Administrative Advice: What Skills Are Employers Looking For In Administrative Staff?

Kenya jobs, 

Administrative staff entails receptionists, office admin, Personal assistant (P.A) and office clerks. They are the lifeline of an organization by offering the required support to their assigned departments.

When looking for a job as an administrative assistant, whether you are an experienced or fresh graduate, you need to be up to date on what skills are in demand by today’s employers.

Muthoni Ndegwa, a recruitment manager at Corporate Staffing Services says, “When I’m recruiting for an administrative staff there are some must have skills that I look out for such as…..”

Here are top qualities employers are looking for in an administrative staff.

Customer Oriented

We’ve all at one time or another had a not so good experience with an administrative staff at a certain organization. As has been the customer contact person on a daily basis, having good customer oriented skills are a must. One must be conversant with those phrases that are known to keep clients happy such as “I will keep you updated” “Happy to help” “I do understand the inconvenience you have faced”.

Administrative staff should be able to understand customers needs and be sure to deliver on time and to expectations. Knowing that how you interact with a customer directly affects the overall image and business prospects of the organization should be your guiding compass to offer the best.

Good time management

Have you ever gone to an office by 9:00 am, yet they open at 8:00 am and the receptionist comes running into the office looking right and left if anyone noticed they were late?. That is an admin staff who does not have good time management skills. Such a relapse in time can cause chaos and disorder in the office leading to a business loss.
“Their ability to prioritize and execute duties despite the many distractions of the office is another form of time management”, adds Muthoni. Strive to be punctual all day, every day.

Be at the top of your industry

You are the everyday contact person in the organization or the P.A to the manager, you will need to learn the terminologies, trends, and technology of the industry you work in. The company relies on you to sell is an image through one on one or through a brick (phones and computers).

Administrative staff who is well versed with the kind of technology being used in the industry will be able to communicate and answer to inquiries adequately using the right terminology terms. Being abreast of industry trends ensures that you are able to advise your organization on potentials they could tap into. Depending on the kind of industry you are in, be versed on the technology in use and use this information to your full advantage.

Be a technical prowess

“Administrative staff has to be Tech-savvy as they offer support across different departments, the use of Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook are a must have”, says our recruitment manager Muthoni. Knowing how to schedule, run virtual meetings, organize newsletters and create PowerPoint presentations will put you a cut above the rest.
Not every organization can afford to hire, digital managers, being an administrative staff with working knowledge on managing social media platforms will be an added advantage. Such small skills are things that most of us overlook yet they are what can make a difference between you and that job.

Negotiations skills

“When coaching people for interviews, I always ensure that I emphasize the importance of having negotiation skills”, says Melody Mwendwa, interview coaching manager at Corporate Staffing Services. You will be charged with overseeing day-to-day operations such as selecting vendors suppliers and negotiating contracts.

Sell your negotiation skills during interviews to show the organization how you will play a big role in saving the organization money, says Melody. Propose cost-cutting solutions in areas that you see are non-core and their budget allocation is high, this is a good way to make yourself stay relevant in the organization.

All the above are the top skills that you need as an administrative staff to make yourself stand out of the crowd. Be a quick thinker as new situations may arise day after day requiring your quick decisions and immediate actions. Stretch yourself to show your capabilities to handle the unexpected in the chaotic workplace of today.

Got problems articulating these pointers in an interview? Talk to our Interview Coaching Manager today.

The Writer is a Communications Officer at Corporate Staffing Services. Email: elizabeth@corporatestaffing.co.ke

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