Hone Your People Skills to Enhance Your Administrative Career

If your goal is to land the perfect administrative job, or to move up the ladder in the admin job you already have, you're going to need top-notch people skills. A recent Wall Street Journal survey of more than 2,000 corporate recruiters found that interpersonal communication and other soft skills are what corporate recruiters look for, but find lacking in many MBA programs. If you can tactfully persuade and motivate co-workers and subordinates, you'll go far, especially in a people business like administration.

So what are the most important people skills to acquire and hone? Here are few you should embrace if you want to succeed:

• Listen more. To people, to their names, to what they have to say. And don't interrupt, even if they sound repetitive. Let people vent and explain. It's cathartic for them.

• Don't complain. Nobody below you cares and those above you will simply be annoyed.

• Smile. People respond to those who they think are content and happy. It makes you approachable.

• Don't make people wrong. Even if you are right and they are wrong. Don't constantly correct people. They will hate you for it.

• Make people feel important: It doesn't hurt to feed someone's ego now and then. It makes them feel good and it makes them feel good about you. Subordinates, especially, will be more likely to tell you what's on their mind.

• Show Gratitude. Let people know you appreciate their efforts, even if the effort is only miniscule in your eyes. In their mind, the effort may have been made at great expense.

• Make a sacrifice on their behalf. A sincere sacrifice of your time or a kind gesture that required your commitment goes a long way.

For more details on how to improve your people or "soft skills," check out Peggy Klaus' book at: http://www.peggyklaus.com/downloads/Release_Klaus_HardTruth_General.pdf

For more information on administrative jobs, check out:
http://www.administrativejobsblog.com/


Alex A. Kecskes has written hundreds of published articles on health/fitness, "green" issues, TV/film entertainment, restaurant reviews and many other topics. As a former Andy/Belding/One Show ad agency copywriter, he also writes web content, ads, brochures, sales letters, mailers and scripts for national B2B and B2C clients.