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While administrative and executive assistants have a very good feel for the skills they need to do their job effectively, I like to hear from executives and get their perspective, which is important. I often survey managers and high-level executives on the skills, attitudes and behaviors that are most important for an assistant to possess. Here are some non-edited, direct quotes from them demonstrating the skills that are important to executives. MORE
It also focuses on what they refer to as "highly skilled freelancers" These are the self-employed working in managerial, professional and technical occupations. Much of the recent growth has been driven by the expansion of the highly skilled freelance sector. independent workers providing services to businesses, which is a similar group to IPSE's skilled freelancers, have also been growing rapidly. MORE
I think it is about time we celebrate our fore-sister’s skills. After all some secretary skills are still worth keeping! We don’t have the typing pool anymore but typing skills are still very much a basic requirement of the assistant role. In my experience, executives still do not usually know how to get the most out of the new technology they are given and so assistants continue to advance their skills in this area. MORE
Core Skills Featured admin administrators assistants Career EA EA Skills Executive Assistant Leadership Office manager PA PA Skills Personal Assistant Virtual AssistantThere are now quite a few of us in the Assistant world running around shouting that you, lovely Assistant, are a leader within your organisation! You may not manage a team, but you do work in a management role. MORE
While staying abreast of the latest tools of the profession is important, it takes a particular skill-set to navigate through the uncertainties thrown our way – timeless skills. When I started… Communication Skills Conflict Resolution Interpersonal Skills Self Development MORE
Next up in our series of blog posts on core soft skills I am going to look at diplomacy and tact for assistants. Assistants have to possess a number of soft or interpersonal skills. It is a skill that allows assistants to find common ground with every person at every level of business. But, let’s face it, diplomacy and tact are not easy skills to master – the world would be a much better place if everyone was diplomatic! MORE
It was a very handy skill to have! … They would’ve thought that this would be a must have skill to be able to take minutes. It’s a good skill to have, but the traps listed above need to be avoided. The post Is shorthand still a relevant skill for a minute taker? Core Skills Featured Minute Taking admin administrators assistants EA Executive Assistant Office manager PA Personal Assistant Virtual Assistant MORE
Tschang offers four tips to help you do it skillfully. Speaking skillfully takes time and practice — so be patient with yourself and with your colleagues — but the effort is worth it. MORE
Your ability to thrive and navigate through the uncertainties thrown your way will require a particular skill set – timeless skills. In 2020, assistants faced an array of challenges in the workplace. This year has already shown to be just as challenging. MORE
But what I found most interesting was their assessment of the most sought after job skills in high-wage, high-growth occupations. As the chart below (from the report) shows, five of the top 12 skills most valued in the economy are communications related. The other in demand skills tend to be related to information processing such as critical thinking, complex problem solving and decision making. MORE
Today I am going to start a new one – Core Skills. I’m not just going to write about which skills we need I am also going to look at how these skills are linked to the role specifically. I was used to answering the standard interview questions about soft skills but I hadn’t really delved very deeply into the practical aspects of that skill and how it made me stand out as a better candidate and Executive Assistant. MORE
It’s meant to show a prospective employer that you have all the skills required to do the job for which you are applying, and that you’ve used those skills before in a professional capacity. But what if you’re applying for a position that requires skills you didn’t gain through your past professional experience, but rather, skills you gained outside of work? Can you include those skills on a resume, and if so, how? Job Search job search resume skills MORE
Not everyone can be a good minute taker – it’s a definite skill and quite often an art, hence the name of my course, The Art of Minute Taking. There are definite skills required to be a good minute taker and I’ve listed some of them below: Listening. Without a doubt not only is it a skill to take minutes at the meeting, but the real work comes in being able to wordsmith a draft set of notes into an exceptionally good piece of writing. MORE
If you want to put yourself in the best possible position for the future, Project Management is one of the most important skills you can learn. You’ll have the skills you need to tackle even the largest, most complex projects. Interested in Upgrading Your Project Management Skills? MORE
In the coming weeks and months you're going to hear a lot about "transferable skills." Transferable skills are those abilities that you can use in a variety of jobs: communication, organization and teamwork. MORE
Home About Contact Me Links Sitemap Effective Communication Skills Posted by Ian McKenzie Written on June 28, 2010 If youre new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Improve your listening skills by eliminating these bad habits One of my favourite Far Side cartoons has two grizzled sailors sitting at the bar; one has a peg leg, the other a peg head. How many of the items on your list apply specifically to the communication skill of persuasion? MORE
Recently, I wanted to assess my own skills in this area, so I did a personal inventory. I thought I’d recreate that for you as a self-assessment tool, so you can take stock of your skills in this area as well. But time management is a skill that requires practice and patience. MORE
I hope you enjoy our key skills round-up 2019. We focused really heavily this year on increasing our content around the key skills Assistants need to develop in their role this year. MORE
Home VA Training VA FAQ Podcast Featured Events for Bloggers & VAs Building on your skills Tuesday, December 22, 2009 at 8:46 am // By: ktcosmos // Category: Virtual Assistant Resources It’s the time of year when we all do some self assessment and then look ahead to changes we want to make in the coming year. Professionally, it’s time to review your skills and make upgrades to your professional toolbox. MORE
Top-notch telephone screening and etiquette skills are paramount regardless of industry, company size, or geographic location. Necessary telephone skills for assistants include how to answer the phone, take accurate messages, carefully screen calls, protect corporate and personal information, seamlessly transfer callers, use a polite and proper tone of voice, and know-how to tactfully handle difficult callers. Communication Skills Etiquette Telephone MORE
As the study chart below shows, the top three professions for these skilled independent workers are consulting, coaching, and research (17 percent), creative services (17 percent), and information technology (12 percent). Since this data is based on a survey of independent workers who provide services to businesses, the list is dominated by highly skilled knowledge work categories. MORE
And one way to learn new business skills is to take college courses. While it may not be necessary to have a degree in business to succeed in business, there are plenty of skills you can learn that will benefit you greatly.… Management business skills college education MORE
‘Must have good interpersonal skills’ is a phrase that you will often see on job descriptions for Assistants, but what does that mean? What are interpersonal skills and why are they so crucial for Assistants? Interpersonal skills, or soft skills or people skills are the same thing. They are the skills you need to interact […]. MORE
They possess a vast array of skills. Check out this list of seven notable accounting skills. … The post 7 Notable Accounting Skills appeared first on SMALL BUSINESS CEO. Finance accounting accounting skillsAccountants are highly trained workers. MORE
More and more professions that require advanced degrees or highly specialized skills are joining the gig and/or on-demand economy. As with other types of freelance work, not all highly skilled gig workers are happy with this type of work. A good example is law. Crain's The gig economy comes to law covers the expanding use of contract lawyers. MORE
Organization skills is the one thing most successful business owners have in common. Fortunately, there are at least 9 ways to improve your organization skills without too much effort on your part. Organization skills are crucial for the success of any business. These 9 ways can help you improve your organization skills in practical and workable ways. Share some of your organization skills, tips and tricks in the comments below. MORE
If you’ve been dreaming of owning your own business, bringing an idea to market, or launching a whole new industry—5 specific skills will help you achieve your goals. They have inspiring goals that keep them up at night, ready for the opportunity, and constantly building their skills. MORE
Now I am going to surprise you by telling you one of the most awesome administrative skills you can work on is being brilliant at the basics. Basics include: travel planning, appointment coordination, meeting preparation, all facets of communication, organizational skills, and time and project management. As your days are getting busier and you are taking on more projects and assignments, you need these skills more than ever. Designed by Freepik. MORE
Working alongside every successful Executive is an incredibly smart, switched-on and highly skilled Executive Assistant. There are many advanced skills that Assistants, who work in the C-suite, need to be successful in the role. We cover a lot of those skills on this website. MORE
Ways to Improve Your Organizational Skills as an Administrative Assistant It is incredibly difficult, if not impossible, to thrive in chaos. It feels disorganized, unscheduled, and without direction. MORE
The Account Manager role was a little side step along my career path but required the same skills I would need in my next role as a PA and Administrative Manager. The skills you pick up along the assistant career path are invaluable and I for one would not be able to do the job I do today if I hadn’t started as a Team Administrator back in 2003. Just think how many of these skills we as Executive Assistants still use today! MORE
One of the more interesting findings from our recent survey of coworking members is how many reported they had learned new skills - or improved their existing skills - due to their coworking space membership: 69% of the respondents reported they learned new skills. 68% of the respondents reported they improved their existing skill set. The ability to learn new skills is becoming increasingly important. MORE
The must-have skill for executive and administrative assistants at all levels going into this conceptual age? For decades, big organizations that have benefited from analytical and functional left-brain aptitudes are now finding themselves in need of softer, right-brain skills. Actually, I have been teaching administrative and executive assistants the skill of exercising their creativity for two decades. The shift into a new age. MORE
The roles are similar, and there are a lot of overlapping skills. Core Skills Featured admin administrators assistants EA Executive Assistant office management Office manager PA Personal Assistant Virtual AssistantThere are so many Assistants who are also working as an Office Manager and a lot of Office Managers who are also Assistants! However, Office Managers do have to take on some tasks that are high-level and move the business forward. Many Office […]. MORE
We all know that it is getting more challenging to get your CV past the recruitment algorithms that are employed to filter applications and we also know that in a crowded market we need our CV to stand out. My advice has always been to tailor your CV depending on the role, which you should […]. Career Development Featured Job Hunting admin administrators assistants EA Executive Assistant Interviews Job hunting Office manager PA Personal Assistant MORE
I hope you enjoy our key skills roundup for 2018. We focussed really heavily this year on increasing our content around the key skills Assistants need to develop in their role this year. We covered a lot of skills including minute taking, event management, organising business travel, project management and everything in between! Core Skills Featured admin administrators assistants EA Executive Assistant Key Skills Office manager PA Personal Assistant Tasks Virtual Assistant MORE
Here’s a simple drill to test your listening skills. Back to Basics: Seven Types of Listeners and Tips for Better Listening Skills. You just finished reading Test your listening skills ! Recommended: Evernote Essentials The post Test your listening skills appeared first on Ian's Messy Desk. Close your eyes. Count slowly to 50. Don’t let another thought enter your mind. MORE
Like PWC's Talent Exchange and Deloitte's Open Talent Community , the goal of GigNow is to help EY find and engage skilled independent workers - both for EY's internal use and for use on client projects. They recently released a short video (below) that we think nicely captures 3 key things highly skilled independent workers are looking for in terms of assignments. The opportunity the learn and build skills. MORE
For many leaders, this means working more on their soft skills to ensure that employees are engaged, motivated and inspired—whether they’re working in the office, at home or from a third space. 3 Soft Skills Every Manager Needs to Succeed in the Future of Work. MORE
Being a good multitasker was on the job description of pretty much every Assistant role I applied for when I first started as an Assistant. Since then experts have shown that multitasking does precisely the opposite of what we thought it did. So, multitasking doesn’t keep us productive and able to get through lots of […]. MORE
Organization skills for administrative assistants are one of the most valuable skills to have as an administrative assistant. Fortunately, there are at least 9 ways to improve your organization skills as an administrative assistant without too much effort on your part. Organizational skills for administrative assistants are crucial to the success of any business. These 9 ways can help you improve your organization skills in practical and workable ways. MORE
Skills Related Topics Office Dynamics
APRIL 15, 2021
Your ability to thrive and navigate through the uncertainties thrown your way will require a particular skill set – timeless skills. In 2020, assistants faced an array of challenges in the workplace. This year has already shown to be just as challenging.
Practically Perfect PA
JUNE 16, 2020
Working alongside every successful Executive is an incredibly smart, switched-on and highly skilled Executive Assistant. There are many advanced skills that Assistants, who work in the C-suite, need to be successful in the role. We cover a lot of those skills on this website.
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Practically Perfect PA
FEBRUARY 28, 2019
‘Must have good interpersonal skills’ is a phrase that you will often see on job descriptions for Assistants, but what does that mean? What are interpersonal skills and why are they so crucial for Assistants? Interpersonal skills, or soft skills or people skills are the same thing. They are the skills you need to interact […].
Office Dynamics
AUGUST 13, 2020
While staying abreast of the latest tools of the profession is important, it takes a particular skill-set to navigate through the uncertainties thrown our way – timeless skills. When I started… Communication Skills Conflict Resolution Interpersonal Skills Self Development
Practically Perfect PA
DECEMBER 18, 2018
I hope you enjoy our key skills roundup for 2018. We focussed really heavily this year on increasing our content around the key skills Assistants need to develop in their role this year. We covered a lot of skills including minute taking, event management, organising business travel, project management and everything in between! Core Skills Featured admin administrators assistants EA Executive Assistant Key Skills Office manager PA Personal Assistant Tasks Virtual Assistant
Practically Perfect PA
NOVEMBER 9, 2015
Today I am going to start a new one – Core Skills. I’m not just going to write about which skills we need I am also going to look at how these skills are linked to the role specifically. I was used to answering the standard interview questions about soft skills but I hadn’t really delved very deeply into the practical aspects of that skill and how it made me stand out as a better candidate and Executive Assistant.
Practically Perfect PA
JANUARY 8, 2019
Core Skills Featured admin administrators assistants Career EA EA Skills Executive Assistant Leadership Office manager PA PA Skills Personal Assistant Virtual AssistantThere are now quite a few of us in the Assistant world running around shouting that you, lovely Assistant, are a leader within your organisation! You may not manage a team, but you do work in a management role.
Small Business CEO
SEPTEMBER 15, 2021
They possess a vast array of skills. Check out this list of seven notable accounting skills. … The post 7 Notable Accounting Skills appeared first on SMALL BUSINESS CEO. Finance accounting accounting skillsAccountants are highly trained workers.
Practically Perfect PA
DECEMBER 17, 2019
I hope you enjoy our key skills round-up 2019. We focused really heavily this year on increasing our content around the key skills Assistants need to develop in their role this year.
Office Dynamics
JANUARY 22, 2021
Ways to Improve Your Organizational Skills as an Administrative Assistant It is incredibly difficult, if not impossible, to thrive in chaos. It feels disorganized, unscheduled, and without direction.
Practically Perfect PA
APRIL 26, 2016
Next up in our series of blog posts on core soft skills I am going to look at diplomacy and tact for assistants. Assistants have to possess a number of soft or interpersonal skills. It is a skill that allows assistants to find common ground with every person at every level of business. But, let’s face it, diplomacy and tact are not easy skills to master – the world would be a much better place if everyone was diplomatic!
Practically Perfect PA
JULY 2, 2019
The roles are similar, and there are a lot of overlapping skills. Core Skills Featured admin administrators assistants EA Executive Assistant office management Office manager PA Personal Assistant Virtual AssistantThere are so many Assistants who are also working as an Office Manager and a lot of Office Managers who are also Assistants! However, Office Managers do have to take on some tasks that are high-level and move the business forward. Many Office […].
Small Business Labs
SEPTEMBER 24, 2018
Like PWC's Talent Exchange and Deloitte's Open Talent Community , the goal of GigNow is to help EY find and engage skilled independent workers - both for EY's internal use and for use on client projects. They recently released a short video (below) that we think nicely captures 3 key things highly skilled independent workers are looking for in terms of assignments. The opportunity the learn and build skills.
Small Business CEO
NOVEMBER 18, 2021
If you’ve been dreaming of owning your own business, bringing an idea to market, or launching a whole new industry—5 specific skills will help you achieve your goals. They have inspiring goals that keep them up at night, ready for the opportunity, and constantly building their skills.
Eat Your Career
MAY 11, 2020
If you want to put yourself in the best possible position for the future, Project Management is one of the most important skills you can learn. You’ll have the skills you need to tackle even the largest, most complex projects. Interested in Upgrading Your Project Management Skills?
On The Job
MARCH 30, 2020
In the coming weeks and months you're going to hear a lot about "transferable skills." Transferable skills are those abilities that you can use in a variety of jobs: communication, organization and teamwork.
Ian's Messy Desk
JUNE 28, 2013
Here’s a simple drill to test your listening skills. Back to Basics: Seven Types of Listeners and Tips for Better Listening Skills. You just finished reading Test your listening skills ! Recommended: Evernote Essentials The post Test your listening skills appeared first on Ian's Messy Desk. Close your eyes. Count slowly to 50. Don’t let another thought enter your mind.
Office Dynamics
NOVEMBER 12, 2019
Top-notch telephone screening and etiquette skills are paramount regardless of industry, company size, or geographic location. Necessary telephone skills for assistants include how to answer the phone, take accurate messages, carefully screen calls, protect corporate and personal information, seamlessly transfer callers, use a polite and proper tone of voice, and know-how to tactfully handle difficult callers. Communication Skills Etiquette Telephone
Office Dynamics
APRIL 18, 2019
Organization skills for administrative assistants are one of the most valuable skills to have as an administrative assistant. Fortunately, there are at least 9 ways to improve your organization skills as an administrative assistant without too much effort on your part. Organizational skills for administrative assistants are crucial to the success of any business. These 9 ways can help you improve your organization skills in practical and workable ways.
Small Business CEO
NOVEMBER 24, 2021
And one way to learn new business skills is to take college courses. While it may not be necessary to have a degree in business to succeed in business, there are plenty of skills you can learn that will benefit you greatly.… Management business skills college education
Practically Perfect PA
AUGUST 24, 2017
Not everyone can be a good minute taker – it’s a definite skill and quite often an art, hence the name of my course, The Art of Minute Taking. There are definite skills required to be a good minute taker and I’ve listed some of them below: Listening. Without a doubt not only is it a skill to take minutes at the meeting, but the real work comes in being able to wordsmith a draft set of notes into an exceptionally good piece of writing.
Small Business Labs
MARCH 19, 2019
As the study chart below shows, the top three professions for these skilled independent workers are consulting, coaching, and research (17 percent), creative services (17 percent), and information technology (12 percent). Since this data is based on a survey of independent workers who provide services to businesses, the list is dominated by highly skilled knowledge work categories.
Practically Perfect PA
OCTOBER 10, 2017
It was a very handy skill to have! … They would’ve thought that this would be a must have skill to be able to take minutes. It’s a good skill to have, but the traps listed above need to be avoided. The post Is shorthand still a relevant skill for a minute taker? Core Skills Featured Minute Taking admin administrators assistants EA Executive Assistant Office manager PA Personal Assistant Virtual Assistant
Small Business Labs
JUNE 28, 2013
But what I found most interesting was their assessment of the most sought after job skills in high-wage, high-growth occupations. As the chart below (from the report) shows, five of the top 12 skills most valued in the economy are communications related. The other in demand skills tend to be related to information processing such as critical thinking, complex problem solving and decision making.
Small Business Labs
MARCH 12, 2018
It also focuses on what they refer to as "highly skilled freelancers" These are the self-employed working in managerial, professional and technical occupations. Much of the recent growth has been driven by the expansion of the highly skilled freelance sector. independent workers providing services to businesses, which is a similar group to IPSE's skilled freelancers, have also been growing rapidly.
Success
OCTOBER 7, 2021
For many leaders, this means working more on their soft skills to ensure that employees are engaged, motivated and inspired—whether they’re working in the office, at home or from a third space. 3 Soft Skills Every Manager Needs to Succeed in the Future of Work.
Office Dynamics
APRIL 13, 2017
Now I am going to surprise you by telling you one of the most awesome administrative skills you can work on is being brilliant at the basics. Basics include: travel planning, appointment coordination, meeting preparation, all facets of communication, organizational skills, and time and project management. As your days are getting busier and you are taking on more projects and assignments, you need these skills more than ever. Designed by Freepik.
Small Business Labs
MAY 17, 2017
More and more professions that require advanced degrees or highly specialized skills are joining the gig and/or on-demand economy. As with other types of freelance work, not all highly skilled gig workers are happy with this type of work. A good example is law. Crain's The gig economy comes to law covers the expanding use of contract lawyers.
Practically Perfect PA
JANUARY 10, 2019
Being a good multitasker was on the job description of pretty much every Assistant role I applied for when I first started as an Assistant. Since then experts have shown that multitasking does precisely the opposite of what we thought it did. So, multitasking doesn’t keep us productive and able to get through lots of […].
Office Dynamics
AUGUST 10, 2016
Organization skills is the one thing most successful business owners have in common. Fortunately, there are at least 9 ways to improve your organization skills without too much effort on your part. Organization skills are crucial for the success of any business. These 9 ways can help you improve your organization skills in practical and workable ways. Share some of your organization skills, tips and tricks in the comments below.
Office Dynamics
MAY 14, 2014
The must-have skill for executive and administrative assistants at all levels going into this conceptual age? For decades, big organizations that have benefited from analytical and functional left-brain aptitudes are now finding themselves in need of softer, right-brain skills. Actually, I have been teaching administrative and executive assistants the skill of exercising their creativity for two decades. The shift into a new age.
Eat Your Career
APRIL 29, 2019
It’s meant to show a prospective employer that you have all the skills required to do the job for which you are applying, and that you’ve used those skills before in a professional capacity. But what if you’re applying for a position that requires skills you didn’t gain through your past professional experience, but rather, skills you gained outside of work? Can you include those skills on a resume, and if so, how? Job Search job search resume skills
Practically Perfect PA
MARCH 25, 2014
I think it is about time we celebrate our fore-sister’s skills. After all some secretary skills are still worth keeping! We don’t have the typing pool anymore but typing skills are still very much a basic requirement of the assistant role. In my experience, executives still do not usually know how to get the most out of the new technology they are given and so assistants continue to advance their skills in this area.
Small Business Labs
MAY 19, 2015
One of the more interesting findings from our recent survey of coworking members is how many reported they had learned new skills - or improved their existing skills - due to their coworking space membership: 69% of the respondents reported they learned new skills. 68% of the respondents reported they improved their existing skill set. The ability to learn new skills is becoming increasingly important.
Practically Perfect PA
AUGUST 1, 2013
The Account Manager role was a little side step along my career path but required the same skills I would need in my next role as a PA and Administrative Manager. The skills you pick up along the assistant career path are invaluable and I for one would not be able to do the job I do today if I hadn’t started as a Team Administrator back in 2003. Just think how many of these skills we as Executive Assistants still use today!
Practically Perfect PA
APRIL 22, 2019
We all know that it is getting more challenging to get your CV past the recruitment algorithms that are employed to filter applications and we also know that in a crowded market we need our CV to stand out. My advice has always been to tailor your CV depending on the role, which you should […]. Career Development Featured Job Hunting admin administrators assistants EA Executive Assistant Interviews Job hunting Office manager PA Personal Assistant
Loosely Speaking
DECEMBER 22, 2009
Home VA Training VA FAQ Podcast Featured Events for Bloggers & VAs Building on your skills Tuesday, December 22, 2009 at 8:46 am // By: ktcosmos // Category: Virtual Assistant Resources It’s the time of year when we all do some self assessment and then look ahead to changes we want to make in the coming year. Professionally, it’s time to review your skills and make upgrades to your professional toolbox.
Ian's Messy Desk
JUNE 28, 2010
Home About Contact Me Links Sitemap Effective Communication Skills Posted by Ian McKenzie Written on June 28, 2010 If youre new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Improve your listening skills by eliminating these bad habits One of my favourite Far Side cartoons has two grizzled sailors sitting at the bar; one has a peg leg, the other a peg head. How many of the items on your list apply specifically to the communication skill of persuasion?
Ideas.Ted
JULY 13, 2021
Tschang offers four tips to help you do it skillfully. Speaking skillfully takes time and practice — so be patient with yourself and with your colleagues — but the effort is worth it.
Office Dynamics
MAY 21, 2014
While administrative and executive assistants have a very good feel for the skills they need to do their job effectively, I like to hear from executives and get their perspective, which is important. I often survey managers and high-level executives on the skills, attitudes and behaviors that are most important for an assistant to possess. Here are some non-edited, direct quotes from them demonstrating the skills that are important to executives.
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