Are you tech savvy, communicative, organized, and skilled at multitasking? If so, you may be in the market for an administrative role. Administrative assistants, clerical professionals, data entry professionals, and receptionists are the backbone of most businesses and they handle far more than clients and customers may realize. Administrative jobs are numerous because they span nearly every industry. Admin jobs will show up in a health job search, a government job search, an accounting job search, and beyond.
The caveat? There is a great wave of grads & professionals pursuing admin jobs because they are entry-level friendly (perfect for newbies & career-switchers both) and they span across several coveted industries such as healthcare, general business, and even government jobs. Because of their popularity, administrative positions are getting more difficult to obtain.
The following quick tips will help to keep your candidacy at the forefront and get you closer to the admin job that was made for you.
Keep your skills sharp. Skills such as typing, technology & software, word processing, data entry, and customer service are invaluable for administrative professionals. Soft skills such as positivity, collaborative rapport, and works well under pressure are in heightened demand, too, because they are less trainable. These skills – technical and personal alike – are those for which the ‘status quo’ is changing with the times. Stay current by expanding your knowledge of various programs, reading articles pertaining to your desired industry, and picking up the occasional course or webinar. What a candidate may (or may not) lack in experience can easily be made up for if he or she appears driven and involved in the industry.
Beef up your resume. Be sure to list all of your skills – even those that are beginner or intermediate in nature – to your resume. Proofread, reorganize, and have someone else look at your resume. Remember: Experience and education are only part of what hiring managers seek out. Tone, appearance and character are important, too.
Network. Whether you’re expanding your LinkedIn connection Web or attending a meetup for like-minded professionals, you may find your next position through who you know.
Search online. Many administrative professionals are still searching door to door and in newspapers for roles. In 2016, more companies will expand these postings to the Web than ever before. This is also a great way to find telecommute positions or a position in the city you hope to relocate to.
Go straight to the source. Do you have a dream company (or a few) in mind? Submit your resume and cover letter to human resources directly by finding contact information on the website. Some companies appreciate being the priority for a candidate and you may put yourself in the line of sight for a position that hasn’t been posted yet.
Work with a specialized recruitment firm. Management Registry, Inc. is dedicated to connecting capable candidates with administrative positions. This is what we do. If you want to skip the search and get connected with jobs that suit you just right, contact MRInc. today to get started!