How To Become An Administrative Assistant

There are many opportunities for people whothink that e-mails are not a big deal but knowing
have the skills that employers are looking forhow to write effective e-mails is critical to the
when they hire administrative assistants.  Almostadmin assistant’s job!  You’ll also have to
every company has an administrative assistantwrite letters and memos, among other things.
and some companies have many of them. 3.  Verbal communications – speaking to
Administrative assistants often work for a singlepeople is a large part of the admin assistant’s
manager and sometimes they work for severaljob.  You will have to speak to people over the
managers.  So, how do you go about becomingphone and in person so it is important that you
an administrative assistant?know how to relay your messages effectively.  
The first thing you should do is find a good4.  Listening skills – most of the instructions
business college and take a course.  There areyou receive from your managers will be verbal so
many good schools in Canada and you can evenyou’ll have to listen carefully.  Listening
get your diploma from an online course.  Lookeffectively does not come naturally – it is a
carefully at your options.  Find a school that haslearned skill.  You’ll also use your listening skills
hours that are suitable to you and funding optionswhen taking messages for other people. 
that will make it easier for you to pay for it.There’s nothing worse than getting a
message wrong because you weren’t
Those who want to know how to become anlistening!
administrative assistant should acquire the skills5.  Reading skills – sometimes you’ll
that employers are looking for.  Some of thereceive instructions in writing and you need to be
most important skills are:able to pull the most important information from a
1.  Knowledge of Microsoft Office – thiswritten message.  Not everyone is going to be
includes Word and Excel, and sometimes,as skilled at writing messages as you are so it is
Access.  These are the three main programsimportant to read carefully.
that administrative assistants use most often. These are just a few of the skills that you need
They use them for developing charts, databases,to develop to become a good administrative
newsletters, letters, memos, and so much more. assistant but if you carefully hone these skills you
Others in the office will depend on you to knowwill find that you truly will become the person in
how to use these programs most efficiently.the office that others come to when they need
2.  Written communications – administrativesomeone dependable.  If you are interested in
assistants use writing as a form of communicationlearning how to become an administrative
on a daily basis.  E-mail is likely the most popularassistant, look for a business college that offers
form of written communication.  Some maycourses that include learning in these areas.