Being an administrative assistant involves a great deal of typing, phone calls, dictation, and organization. Knowing exactly what is expected of an administrative assistant is important to determining whether you are a good fit for the position. The following is a list of the tasks most commonly performed by an administrative assistant:
Make and manage schedules. An administrative assistant sets the schedule for his or her superiors, moving appointments and meetings to ensure the superior can attend to all necessary engagements. For example, an administrative assistant in a pediatricians office sets up appointments for patients and ensures the doctor is able to see and treat as many people as possible without being overbooked.
Takes phone calls and messages. Whether talking with patients, customers, partners, or employees of rival companies, an administrative assistant must always be pleasant and must take note of every conversation. He or she must answer the phones for anyone who calls, redirect calls if necessary, and take messages for employees who are unable to receive calls.
Manages travel arrangements. Whenever a group of employees or executives have to travel for work retreats, conferences, or business meetings, part of the administrative assistant job description includes managing those arrangements. Purchasing plane tickets and coordinating hotel rooms are two of the most common responsibilities, but booking a retreat center, hiring cooking or cleaning staff, or making restaurant reservations are also potential administrative assistant tasks.
Taking care of computer work. Like managing phone calls, responding to emails is an important aspect of the administrative assistant job description. Most administrative assistants spend their days in front of a computer, handling email traffic in addition to performing research for executives, processing inter-office memos, typing reports, and other forms of clerical work. Administrative assistants must be able to sit at a desk and work at a computer for long hours without getting eye strain or neck and back pain.
Coordinate departmental efforts. Administrative assistants have to coordinate projects within departments and between different departments when necessary. This means understanding the end goal of the project as well as what each employee needs to do to complete the project. A thorough understanding of logistics as well as strong personal skills are both necessary for an administrative assistant to ensure every employee is doing their task correctly.
Provide information. An effective administrative assistant is able to access information of all kinds from various channels at any time. This includes facts and trivia about other companies, reports about production and manufacturing efforts within the company, information regarding specific employee’s performance, and scheduling information, among other things. An administrative assistant also has a thorough understanding of the company’s goals and methods and regularly attends meetings, classes, and seminars to improve his or her knowledge, skills, and understanding of the company.
Work independently and on a variety of team projects. A final part of the administrative assistant job description is being available to support a variety of different teams and groups while at the same time attending to individual tasks.
For more information on the duties of an administrative assistant, contact Symphony Placements.
