administrative assistant?

Question

what type of training do you need to be an admistrative assistant.

Answer 1

In addition to a high school diploma or GED you need to know the basics for any elementary administrative job.

Microsoft Office: Power Point, Word, Excel and Outlook (for E-mail) and scheduling. The company may have their own e-mail service but you should know office since most places use this.

Internet: For brief research ("Make a lunch appointment at so and so ... find me the mailing address of so and so ...) and travel arrangements (if your firm doesn't have a department for doing this for you.)

You need to have a good phone manner and be able to take messages.

Occasionally you may have to do dictation.

Most important as an admin you'll need to know how to type and properly format a letter. The office may have templates but sometimes you'll just have to do it on the fly.

I've worked in Real Estate, Entertainment and Medical Corporate law. Since you posted this in Law I'm going to assume you may be working in a law office. In that case it helps to know:

Any billing system and system for managing clients. They like it if you have some idea of how to use a database (like Excel) but each firm uses different software. If you don't know they'll often teach you. You won't be billing time but the attorney you work for will and may ask you to enter it or review his own.

They like it if you have some sort of basic understanding of legal forms and documents such as formatting the heading of a pleading or requesting a subpoena. You won't be writing them but you should know some basic formatting. If you have paralegals you may get out of this it's still good to know so you can spot a mistake.

Anything else they'll teach you.

Answer 2

I have been in office support for about 17 years now, and can tell you, in the several firms I've worked in , all of my bosses have gotten they're own coffee. If a client comes in, we will ask if they would like anything, but I'm not the only one who does. I may have to do set ups for five, or more for a depo, but that's not often, nor am I the only one who does. I take care of opening/closing client files, order supplies, and assist the lawyers, legal assistants, other paralegals, as well as covering for the receptionist, and all the running around, I have a diploma in paralegal studies. This may be an "entry level" position for some, but I raised the bar, so now I can go to any law firm, and pick up where others left off.

Answer 3

The best administrative Assistant I had (one of seven) was exceptionally good at project management. Supporting this was great skills in numerous computer programs, great customer service skills, good communicator, and above all; was loyal, did not concern herself with breaks and out the door at lunch time, was always willing to stay over when necessary, and was always one step ahead of me. I have never had a bad administrative assistant (The Most Important People in an Organization are the Administrative Support People) and with her I can say I had one of the best; she is now an Auditor at an international airport.

Answer 4

I've been an administrative assistant a few times and usually all they ask is for a high school diploma or ged, and fairly good skills in microsoft word and excel, maybe powerpoint. basic office skills; filing, phones, etc. they will tell you if they expect more.

Answer 5

Office skills: typing, filing systems, customer service, using office equipment like faxes, computers, copiers, mail equipment. L
Contact your local community college and your local state employment office or job center.