It’s time to get down to business but you’re not sure where to start. It’s true, administrative duties are not as straight-forward as you think. Whether you’re an administrative assistant, looking for admin assistant jobs, or just want to hone your administrative skills, this guide is for you.
We will look at what are the most important administrative skills, the best admin assistant jobs, how administrative duties relate to travel management for office managers and what are some administrative task examples so that you can ace administrative tasks.
What does an administrative assistant do?
The million dollar question! What does an administrative assistant actually do? Administrative duties will depend on which sector you work in. Usually an Admin Assistant would be an entry-level position, whereas an Administrative Manager would be involved with leadership and management.
Generally speaking, an administrative assistant is key to helping to keep an office running smoothly, from organizing daily tasks, managing organizational tasks and providing clerical support such as ordering supplies, organizing files, helping to schedule meetings, and assisting people who need help.
They may answer phone calls, help make travel arrangements, manage and receive packages, assist clients, respond to digital queries and point people in the right direction, whether that be clients or staff members who don’t know where to find office supplies or a file. Other duties and responsibilities of an administrative assistant might include:
What are the three most desired administrative skills?
1. Organization
Being organized is without a doubt one of the most desired administrative skills because being organized can help better manage tasks, facilitate the access to information, and make scheduling appointments a piece of cake.
2. Communication
Because the role of an Admin Assistant involves having to be in contact with a diverse public across the company, from executives to it’s important to be able to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
3. Time management
Time management is important in any job, but as an Admin, you especially need this skill to help prioritize tasks and be sure to meet deadlines from a diverse range of staff members. It’s a very busy and multitasking type of job.
7 Administrative task examples
Administrative tasks are quite varied, especially depending on what kind of company you work for. Below you will find some basic task examples that won’t vary much from sector to sector.
1. Assisting with human resources
An Admin Assistant may be in charge of helping with some human resources procedures, whether that be payroll, entering in personal information into the system, or assisting with scheduling interviews.
2. Data entry and file management
Data entry is another common task, for which it’s often desirable for an admin to have the ability to type 40-50 words per minute. They might also manage databases and spreadsheets such as Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets. Nowadays most files are digital, but they might be in charge of organizing files so that data can be accessed more efficiently and easily.
3. Manage workflow and scheduling
Another common administrative task example is using scheduling software and other workflow programs such as Asana, Outlook, Trello, or Google Calendar. Scheduling could be for booking meeting rooms or helping higher management to book meetings with staff or suppliers. Managing workflows could involve helping to set up a project in the task management or workflow system.
4. Basic bookkeeping
Admin Assistants might also be in charge of generating invoices and receipts with basic accounting software, or keeping track of expenses through an expense management solution, or basic accounting software such as QuickBooks or Xero.
5. Point of contact for the office
Administrative Assistants might also serve as the main point of contact for customers, clients, or suppliers, whether that be via email, the phone or when they visit the offices in person. Furthermore, Admins will often be the ones to organize visiting permits and welcoming visitors and accompanying them to meetings.
6. Managing office supplies
Managing office supplies is another common task. This may mean ordering new chairs and desks or just managing and making sure daily office supplies are fully stocked, such as paper for printers, uniforms, pens, water glasses, coffee and tea.
7. Travel arrangements
Especially for C-level executives who don’t have a lot of time to arrange their travel, Administrative assistants will play an active role in helping to make travel arrangements, especially in the absence of a travel manager.
What are the most important administrative duties in travel management?
Travel management can be complicated, which is why it’s so important to choose the right travel booking platform because it will help make this part of the job so much easier. If your team has travel management software, administrative duties for travel management may include uploading the travel policy to the system so that the travel policy automatically works in the background. It may also involve setting up users and permissions based on the user.
Admins may help book flights, hotels, rental cars, or trains for travelers and executives to take the burden off of travelers. They may also help set up meetings and help with the overall planning of the business trip.
Final thoughts: Tips and tricks of the trade
Administrative Assistants must be agile, problem-solving and multitasking. To be the best admin assistant possible, it’s important to be organized and ensure that you are helping to keep the office running smoothly and keep C-levels and staff you support on track. It’s important to master time management and find ways to prioritize tasks effectively, ensuring you address urgent and high-impact tasks first.
It’s key to have strong organizational skills and excellent communication and interpersonal skills to help maintain a healthy relationship with colleagues and clients, and to work closely with executives. If you can anticipate the needs of team members and of the office organization in general before needs arise, you can be sure to ace administrative duties.
By leveraging technology to support you and help streamline processes, you can be sure to help maintain a well-structured environment where you can predict possible challenges before they arise. You must also be adaptable and willing to use new tools to ensure sustained success of the company.