Hiring an Administrative Assistant for Your Business

Perhaps you are a new business owner, or perhaps you manage a growing department for your company. No matter what your position may be, you probably have some ideas for improving business operations or making things run more smoothly. If your office or department is currently without an administrative assistant or secretary, adding that position to your staff has likely crossed your mind. But, perhaps you are unsure of what exactly the role of an administrative assistant entails, or maybe you’re unsure about what value an administrative assistant can have for your business. Hiring an admin can benefit your business in many ways and is certainly something to consider.

What is an Administrative Assistant?

There are several job titles associated with office administration, such as receptionist, secretary, administrative assistant, or executive assistant. But what is the difference? Well, to put it simply, what each job entails varies slightly with any company, but usually a receptionist sticks to the front desk and is mainly involved with answering the phones, sorting the mail, or directing incoming e-mails. Secretaries often serve just one person, and administrative assistants are more commonly positioned to help out entire departments or an entire office. Executive assistants usually report to an executive officer, like the CEO or president of the company. Admins typically carry more responsibilities than receptionists or secretaries.

What an Admin Can Do for YouThe most important thing an administrative assistant can provide for you and your business is organization, and this should be any admin’s primary skill. An administrative assistant can help you organize anything, whether it entails developing a new filing system, updating digital documents, or managing your appointment calendar.

Some common responsibilities that administrative assistants take on include:

• Filing and collating

• Preparing documents– Creating memos and letters

– Making copies

– Binding materials

• Running reports and compiling data

• Keeping track of and ordering office supplies

• Maintaining office calendars and scheduling appointments

• Making travel arrangements

• And more

Ultimately, you are the one creating the job description, so your admin can help you with anything you need. Administrative assistants also can be assigned various tasks as needed, including special projects or new responsibilities.

What an Admin Can Do for Others

Admins often become an office or department’s central hub of all communication. Have you ever needed assistance from another department but not been sure who to turn to? Businesses with administrative assistants usually have better interdepartmental communication because employees know that if they need something related to human resources, for example, then they can just call the human resources administrative assistant, and he or she will be able to get them the help that they need. If your admin fulfills the role of receptionist on top of his or her other duties, the same will hold true for your clients. Your administrative assistant will know who to direct calls and messages to, which makes communication much easier for the clients.

Finding the Right Candidate

The role of administrative assistant is not one to be taken lightly. Often, an admin ends up being the one to truly hold an entire department or office together, ensuring that everything is organized and running smoothly. Therefore, when it comes time to hire, make sure that your candidates possess the necessary skills and experience to do their job effectively. It is becoming more and more common for employers to expect their admins to have a college degree or several years of experience as an administrative assistant. You should expect your administrative assistant to have strong computer knowledge (including typing, using Microsoft Office products, and experience with any particular programs used by your department or office), exceptional organizational skills, outstanding language skills (speaking, writing, and listening), and a professional attitude and appearance.