There are a number of approaches you can take to improving your administrative assistant skills. You could enroll in a community college certification program, work as an intern, work in a related entry-level position, or pursue a college degree in business and administration. Specialized certification programs are also available for those wishing to work as medical or legal administrative assistants. Although a college degree is not required to work as an administrative assistant, many employers prefer to see that someone has one.
One way to develop administrative assistant skills is to enroll in a community college certification program. These programs are typically short and focus on teaching information about how to become an administrative assistant. During the program, you will likely gain experience in a variety of areas relevant to becoming an administrative assistant, including typing, business etiquette, basic accounting, and customer service.
If you’re having trouble finding work as an administrative assistant due to a lack of experience, you could start doing an internship in the field. You will most likely not be paid as an intern, but you will be working in a field that you want to work in and developing administrative assistant skills that you can use to get a job in the future. Make sure you find an internship that will allow you to develop your skills in the field rather than one that will just use you as free labor.
It’s not uncommon for a company to hire someone for an entry-level job, such as a mailroom worker or a receptionist, and then promote them to an administrative assistant position. Not only would you gain knowledge of the company’s inner workings, but you might also be trained in various administrative assistant skills. Many businesses prefer to train individuals for specific job positions so that they can train them to do the jobs exactly the way they want them done.
To improve your administrative assistant skills, you could enroll in college and earn a bachelor’s degree. One of the benefits of earning a college diploma is that you will likely receive training in a variety of related fields, making you a more appealing job candidate. Many colleges allow students enrolled in various degree programs to work in their chosen field on campus. This means that a student working as an administrative assistant may be allowed to work in a variety of offices across campus, gaining experience in his or her field of study.