Treehouse, Repl. He also serves as a researcher at Career Karma, publishing comprehensive reports on the bootcamp market. Read more by James Gallagher. With help from Career Karma, you can find a training program that meets your needs and will set you up for a long-term, well-paid career in tech.

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Please enter a valid phone number. Administrative assistants often manage many tasks and pieces of information at the same time. Administrative assistants who directly support an executive should be able to maintain their calendar as well.

Many administrative assistants also handle a file management system, either physically or on a computer, and should be adept at storing and retrieving files.

Examples of organizational skills include planning, delegation and office management. Time management is the ability to be punctual and to schedule your time such that you can complete all assigned tasks.

Administrative assistants typically have full to-do lists and must be able to effectively manage their time to finish their duties by a set deadline. Those with strong time-management skills are punctual, meet deadlines, readjust priorities when unforeseen issues arise and plan their days for productivity.

With careful attention to detail, you can notice missed signatures, complete job assignments on time and write professional emails with no spelling errors. Office communications are sometimes sensitive, needing close attention to email addresses and information. When completing data-entry duties, administrative assistants should be able to submit the correct information repeatedly. An administrative assistant can use attention to detail in reviewing correspondence, submitting reports and completing everyday duties.

When schedules change or new challenges arise, the ability to problem-solve is invaluable. A busy administrative assistant is likely to encounter unexpected obstacles. If they can think quickly, be flexible and think creatively, they can solve problems with ease.

A good problem-solver is also open to asking for help and collaborating with team members to overcome challenges. Discussion, compromise and resilience are invaluable parts of problem-solving. Anyone who performs most of their work on a computer is likely to need experience and skills related to technology.

A graduate of the University of Connecticut and Emerson College with degrees in English and publishing, she is passionate about books, baseball, and pop culture though not necessarily in that order , and lives in Brooklyn with her dog.

Written by Kate Lopaze. Scheduling Software Being an administrative assistant often involves keeping a live calendar for your boss and maybe others as well , so this is a bare-bones essential tech skill to have. Digital Publishing and Design Software As an administrative assistant, you may be responsible for creating, editing, or distributing content like newsletters, flyers, invitations, etc.

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