Office administrators primarily perform office-related tasks. For the most part, they ensure all customer handling and clerical work is carried out professionally. They are also the first people clients and customers see when they visit an organization. For this reason, they must be effective communicators. When people think of office administrators, they wrongly assume that all you need to do is greet office guests and answer the phone.
In reality, they form the foundation of a business, enabling each employee to get their job done. They are also responsible for maintaining contact lists, organizing schedules, facilitating communication on behalf of the executive, and more. In short, they play a critical support role in any organization.
Do you have what it takes to become an office administrator? Check out these ten office administrator skills that can help you in your line of work:
1. Communication Skills
Good communication skills is one of the top office administrator skills that you should have. Among the most crucial skills, an administrator is required to exhibit are written and verbal. Office administrators are expected to carry out clerical duties, which require exceptional levels of written communication. They are also the first point of contact between the client and the business, which means that the company must trust them to be their face and voice.
As a result, they need proven oral and written communication skills. Their grammar, sentence structure and spelling must, of necessity, be well polished. They should also maintain a positive and friendly attitude towards their colleagues, clients, and guests.
2. Technology Skills
Technological skills are highly sought-after among office administrators. This is essential for conducting various tasks like creating company reports, data entry, managing team calendars, or inputting data in a customer relationship management system, manning the virtual help desk or the customer service platform.
These tasks require a thorough knowledge of various types of operating systems, computer software, and browsers. They should also be familiar with Microsoft Office, which includes Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel, MS Word, and others. Your should be able to brush up on your technology skills at an office administrator college.
3. Bookkeeping Skills
Most positions require the administration personnel to be conversant with bookkeeping. Today, this is rarely done by hand as several computer applications are used to track financial transactions; these include Turbo Tax, Excel and Quicken. This knowledge can be demonstrated through prior experience. It can also be acquired by way of qualifications from a leading provider.
4. Organization Skills
An office administrator must be able to manage business correspondence. General organization skills, including filing and sorting, are a must. Strong organizational skills are not only essential for your professional progression, but they are also essential in keeping the workflow of the entire office streamlined.
This may include organizing events, team schedules, and filing using a system that everyone can understand. Your fellow colleagues should find it easy to follow your filing system without misplacing items or having to ask for assistance. In an office setting, daily activities vary significantly. You are required to perform different tasks at different times during the day.
5. Typing Skills
Skills and proficiency in ICT are a critical requirement in today’s workplace. As an office administrator, this is one skill you cannot avoid. It includes fast and accurate typing skills. Ideally, you should able to type 50 wpm (words per minute) at 100% accuracy. The global average is 39 wpm. While typing doesn’t have a recommended, nor a prescribed, method, those who need help increasing their speed find touch-typing via the “home row” method helpful.
6. Resourcefulness
If you have worked as an office administrator, or in any other position in the administrative department, you know that the ability to swiftly adapt to different business scenarios is critical. In business, things change rapidly. One needs to keep up with the changes to function efficiently. An office administrator is resourceful. They possess creative thinking and multi-tasking skills. They can be helpful, especially when their superior isn’t around during a crisis.
7. Detail-Oriented
When handling sensitive partner or client communication, an office administrator must have an eye for detail. They should be able to catch potential grammatical errors and typos. Being detail-oriented is also essential in data entry tasks or when reporting. Missing the devil in the details of a memo or a report leads to more serious mistakes.
8. Strategic Planning
The science of prioritizing tasks based on their importance is known as strategic planning. An office administrator arranges and prioritizes processes for the entire office. These skills are also critical when programming and implementing both the executive and employee calendars, even when unexpected changes occur.
9. Customer Service Skills
Excellent customer service skills are an essential component of an office administrator’s job. To qualify as an office administrator, you will need excellent customer service skills. This is because you will be dealing with customers regularly. You must conduct yourself professionally. Wearing a smile whenever you are talking to customers is an essential trait. If this comes naturally to you, you are a natural.
10. Research Skills
As an office administrator, you must know your way around data analysis and research to harvest research material for employees whenever they need it. You should be able to compile easy-to-understand reports. To do this, pay careful attention to detail since acquiring the right information for your colleagues is crucial.
Considering the importance of an office administrator in an organization, potential employees must possess the right skillsets to be indispensable employees.
