Whether you work in a fast-paced environment or an office with a steady workflow, the skills necessary for office administration remain the same. Your colleagues and supervisors will rely on you to keep the office running efficiently. Your responsibilities may include scheduling meetings, doing bookkeeping, ordering office supplies, and communicating with clients or partners. If you develop the right skills, you will be prepared to handle all kinds of tasks while maintaining a high level of professionalism.

Skills are much more than just items on a bullet point list on your resume. For a job in office administration strong organization and communication skills will make you a better employee. As you prepare for this career, you may wonder what skills will keep you organized and allow you to communicate effectively. Read on to find out what they are.

1. Time Management Skills

There are many different facets to staying organized, and one of them is knowing how to manage your time effectively. This skill will be necessary to complete your office administration training so you will have lots of practice before starting your career after graduation.

Time management includes the act of keeping a detailed calendar, but it also means being aware of when you work best. For example, if you notice that you are more productive after lunch, then you know when to schedule the tasks that require more energy from you. Using your time effectively means having realistic expectations and knowing how to prioritize your time. When you know how to manage your time well, you can properly communicate your availability to your office so that everyone is on the same page.

2. People Who Have an Office Administration Certificate Are Resourceful

As an office administrator you may have a long list of tasks that need to be completed over the course of a day. You may also have to keep track of deadlines in the longer-term. If you are resourceful you will find support for keeping your task list and deadlines organized. After you complete an office administration certificate program you will have more ideas about the resources you’ll need to succeed.

For example, your email program may have a task-manager or electronic to-do list function in which you can keep track of all of your responsibilities and set up alerts. These types of task managers may also be set up to include co-workers and assist you in coordination. Alternatively, if it helps you to have screen breaks from your computer, your solution might be a large wall calendar, or whiteboard. Be open to resources so that you find solutions that work for you.

3. Office Administrators Know How to Prepare

Be proactive and look ahead for situations you may have to deal with in the future. This may mean monitoring office supplies or preparing for a new employee to join the team. It may also mean reminding co-workers or supervisors of their deadlines and checking in with them about priorities.

Being prepared also means keeping your desk and file system organized so that if an irregular situation arises you do not lose time looking for the right documents or supplies. A prepared office administrator will be able to react to whatever situations come their way in order to keep an office productive.

Ready to begin an office administration career?

Discovery Community College is ready for you!