What does an office support specialist do?

Administrative support specialists provide different types of governmental assistance. They carry out varied clerical duties in almost all industries. Most of these duties revolve around supervising and distributing information within an organization. This typically includes taking memos, answering phone calls, and managing, storing, and organizing files. They are also responsible for receiving and sending correspondence and greeting customers and clients. Some administrative support may be required to have vast professional knowledge as their duties are more specialized than the others.

While similarities exist, there are also some differences between office support specialists and administrative support. For instance, office support specialist responsibilities require skills such as "office procedures," "proofreading," "schedule appointments," and "office machines." Whereas a administrative support is skilled in "patients," "excellent organizational," "administrative functions," and "database management." This is part of what separates the two careers.

Office clerks are administrative employees who handle clerical activities for the organization. They are in charge of managing company records, organizing and storing documents, filing and sorting hard copies of documents, and liaising with other departments or external partners. They are also in charge of handling and scheduling meetings and appointments, managing the reservation of office meeting rooms, and manning telephone lines. Office clerks may also be in charge of ordering office supplies, preparing purchase requisitions for office needs, sending out and receiving official company documents, and other correspondences.

While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that office support specialist responsibilities requires skills like "phone calls," "human resources," "proofreading," and "meeting minutes." But an office clerk might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "scheduling appointments," "hr," "clerical tasks," and "business transactions."

A support employee is responsible for assisting the business operations and responding to customers' inquiries and concerns regarding its goods and services. Support logs all customers' interaction and escalates potential complaints to the appropriate department. They also help with implementing strategic procedures to improve operations and reach maximum productivity. A support employee must have excellent communication and customer service skills, ensuring clients' satisfaction with the services and maintain good feedback to boost the company's brand, attract more clients, and increase revenues.

There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, an office support specialist is likely to be skilled in "provides administrative support," "phone calls," "office equipment," and "human resources," while a typical support is skilled in "cash management," "customer satisfaction," "hr," and "inventory control."

Also called an office assistant, an office aide is someone whose responsibility focuses on secretarial and administrative tasks in health practices, schools, businesses, or any other institution. Office aides help with logistical and clerical needs like copying files, curating schedules, and answering phones. They manage and organize files, receive and direct visitors, create presentations, and answer emails. The skills they need include computer and email use, filing documents, answering multiline phone systems, and typing.

Even though a few skill sets overlap between office support specialists and office aides, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, an office support specialist might have more use for skills like "provides administrative support," "human resources," "office procedures," and "payroll." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of office aides require skills like "scheduling appointments," "financial aid," "clerical tasks," and "office tasks. "