Being an Administrator

I've been working as an administrator for about a year now and on the whole I enjoy it. It's not a suitable job if you like being outdoors or active as it does involve being in an office sitting at a desk most of the time. However if you enjoy organising things, using the telephone and computer and knowing that you are doing an important job and depended upon by your colleagues it's not a bad vocation to be in. The exact responsibilities will vary from job to job but there are some basic skills that all admin staff need.

COMPUTER LITERACY

The majority of administration roles now need you to be able to use a computer. How good you have to be will vary depending on what the company requires. Some will want people who are well trained in Excel, Word and Powerpoint, others won't mind how knowledgeable you are as long as you can do the basics. Offices are becoming more reliant on technology and email is a very popular method of communication so it helps if you can use this. Typing is not a skill which is always needed however some vacancies may ask for a minimum WPM (words per minute) speed or the ability to touch type. There are places around that offer typing courses either person to person or via distance learning so if you really want to work in an office it maybe something to consider doing.

GOOD COMMUNICATOR

Communication can be done over the phone, letter, fax or by email. However you choose to do it, it's important to be polite and professional regardless of whether it is to a co worker or a client. You should be able to take down messages properly for other people and ensure that they get them promptly. Report to your manager instantly if you have any problems with your work and then keep them informed of how it is being resolved. A good telephone manner is very important. You should be friendly and helpful. Having an employee answer the phone who is disinterested and miserable doesn't create a positive impression of your company.

RELIABLE, WELL ORGANISED AND ABLE TO MULTI TASK

Other people will rely on you to keep track of their paperwork, organise meetings and book venues and sort any queries for them. You have to be able to handle responsibility. Being an administrator can involve lots of different duties and you may be asked to do several of them at once! It's essential that you can keep track of where you are with your workload. You may have to stop doing something to make a phone call or read an email. You need to be able to pick up where you left off afterwards with the minimum of fuss. Despite the amount of computers an office now has, there can still be a lot of paperwork involved. You have to know what paperwork is where and what exactly needs to be done with it. Other qualities needed are good time management and the ability to prioritise. Do you know which of your tasks is most urgent? Have you given yourself enough time to complete everything that you need to do?

You don't need to have top grades or lots of experience to start off as an administrator although five GCSE passes seem to be a minimum requirement for a lot of jobs. There are office junior vacancies around which may give you the opportunity to progress as well as giving you a chance to see if you like the environment. If you do and you possess the above qualities and skills then you will become an excellent administrator.

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