There are three primary skills necessary to become an executive office administrator: project coordination, computer skills, and interpersonal skills. An executive office administrator typically is responsible for managing all of the correspondence and administrative functions required by a senior manager or executive. This is not an entry-level position but typically is held by someone with 10 to 15 years of experience as an executive administrator or office manager. There usually is a certain level of emotional maturity and confidentiality required in this role.
A range of training programs usually are available from community and career colleges to help you become an executive office administrator. These programs are one to two years in length, and often are called office administration or management programs. Look for a program with courses in executive management to learn about how to work with people in high-powered positions.
People who are successful and happy in this role are naturally outgoing, enjoy working with people, and like to be in the middle of the action. He or she takes great pride in having the inside scoop, but can keep a secret. Confidence, assertiveness, and poise are necessary in this role. It is important that the person in this role is not afraid to tell the truth, as many executives rely on the office administrator to help them avoid mistakes.
Coordination skills in this environment refer to the ability to motivate others to finish a task on time. He or she must be able to provide the executive with the work product they require on time, regardless of who actually is responsible. There are many ways to ensure that the needs of the executive are met, and the techniques used depend on the situation and the task. For example, the administrator can work with outside suppliers on behalf of the executive to meet specific deadlines, making sure they are aware of who the client is and the profile of the event. He or she also can tell local managers that a task is due one day before it actually is, so that it will definitely be ready on time.
Expert-level skills with office productivity and other computer software tools are essential to become an executive office administrator. He or she must have the highest level of skill to achieve the efficiency required to complete the tasks in a limited amount of time. Be sure to obtain formal certification in the software products used within your industry. This documentation will give you an advantage when looking for a position. Make sure to keep these skills up-to-date as this is essential in this role.
Once you become an executive office administrator, you represent the executive. Interpersonal skills are very important to maintain this position and effectively perform the tasks. Managing conflicting priorities and difficult personalities are skills that will be used every day. In addition, maintaining confidentiality while staying in touch with office gossip and news is a balancing act that most executive office administrators perform with ease.
