4 min read

4 Skills Every Administrator Must Have

Guy Thornton
Guy Thornton December 17, 2020
skills administrators should have

When we work a job long enough, we often forget the skills involved in doing what we do. Think about it: We work every day – and the skills we once listed proudly at the top of our resume, we now rarely consider until, of course, it’s time to obtain a new job.

For the recruiter and interviewer – or anyone who reviews potential candidates on a daily basis – it’s important to remember that the most crucial skill we possess is the ability to spot the skills of others. The most challenging of interviews recruiters face are ones where we are hiring administration, as admin workers have the skills that most people pretend to have during an interview. Check out the 4 skills to carefully watch for – and how to spot them – when interviewing someone for admin work.

When we work a job long enough, we often forget the skills involved in doing what we do. Think about it: We work every day – and the skills we once listed proudly at the top of our resume, we now rarely consider until, of course, it’s time to obtain a new job. For the recruiter and interviewer – or anyone who reviews potential candidates on a daily basis – it’s important to remember that the most crucial skill we possess is the ability to spot the skills of others. The most challenging of interviews recruiters face are ones where we are hiring administration, as admin workers have the skills that most people pretend to have during an interview. Check out the 4 skills to carefully watch for – and how to spot them – when interviewing someone for admin work.

Organisation

  1. For any admin job, organisation is top priority. Whether someone is performing transcription duties, data entry, editing, or scheduling, organisation is always necessary. Remaining organised reduces the risk of errors and ensures the task is easily reviewed when completed. But how do you know if the person you’re hiring is organised or not? Surely, anyone could list this as a skill; however, one easy way to assess organisational skills is to review the resume. Is it tidy and precise? Does it stay in order? Is it easily readable? Finally, does the resume accurately reflect the person with whom you’re speaking?

Concise Speaking Skills

  1. Concise speaking skills. When it comes to admin jobs, the first impression should be that he or she speaks well. A person who is organized will understand how to get a point across in as few words as possible – skipping the lengthy storytelling and providing detailed information at your convenience. This is a great skill for an admin worker, as he or she may be dealing with both customers and managers who require answers that are straight-to-the-point.

Details Orientated

  1. Detail-oriented. The ideal candidate for an admin position always stays within the details, details, details! During the interview, is the individual asking questions? Are the questions specific? When you ask a question, is the answer imaginative or logical? Although the way the candidate speaks is important (as explored above), it’s also crucial to pay attention to what the candidate is saying as well.

Focus

  1. Lastly, an admin worker should always possess the skill of focus. Often, remaining focused is a result of being organized and detail-oriented, but is still essential to look out for. An individual who can stay on topic and not become distracted will be a great asset in handling tasks that are tedious and time-consuming.

An individual working within the administration field should meet (and excel at) all of these skills, as each are paramount to the success of the job. Imagine the admin job as a car and the candidate as the driver – with each of the above points representing a tire. If one tire is missing, the car will be less successful when driving, right? Avoid mishaps by interviewing candidates with the proper skills needed to benefit the company.

Guy Thornton
Guy Thornton December 17, 2020

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