When you want to land an exciting administrative position, finding ways to stand out from the pack is essential. Competition for office jobs tends to be fierce. Without the right skill set, your odds of being selected aren’t as high as they could be otherwise.
Luckily, it is possible to hone and develop the ideal skills for administrative roles. If you want to make sure your capabilities set you apart from other applicants, here are some must-have skills that are worth honing.
Communication
For administrative professionals, both written and verbal communication skills are a must. As part of your duties, you’ll usually be responsible for creating business documents, reports, and correspondence. If you can’t express your thoughts clearly and correctly in writing, you’ll struggle on the job. That’s why developing written communication skills is so vital, ensuring you can handle those duties with ease.
However, verbal communication skills are also essential. Office workers frequently have to collaborate with their colleagues. Additionally, they interact with members of the leadership team frequently and may also be responsible for giving presentations. Verbal communication skills allow you to speak in a clear, professional manner, and can make a significant difference in your career.
Organization
The ability to stay organized is a must for office professionals. This helps with a range of tasks, including everything from file system management (both digital and paper) to scheduling. Since administrative employees are commonly tasked with file management, overseeing a manager’s calendar, and keeping track of documents, organization is a must.
Tech-Savviness
Office work is largely computer-based today. Additionally, administrative professionals may need to use a range of digital devices, such as smart conference boards, tablets, and smartphones. Plus, you’ll rely heavily on a variety of software solutions and applications, each you’ll need to develop a comfort level with to handle your responsibilities.
A degree of tech-savviness, as a result, is vital to your success. While you don’t necessarily need to know how to use every device or application you may encounter before you land the job, the ability to generally navigate tech and adapt to new technologies is critical.
However, having a strong tech base is a differentiator. By dedicating time and energy to learning the various devices and applications now, you can promote those skills on your resume, potentially making it easier to stand out from other applicants.
Self-Sufficiency
The ability to work with little guidance is another highly valuable skill. Administrative professionals are often given a degree of autonomy with their assignments, and members of the management team may not be able to dedicate much time to providing direct oversight. This means a level of self-sufficiency is crucial, ensuring you can take care of your responsibilities with little or no assistance.
By developing the skills above, you can significantly increase your chances of standing apart from other applicants and ultimately landing the job. If you’d like to learn more or are seeking new administrative opportunities, the staff at CPS Recruitment can help. Contact us today.