Five Qualities of a Great Administrative Assistant

A great administrative assistant keeps you organized and makes your job easier. Hiring one that is less-than-qualified will make everything more difficult not only for you, but for everyone else in your organization. Technology demands new skills, and the qualities demanded of an administrative assistant have evolved with it. Here are five qualities of a great administrative assistant in Fort Lauderdale, FL:

• Multitasking ability: An administrative assistant has multiple balls in the air. While studies show that all humans do best when focusing on one task at a time, there are moments where one task must be interrupted for another. An assistant who can handle this smoothly without anxiety or sacrificing work quality is vital in the workplace.
• Communication skills: Administrative assistants need to be good communicators. Whether they need to order more printer toner or let managers know that they need more time to finish a task, communication makes the difference between perceiving tasks as insurmountable obstacles and as mere challenges. You do not want a doormat who simply follows orders and sacrifices work quality due to an inability to say “no” or explain boundaries. It is much easier to manage these situations if everyone is on the same page, and that happens with good communication.
• Software knowledge: Technology changes everything, especially the demands of the administrative assistant. Microsoft Office remains the must-have software skill, but Adobe Pro, FileMaker, Access and SAP platforms are also gaining preference in many sectors, especially finance. Consider the software packages that basically run your offices. You may want to require those skills, or at least see a strong background in learning new software packages quickly.
• Adaptability: It is likely that projects change quickly and without explanation. Your administrative assistant may be editing an employee handbook in Word one day, and entering data into QuickBooks on another day. If there are presentations or events, administrative assistants also manage those, and may even draft PowerPoint presentations and visual aids. You want an individual who can switch from these diverse tasks smoothly, even if the project was not originally part of the job description. The phrase “other duties as assigned” applies more to administrative assistants than any other position. You want someone who takes that seriously and is ready to embrace the challenge.
• Organization skills: You are likely hiring an administrative assistant because you get behind on filing, data entry and even providing copies of company policy to your workers. A good assistant organizes tasks well and also knows how to prioritize. In other words, this individual should be able to comprehend that an employment contract for a new hire starting this afternoon takes priority over a presentation that is happening late next week. Organization is not just about clean offices, but also meeting deadlines and understanding priorities.

If you seek the qualities of a great administrative assistant in Fort Lauderdale, FL, Key Technical Resources offers staffing solutions to help you find the ideal fit. Contact us today to see how we can save you time and money during your hiring process.

Categorised in: Career Advice