My Top Admin Skills

By Joe Rodriguez

One of my most dreaded things to do is write a cover letter. It sounds simple enough to write down why I might be interested in a particular company or position, but I often struggle to explain what specific skills or experiences I’ve had that might make me a solid candidate. Of course, in the absence of feedback—unless I count the many rejection emails I’ve received—I often think that perhaps I’m not qualified or smart enough or have the right amount of education (i.e., a bachelor’s degree) or suck at giving examples. Some of my friends may have consoled me to think that it’s probably not me, it’s them. Whatever the case, I thought it would be a good practice to try to explain why I think I’m the best fit to be an administrative assistant in general. While some job postings for an administrative or executive assistant may seek someone with specific language skills or a financial background or experience working in a law firm, there are still fundamental skills and experiences that I think every administrative or executive assistant should possess to make them a strong candidate for almost any administrative position. These are the ones I think would make me the best fit.

I’m tech-savvy. While I don’t have hard coding skills, I grew up around technology, making it easy for me to learn new tools quickly. When it comes to technology, trial and error is the way to learn. If I’m really stumped, most technology comes with documentation and tutorials that enable anyone to get up to speed quickly. Sure, some companies might argue that hiring someone who already knows and understands the technology is far more efficient, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll do a good job. For me, when I don’t know something, I feel far more hard-pressed to learn quickly, so I won’t get sacked. When the stakes are higher, I think most people would perform better anyway.

I’m a great writer. You get someone with all the necessary skills when you hire an administrative assistant who also happens to be a great writer. Writers are thinkers. They’re detail-oriented. Good at communicating effectively. They have a knack for organization. Are great planners and love being creative. Understanding how stories move people to action, writers are natural leaders too and can be useful for an administrative assistant who must collaborate with various people and teams to accomplish a variety of administrative tasks. Funny thing about being a writer, is that writers love writing about writing. I could seriously keep going, but I think you get the idea.

I’m a problem-solver. My approach to solving a problem is simple. I try to get as much information as possible before making a decision or offering a solution. I don’t take no for an answer unless I’m 100% certain it can’t be done.

I’m awesome at time-management. There’s nothing worse than hiring an administrative assistant who can’t seem to focus long enough to accomplish a task. I often pride myself with doing more in an hour than most people do in a day. Of course, I’m only comparing myself to other federal employees. I love my colleagues, but many of them I wouldn’t hire to be my administrative assistant. That is if I ever end up in a position where I would need one. Part of what makes me awesome at time management is that that I’m insanely organized and like to plan out my entire day from the moment I open my eyes in the morning. I mentally formulate my to-do list and, in some cases when I think I might forget, I write it down and check them off one-by-one. Talk about incredible focus. Who wouldn’t want to hire me?

I work just as easily independently as I do in a team. That is to say I’m proactive and have an entrepreneurial drive. Even though administrative assistants often work as part of a team, their work can often feel outside of the work of the team. Being able to work independently is probably the most critical skill an administrative assistant must possess. We may receive some direction from the team or our managers, but we’re often left to our own devices to figure out what needs doing and get it done. This is where understanding the mission of the team or office is important for anticipating what support they may need and making it happen long before they have to ask. It’s not an easy skill to possess, especially for people who require more guidance or would prefer a team and manager who is “hands-on.”