What are the essential skills required in order to maintain and direct administrative responsibilities?

Secretarial and Administrative role involves professionalism. An individual who wants to be part of this job must have strong work ethics, interpersonal & communication skills, problem solving skills, multi-tasking ability, and time management ability. Profieciency in computer applications and being pro-active is a major plus also. 

There are few skills required in order to maintain and direct administrative resposiblities. These are following.

An administrative assistant works with office software programs, including spreadsheets, databases, word processing and graphic presentation software. He sends emails and uses the Web for research and employer-specific applications. He might assist with typing and formatting his boss' presentations, reports, manuals, newsletters, website content and other administrative publications.

In a busy office, an assistant uses friendly communication to interact with a wide range of people, frequently exchanging information about office operations. For example, he might explain procedures for routing mail and requesting supplies in the office. He also delegates tasks to efficiently manage administrative operations, giving appropriate clerical tasks and instructions to filing clerks, typists or receptionists in the same office.

As a multitasker, an administrative assistant keeps himself organized so he can give his attention to keeping his boss organized. He knows how to manage a filing system, track incoming and outgoing correspondence and coordinate the flow of paperwork around the office.

An administrative assistant needs skills in standard written English and, in some organizations, business English. He can access a course in business communication or writing through a community college, vocational-technical school or e-learning provider. Good writing skills will improve the quality of his correspondence, emails and memos and enable him to assist his boss with proofreading important documents.

An administrative assistant must manage his own time and the time of his boss well. He uses an electronic calendar in an email program to set meetings for his boss, to request others to attend and to coordinate their responses. He responds to requests for his boss' attendance at meetings.

An office environment has many kinds of equipment and property that an assistant uses or manages. He orders office supplies and repairs to equipment to keep the office well-equipped and stocked for the staff.

Management skills are needed because they direct the actions of others and recommend corrections for better performance. An example is a busy executive's office in which an assistant manages all clerical personnel and handles requests from other staff members, such as time-off requests. He can develop management skills through courses offered by employers, professional associations, local colleges or e-learning providers.

Problem-solving help in troubleshoots conflicts among office personnel and works with vendors to ensure that orders are fulfilled as requested, invoices are paid and refunds or exchanges are processed.

An administrative assistant uses planning skills to create administrative and office procedures, such as establishing a procedure for employees to call in sick. He ensures the boss has sufficient resources at his disposal to complete projects on time.