15 Key Attributes Executive Secretaries And Administrative Assistants Need To Succeed In Their Career

by Sophia Miller

Saturday, January 2, 2016

Executive secretaries and administrative assistants provide high-level administrative support by conducting research, preparing statistical reports, handling information requests, and performing clerical functions such as preparing correspondence, receiving visitors, arranging conference calls, and scheduling meetings. They may also also train and supervise lower-level clerical staff.

The core tasks that executive secretaries and administrative assistants are likely to carry out include:

Prepare invoices, reports, memos, letters, financial statements and other documents, using word processing, spreadsheet, database, or presentation software.
Answer phone calls and direct calls to appropriate parties or take messages.
Conduct research, compile data, and prepare papers for consideration and presentation by executives, committees and boards of directors.
Attend meetings to record minutes.
Greet visitors and determine whether they should be given access to specific individuals.
Read and analyze incoming memos, submissions, and reports to determine their significance and plan their distribution.

In order to successfully forge ahead with their careers, analysts in a survey carried out by U.S. Department of Labor (via O*NET) have marked out the following as important attributes that executive secretaries and administrative assistants would need. These attributes have been selected from characteristics and requirements strongly associated with the occupation. They are

Abilities: Enduring attributes of the individual that influence performance
Interests: Preferences for work environments. Occupational Interest Profiles (OIPs) are compatible with Holland's (1985, 1997) model of personality types and work environments. Six interest categories are used to describe the work environment of occupations: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional. An OIP consists of six numerical scores indicating how descriptive and characteristic each work environment (or interest area) is for an occupation
Knowledge: Organized sets of principles and facts applying in general domains
Skills: These include basic skills, which are developed capacities that facilitate learning or the more rapid acquisition of knowledge. Plus cross-functional skills, which are developed capacities that facilitate performance of activities that occur across jobs
Style: Personal characteristics that can affect how well someone performs a job

We have listed out attributes which were scored 80% or more in terms of importance by the analysts.

Having a strong preference for conventional work environments. Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Attribute Type: Interests Score: 100%

Being honest and ethical.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 94.8%

Being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 93.4%

Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
Attribute Type: Knowledge Score: 92.2%

Being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 91%

Being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 89.2%

Being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 84%

The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Attribute Type: Abilities Score: 82.4%

Developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 81.8%

A willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 81.2%

Accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 81.2%

The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Attribute Type: Abilities Score: 80%

Maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 80%

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Attribute Type: Skills Score: 80%

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Attribute Type: Skills Score: 80%