CareerProgression.co.uk

All Businesses Need Great Admin People!

At the centre of any successful department or organisation you'll find excellent administrators. Managers expect a lot from their admin teams, and flexibility is paramount!

You might be looking at clerical work for the first time. Perhaps you've had a break and would like to retrain to get back up-to-date. Or you may be moving on in your career and need extra top-up skills. Regardless of your ability level, you'll find a remarkable number of administrative training programmes.

Where Does It All Begin? Microsoft Office PC Training...

Businesses need administrative support at all levels. The office junior may start at sixteen, but a senior administrator may have been building her career for many years.

Knowing how to use a computer is of prime importance to the admin or clerical worker. For example, you'll be expected to deal with emails, work with Microsoft Word and Excel (at least) and know your way around the internet.

You'll find a great number of adult retraining companies supply courses in computer user skills if that's where you need to start.

Do your research though (you could start by looking at some that come up on this site) as you'll find a lot of variation in price and quality of training.

A quick tip - Press Ctrl and D at the same time and you can bookmark this or any other webpage for easy reference.

Admin assistants will also be expected to handle other office skills. Certain training will be given on the job, but you will have the edge if you come into the work well trained. There are many different vocational training programmes, for example you could take a course in professional telephone skills.

Moving Onwards and Upwards

Intermediate clerical courses will help the more ambitious administrators to improve their careers. Think of which courses will most enhance your skill-set. Learning how to prioritise and compartmentalise your work will pay dividends, especially when your time is divided between a number of managers. More skilled writing techniques will be called for as you progress - further training in this area will definitely pay dividends.

Practice Makes Perfect...

Those aiming for top jobs in administration must be prepared to embark in on-going training whilst building up their working experience. To become indispensible you have to have something that most others don't have.

Add extra skill-sets alongside the standard clerical options, and study hard to get distinctions. The generous salaries paid to top level administrators reflect the diversity of competencies they're able to offer.

"A person shows what he is by what he does with what he has." - Anon.

Advanced Training

Continually up-grade your skills with higher level courses to embrace the growing demands of employers. Start by considering the following training options:

Dealing With Stress

Understand what causes stress - learn how to work through negative situations. Develop your problem-solving techniques to increase your own and your departments' productivity.

Time Management

Discover how to focus on one job at a time. Ascertain the best working methods for both your everyday tasks and random assignments. When you learn how to more efficiently work through your tasks, you'll reduce backlogs and have a greater capacity to diary in last minute requests.

Conflict Management

Identify how to encourage harmonious relationships with positive, motivating dialogue. Find out how to calmly work through conflict and deal effectively with other people's frustrations. Master the win-win situation.

The Effective Communicator

Adopt a powerful understanding of how to communicate well and be understood first time. Practise listening checks as a natural part of your dialogue with others. Discover how to communicate for greater results. Discover how to write compelling business documents.

You could focus your attention into one specific area as your career develops. Professional certifications are available in many areas, e.g. Human Resources, Event Management, Project Management etc.

Delays Only Waste Your Time

Doing the research costs nothing, and you may just find exactly what you're looking for! However lofty your goals, there's something to suit all ambition levels in the field of administration. Relish the learning process, look to add value everywhere and most of all enjoy the journey!