What are your top tips for administrative assistants?

Be proactive One of the most important things an administrative assistant can do to be successful is to be proactive. This means anticipating the needs of their manager and colleagues, and taking steps to address those needs before they are asked.

Administrative roles are widely seen as the "customer service" department for fellow employees. Don't be afraid to ask questions to gain a deep understanding of internal company processes & policies. You want to be the go-to point person in your office or organization who can field any question or at least direct it to the correct & corresponding team. As Admins, we are widely seen as the Jack-of-All-Trades. We are usually tremendously intelligent, innovative & strong individuals. It will make the world of difference if we continue to magically produce all the answers, but do so with a cheerful attitude & a warm smile.

FORMULA: F: Fix problems O: Organise the tasks R: Research to relate M: Maintain confidentiality U: Uphold integrity L: Layout the roadmap to ease task management A: Activate quality communication by amazing interpersonal skills.

Tips for being a successful administrative assistant: 1. Master time management 2. Be proactive 3. Maintain open communication 4. Cultivate relationship building 5. Embrace technology 6. Be reliable and responsive 7. Stay organized 8. Develop critical thinking 9. Multitask effectively 10. Follow deadlines

In my experience, you cannot always plan your day. You have to have an ability for adaptability to change at any given moment. Its not always easy working with some personalities and you have to have patients beyond normal measure just to be able to navigate.

From another perspective regarding communication, make sure you are clear about what are the expected outcomes for requests or assignments given to you. This requires asking questions and sometimes the same questions differently to guage that understanding.

With the increase in AI, I can understand typos, missing words or bad grammar. However, in the past few years I have noticed a major increase of all of those in personal communication. Please read, re-read and read again before you send anything to anyone. You are the face of your company or executive. A small mistake in communication could cost you dearly.

To be a successful Administrative Assistant you must establish your “role”, develop a routine, be sure to maintain a cluster free space. Organization is a must to succeed, and organization is key. Hold yourself accountable.. we’re human, mistakes happens

One thing that nearly everyone would agree on is that administrative assistance requires an organized mind and process. For some that comes easy, and for others, it requires intentional strategies to keep up with the influx and constant shifting of work tasks.

Remember that your organizational skills might be superior in your mind but not in others. Everyone has different versions of what organization looks like. If you need to bend your organizational skills to meet someone else's, be willing to do that.

Make sure you are aligned with your executive and have a solid understanding of his or her priorities. Knowing what projects and initiatives are most important will help you make more informed decisions about who gets through to your executive and help you to organize and prioritize. Meet regularly to get a clear understanding and discuss changes that can be made to your executives calendar; any meetings he or she do not need to attend. Asking the right questions and planning ahead will help keep you aligned and provide more value to your executive.

One thing that I have found helpful in any profession is to ask questions. You should never assume that you already know the answer. If you do not have a clear understanding of what the goal is, you will not be successful in trying to be proactive.

Professionalism goes far beyond how you dress, act and speak. You are human and to think that professionalism is perfection is impractical. When you are professional, you have timely responses, meet your deadlines on all projects and communicate when you need help or more time. Professionalism = Integrity. How you work when no one is looking is what will separate you from your peers.

Appearance is very important and it signals your clients and colleagues how to address and relate to your works. As a well dressed nurse in her appropriate uniform easily tells you the profession, the sight of an e.g a nurse with long finger nails, or strong perfume may make the client anxious to receive care from him or her. The way a professional will dress surely creates an impression, as to either positive or negative will depends on the appearance. Try to keep your face, armpits, sleeves and shoes always clean. Hairstyles must be modest and no crumpled dresses. It is worth noting that you will be addressed based on your dress.

Often Administrative Assistant positions aren't the most celebrated or front fancing positions, but they carry an immense load. It can be demoralizing as if you're "too good" at the admin work that you make it look too easy. It's deceptively complex work and keep sight of all the great things you help accomplish. I had a mentor remind me that the Administrative Assistant is like the hub of a bicycle wheel. Sure, it can roll with all the spokes and tires, but it's never going to be as smooth without the hub.

Perfect your communication skills. Communication is essential for any administrative assistant, whether it’s written or verbal. You need to be able to compose clear and professional emails, memos, reports, and letters. You also need to be able to communicate well on the phone or in person, with different types of people and personalities. Communication skills can help you build rapport, convey information, resolve conflicts, and persuade others. Master time management. Time management is crucial for any administrative assistant, as you often have to juggle multiple tasks and deadlines. You need to be able to prioritize your work, set realistic goals, plan ahead, and avoid distractions.