Despite what vintage movies might tell you, secretarial jobs aren't all phone calls and desktop manicures. Those new to the job will appreciate some administrative assistant tips about dealing with the boss, delivering work, and keeping an eye on opportunities. Whether you have a spot in the executive office suite or deliver services as a virtual personal assistant, these top administrative assistant tips can help you keep clients or earn a promotion in the future.
As an admin assistant at any level, remember that your main function is to make someone else look good. Whether you support an entire department or a single individual, you'll need to be able to keep track of someone else's schedule, keep up with friendly reminders and communications, and create presentations that someone else will deliver. The ability to give up public recognition is essential to the role; your boss may get the praise for your work, and you'll need to be okay with that. Hopefully, you have a boss who makes that sacrifice worth your while by praising you directly and rewarding you in other ways. In fact, one of the most important administrative assistant tips is to work for a boss you feel good about supporting in this manner.
You don't always get the luck of the draw when it comes to bosses, of course. As the new kid on the block, you may need to put in time in a less-than-perfect situation. If you aren't happy with your job, keep an eye out for other opportunities, but while you're looking, maintain excellent quality and professionalism. The best way to improve your chances for your next job is to do a great job now.
An administrative assistant tip for landing a job involves being willing to work outside of your comfort zone. According to industry reports, secretaries in the legal field are facing a growing likelihood of job loss. Because many law firms are shrinking, it could be hard for these individuals to find equivalent work in the legal field. Administrative assistants develop a wide variety of skills, and you should always be willing to seek work in a different niche. One area that is seeing growth in administrative and clerical jobs is healthcare; you could also consider online personal assistant opportunities.
Other helpful administrative assistant tips have to do with organization. Experienced assistants recommend using both a desk calendar as well as a software-based calendar such as Microsoft Outlook. Having a hard-copy backup makes it easier to keep appointments if computers go down. Categorizing work into lists or piles helps you break down each task and prioritize your to-do list. You should also keep track of pending tasks in a computer document or Rolodex; if you ordered supplies for your boss, write that down with a note to check on the shipment in a few days.
Staying ahead of the game and keeping tasks organized will make you look like a super secretary. Your boss will appreciate that he never has to ask you for anything because you foresee every need. For more administrative assistant tips, check out the community at Nexxt, where over 4.5 million professionals are registered.
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