Administrative Assistant?

Question

What would make someone an ideal canidate for a possition as Administrative Assistant

Answer 1

Office requirements:

Interoffice:

- Someone that has lots of patience
- Can be calm when everyone in the office is freaking out and blaming you for the cause of it (even if its not)
- To follow any request for assistance whether or not its in their job description.
- To hear everything in the office that is said but never ONCE tell the other what the others have said. (i.e.If its not work oriented, she's "blond" when it comes to rumors / hearsay)
- To have excellent office equipment skills and forgiving of others that can find the big blinking green PRINT button on the photocopier, etc.
- To be swamped with massive deadlines and work but have a member of the office come in and ask to have something copied, printed, proofed, whatever and calmly take the task and say "Sure thing!" with a smile and calm demeanor.
- To have a technical writing ability as a grant writer but to be an ace on personal letters as well.
- To be able to spell right the first time and to flawlessly proof/edit her bosses/other AA's work as well.
- To dress like a professional and not the latest Gap/Old Navy trend. No one should have to guess who works for the company and who is a client.
- To take on others slacking AA's work when deadlines are going to be missed.
- To never complain about others lack of work, commitment to company, etc.
- Multi task, Multi task, Multi task
- No matter how swamped if something is missed, take account and responsibility for it without an explanation unless asked and even then, modest answer.


Client interaction:

- To be able to handle clients at all levels of knowledge
- To be able to divert a client from a sob story and get back on track on business without offending the client
- To tell a client a negative fact without beating around the bush; concise, firm, but non-offending
- To handle a crisis for a client that is considered high rank or potential high rank by office but also satisfy even the lowest ranked for possible future potential (i.e. Be careful of who you treat like dirt today for they could be the CIO/CFO tomorrow)
- To handle a client that is not from the department instead of shipping them somewhere off (You'd be surprised who comes back or recommends your firm/business just because of it)

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

admin assts. fill in the gap with lots of activities. this will vary from company to company, so the best way to get an an ideal of what would make someone an ideal candidate is to take a look at the company itself.

-if it is in a specialized field (legal, medical, construction, entertainment, tax/financial, etc) a good admin. will already have knowledge of that field, its common practices and jargon.

-check out the company website and look at the management style/philosophy. be sure you fit in. the company I'm with right now has a very laid back style, the girl i replaced was really uptight. despite the fact she was infinitely more qualified than i am (B.A. and 10+ years experience) she was NOT a good fit.

-general computer skills vary from company to company based on needs but its safe to say a good admin will be able to type 45+ WPM with an accuracy rating of 75% or higher, be well versed in MS products especially Word, Excel, and Outlook. Depending on the company you may need Access and Power Point as well

-a car in working order is a must, as most admins are expected to run errands as well

-time management skills are imperative...not just your time you're managing, either, but your bosses.

-determination, determination, TENACITY.

Answer 4

It is important for an administrative assistant to have strong clerical and interpersonal skills as well as a willingness to do anything from making coffee to typing papers to entertaining clients. A good administrative assistant is willing to place 100% of their focus on work while at work, while leaving home at home.

Answer 5

When I hire adminastrative assistants I look for the following qualities:
- Cheerful personality
- Confidence in thier abuility to mulitask
- Computer skills
- Professional image
- Dependable/ resposible (attendance is a must)

Answer 6

Generally, they seek out a responsible, professional looking person with skills with Customer Service, multi-tasking, great skills and experience with MS Office applications, ability to appropriately prioritize workload possibly from multiple managers/departments, among other skills.

Answer 7

Despite the fact that it is a neverending list of requirements, aven described my last job to a tee and what was expected of me...

Answer 8

not much really I've been one since I was 16 so- mostly you'll need computer skills and answerign phones that's it

Answer 9

efficiency with office equipment and procedures

Answer 10

Find a more manly job.