Stand Out From The Crowd

If you want to stand out as an administrative professional, it isn’t enough just to know your job. You must learn as much as you can about your company how it works, and how the people within it work. By doing so, you show your value while helping the company.

Star Tribune Sales and Marketing

Last update: December 22, 2008 - 9:18 AM

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Become A Value-Added Admin

Be proficient in at least one software application. This makes you the office expert.
Anticipate problems and solutions before the need arises.
Always deliver more than you promise.
Establish a network of professionals outside your company.
Volunteer for tasks anywhere in the organization.

- Source IAAP

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You want to be the best admin at the office. And while you know the essentials of your job, now it's time to step up and learn the company and how its wheels turn.

Erin O'Hara Meyer, principal of Administrative Excellence in Rosemount, says three things help an administrative assistant stand out from the crowd.

Want It

You must want to be an administrative professional. That is, your mindset is not just that you go to a job every day, but rather that you love being an administrative professional, and you want to constantly improve.

"You should like the job and want to stay current," says O'Hara Meyer. "And you should appreciate the role you play."

This mindset helps you find opportunities to improve your skills.

Learn It

Next, you must learn the ins and outs of your company. Learning which departments exist in the company and how they interrelate helps understand the mechanics of your organization.

"Find a way to learn the bigger picture," advises O'Hara Meyer.

This might be the most difficult skill to develop, but it is also one of the most important.

The biggest part of this is aligning your goals with your manager's goals. Obviously, it doesn't mean you have the same goals, but your professional goals should be set to bolster your boss's professional goals.

What if you don't know your manager's goals? Learn them.

"It doesn't have to be a high intensity meeting," notes O'Hara Meyer. "You can do it over a cup of coffee. Just ask, `How can I take something off your plate?'"

Relate To It

Developing relationships with clients and with others in-house is a good idea. But this isn't just getting to know Dave on the loading dock – it means developing relationships that will help your manager.

It goes without saying that you need to know your job. But to truly stand out as a top-notch administrative professional, you need to get more in touch with your company and how it is run.

Robert Elsenpeter is a freelance writer from Blaine.

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