There are many different tasks that go into keeping your business running. Many of these tasks are directly related to the field your business specializes in, the things that you and your team know best. However, there are also many administrative tasks that go into ensuring your business has everything it needs to succeed. Many businesses turn to a remote administrative assistant for help in meeting these administrative needs.
But what does a person need to thrive in a role such as this? Take a look at our list below for an examination of some of the qualities that make somebody a good fit for this vital role.
10 Qualities to Look for in a Remote Administrative Assistant
1. Flexible Adaptability
There are many different tasks that make up an administrative assistant’s day-to-day routine. In addition, tasks may come up at times that make one day’s responsibilities quite different from the last one. An administrative assistant needs to be ready to adapt to whatever they’re asked to do as the responsibilities of this position are wide-ranging and vary depending on the business one is in.
Being able to remain flexible and quickly learn new skills as needed is something that any administrative assistant needs. That’s why it’s important to look for someone with the ability to take on new challenges and learn quickly as they’re going. Someone who isn’t afraid of trying new things makes an ideal candidate for an administrative assistant.
2. Self-Motivated
Working in a remote position isn’t something that every worker is suited for. Given that these positions often require a person to work independently, your ideal administrative assistant should be able to stay on task without requiring constant supervision. They should be someone who is able to achieve goals without needing constant supervision in order to stay on task.
Anyone who you’re considering hiring as an administrative assistant should be a proven self-starter. They should have worked in the past in roles where they had to demonstrate an ability to motivate themselves to take care of their responsibilities. This will allow them to take care of what they need to do with minimal requirements for you to micromanage them or keep them on task.
3. Highly Organized
One of the most important aspects of an administrative assistant’s job is being able to keep organized in every aspect of what they do. There are many different factors that play into good organization. One is that the workspace itself should be kept easy to navigate so important things don’t end up missing. In a remote position, it’s important that the assistant is able to keep organized with minimal supervision.
Along with keeping a neat and orderly workplace, an administrative assistant must also be organized in other facets of their work. For example, keeping a routine schedule will help to ensure that enough time is devoted to the various tasks an administrative assistant needs to get done throughout the course of a working day. Keeping an orderly file of contacts and messages to pass along is also an essential skill to develop.
4. Reliable Availability
Of course, all of the other qualities a virtual administrative assistant might possess don’t matter much if the person isn’t there to carry out their job. Employers in the modern labor market know all too well how difficult it can be at times to get reliable workers on their team. It’s essential that the administrative assistant you hire has this sort of reliability, as their absence can have a dramatic effect on your business’s day-to-day operations.
One thing that’s important to consider on this front when hiring for a remote position is to factor in where the person is working from. Remote workers come from all over the world, but this can cause issues when the assistant you hire is in a different timezone than you. Ideally, you’ll want to find an assistant in a timezone close to yours so that you can count on them to be available during your normal business hours.
5. Tech-Savviness
These days, more and more business is done in the digital space, and this trend has also impacted the responsibilities that administrative assistants have. Having a strong grasp of how to work with technology is essential for anybody in this role. This goes double for remote assistants, as such a position requires using communication technology to interface with the people the assistant is working with.
The specific technology requirements of an assistant might vary somewhat depending on the company they’re working for, but there are some basics that every assistant should be familiar with. This includes familiarity with common office programs such as Microsoft Word or Excel. An administrative assistant should also know how to communicate via email effectively, as well as through any other communication mediums required of them.
6. Strong Interpersonal Skills
An administrative assistant position is a people-facing role, so the person you hire for this position should have excellent communication skills. This is important for internal communications with you and the rest of your team. Being able to keep you informed as they go through their work and relay messages to other people on your team is an essential part of an assistant’s work.
As well as being able to communicate effectively with you and the rest of your team, an administrative assistant must also be prepared to be the first point of contact for anyone who does business with you. The first impression that they leave on potential customers and other people your business interacts with can have a massive impact on the quality of your business, making effective communication a vital asset.
7. Language Skills
Part of being able to communicate effectively is having a firm grasp of your language and the target language of your important customers. An administrative assistant will undoubtedly have to write correspondences to the people they do business with on a day-to-day basis. Being able to write up emails and other forms of written communication in a way that is free of grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, and other issues is a vital part of the required skill set.
In addition to a strong grasp of English, having an administrative assistant who is bilingual is also a valuable asset to have on your side. Being able to communicate fluently in Spanish as well as English is essential for any company doing business in the United States market. You won’t have to worry about a language barrier causing issues between you and a prospective customer or business partner again.
8. Solid Education Background
Many of the tasks that an administrative assistant is required to perform are things that are learned on the job. However, coming into the position with a strong background in education creates a foundation for future success. The skills an administrative assistant has picked up throughout their educational pursuits will benefit them both directly and indirectly on the job.
Because of the advantages to having a strong education, you should ensure that any candidates you’re considering hiring as administrative assistants are properly qualified. A college degree is the standard that you should hold all of your candidates to. This achievement in education shows not only the skills related to the candidate’s degree but also their ability to get the hard work required to earn a diploma done effectively.
9. Proactive Approach
In a self-motivated position like a remote assistant, it’s important that a person is proactive rather than reactive. An assistant should anticipate problems and work to solve them before they become an issue. This proactive approach to problem-solving will help to make the administrative side of your operations run much more smoothly, benefiting every aspect of your business.
Recognizing this proactive approach in a candidate can be difficult until they’re on the job. But past work experience in positions where the potential assistant has had to proactively take on challenges can be a good indication of what you can expect from them going forward.
10. Proven Experience
Many of the challenges that an administrative assistant faces are quite unique to their position. Training a person for every potential situation they might face in such a position is time-consuming, costly, and unlikely to get the same results that real-world experience gives anyway. That makes it essential to find assistants who have years of experience on the job to give you the results you’re looking for.
Hiring through a third-party firm rather than trying to find candidates on your own is a great way to get assistants with the experience needed to help your business thrive. These firms can staff your business with remote assistants that are fully trained and knowledgeable from the moment they start working with you. This helps to avoid the obstacles that can arise when trying to find your own assistants through in-house hiring.
Our professional remote administrative assistants help thousands of businesses of all sizes meet their administrative needs so that they can focus on delivering the products or services their customers desire. Contact VIVA today to learn more about how we can help your business grow!
