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Must Have Skills to Get Ahead as an Administrative Assistant: Social Skills
Genuinely listen, take notes, and smile!
Featured Author:
JEM | AdminChronicles
My name is JEM, and I am the publisher of AdminChronicles.com. I am also your guide and expert (check out my bio) in all things administrative and office/work-related.
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More articles from this author:
By JEM
From JEM’s “Must Have Skills to Get Ahead as an Administrative Assistant (Part 1 of 2)”
Social Skills
As you likely know, the administrative assistant market can be especially competitive. To get an edge, get ahead and propel your career (and your manager’s career) forward, you have to master certain skills.
In my mind, the most important skills for any administrative assistant are social skills. Anyone can learn to use a fax machine, but it takes a special person to interact effectively and positively with clients, vendors and others on behalf of your company.
The social skills you must develop as an administrative assistant include:
- Listening skills: You must listen to what people convey, not just the words they speak. A potential client may give off signs that she’s ready to buy. Your boss may stress the importance of upcoming developments. Learn to decipher intentions and thoughts as best you can without making assumptions. Then use your good judgment to determine your next course of action.
- Communication skills: Your ability to convey and share information must be as keen as your ability to take in all kinds of clues and signals. Communication involves verbal communication and written communication as well.
- Adaptive and efficiency skills: The best administrative assistants assist people quickly, accurately and efficiency to get the job done well in the least amount of time.
Try to know the heart of a person’s request, habits and intentions so that you can provide a quick, effective and all-encompassing solution. Don’t rush anyone, but do be astute enough to resolve their problems in as courteous a manner as possible.
Read Part Two: Must Have Skills to Get Ahead as an Administrative Assistant: Technical Skills
Read the original blog article ‘Must Have Skills to Get Ahead As An Administrative Assistant (Part 1 of 2).’
