How to be a good administrative assistant

Verbal communication. Administrative assistants often perform functions that support entire companies. This makes having strong verbal communication skills essential.

They must be able to speak to coworkers, managers, and executives with clarity and in a professional manner. This type of communication is crucial for all in-person interactions and phone conversations.

Organization. Organization skills are key to being a good administrative assistant. Administrative assistants must often multitask and keep track of critical pieces of information simultaneously. Keeping everything organized helps to improve your productivity and efficiency.

Time management. Strong time management skills include punctuality, staying organized, and delegating tasks according to their priority.

Administrative assistants can have many different tasks associated with their roles, so they must determine the best ways to organize and use their time at work.

Attention-to-detail. This skill is critical and plays into all other skills and tasks we've discussed thus far. Paying attention to small details can separate a good administrative assistant from a subpar one. This includes things like:

• Making sure there aren't any missed signatures on an important document

• Crafting memos and emails without any typos or errors

• Performing data entry tasks accurately

Get the right training. Training might involve certain clerical tasks or understanding specific computer software relevant to the industry. Here are some common responsibilities that administrative assistants can expect training in:

• Scheduling practices for executives or other team members

• Fielding phone calls, emails, and faxes

• Doing data entry

• Responding to inquiries to the executive's office

• Interfacing directly with clients or other relevant professionals

• Preparing documentation

• Managing company travel

While these duties may vary depending on the company, the industry it is in, and the specific executive, most executive assistants will excel if they work hard in these areas.

Certifications. Certifications can be extremely useful to progress on the administrative assistant career path. Worthwhile certifications include the following:

• Certified Administrative Professional (CAP) offered by The International Association of Administrative Professionals

• Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) offered by Microsoft