Working as an administrative assistant is a dynamic and engaging profession with opportunities across different industries. An administrative assistant is a valuable addition to any company or office, performing various tasks to ensure the smooth running of a business. They are essential for coordinating the administrative duties of an organization on a day-to-day basis and providing support to the whole team where needed.
A good administrative assistant program is a useful step towards your professional career. Graduates will get a firm grasp of the duties and skills required for employment in the field and be able to fulfil those responsibilities to the highest standard. For those interested in kickstarting their career, read on to discover what to expect from your first job.
What Are Your Responsibilities After Administrative Assistant College?
As an administrative assistant, your work will cover a range of clerical and organizational tasks, all of which are geared towards keeping the business running efficiently and productively. Depending on the industry and company you work for, your duties may focus on customer service, scheduling, bookkeeping, or data entry. In general, administrative assistants will support the office team by handling communications through phone and email correspondence and performing general office duties such as filing, printing, or photocopying important documents. The ability to manage and adapt to different tasks is part of the essential duties of an administrative assistant. Graduates of administrative assistant college will find themselves ready to perform each and every one of these responsibilities with confidence and expertise.
Explore Different Work Environments
One of the most appealing aspects of the job as an administrative assistant is the chance to work in office environments in a wide variety of industries. Many find employment in legal and medical offices, government departments, schools, and hospitals. Administrative assistants may gain experience in a specialized work environment in a skilled field, such as law and medicine, to provide a higher level of support. Beyond that, any private business or enterprise will always be in need of an administrative assistant to coordinate their affairs.
Small companies may rely on a single administrative assistant to handle their office space, while larger enterprises may require you to work alongside other administrative assistants to organize multiple departments. Whatever the field, employers will be looking for candidates who can demonstrate skills that can be applied to the general management of their business. An administrative assistant program is a great place to start.
What Skills Will You Use?
Given that the duties of administrative assistants can vary greatly, a broad and practical skillset is essential to succeeding in this role. Employers will be looking for a combination of hard and soft skills when evaluating candidates for the job. First and foremost, communication skills are essential. Administrative assistants will need to liaise with fellow staff members and company clients in both a written and oral capacity. Composing letters, answering emails, and conducting telephone calls will require you to demonstrate your professionalism in all communications. Additionally, computer literacy is a valuable tool, since much of your work will be completed using word processing, databases, spreadsheets, and accounting software. Beyond that, strong organizational skills and attention to detail will help you to multitask on clerical duties with a high degree of accuracy and efficiency.
The Importance of Being the Point of First Contact
As an administrative assistant, you are also likely the first employee that clients will encounter when visiting a workplace. As the face of their organization, an administrative assistant should greet all visitors in a professional and appealing manner. Remember that first impressions go a long way. If a client has a positive experience with an organization’s representatives, this reflects well on the whole business.
Developing a friendly, outgoing, and courteous personality is the best way to greet new clients to the workplace. Remind visitors that you’re listening to their questions and concerns, and show an active interest in helping them. If you’re on the phone or handling other clients, small gestures can show that you acknowledge new visitors and will assist them shortly. The ability to maintain a personable nature while juggling multiple tasks will demonstrate your value to both the image and operations of the company you work for.
Are you interested in taking administrative assistant courses?
Contact Saskatoon Business College today!
