What Is Administrative Support?
Administrative support is an essential service that keeps an office and business running smoothly. Similar to a grand show, administrative support is the backstage technicians working hard to make sure everything is operating as planned.
Their core role is to manage tasks, handle records, and assist with job duties so that managers and executives are free to focus on decision-making. Administrative support is often delivered by administrative assistants, executive secretaries, medical secretaries, or legal secretaries, depending on the industry. They cover a wide range of work, from scheduling and correspondence to document management and support services. Without these support associates, careers in management and leadership would be hindered due to inefficiencies.
For companies looking to hire administrative support professionals, here is what they do and the skills that your business can benefit from. We also explore what qualities you should look for in an administrative assistant to ensure you get optimal return from your hiring investment.
At Provisional Recruiting, we help companies in Spokane, Washington, connect with top-notch candidates for administrative support.
What Administrative Assistants Do
At the core, administrative assistants provide daily support services to help executives, managers, and employees with routine tasks and job duties. Below are the many responsibilities an administrative assistant must take on to help company leaders focus on growing their business.
Clerical responsibilities
Administrative support duties include records management, data entry, answering phones, scheduling, and handling office communications. They ensure proper documentation per office policy and clear communications across operations.
Organizational support
They coordinate meetings, manage appointments, and assist with travel arrangements, including booking flights, hotels, and restaurants. By completing these minor but urgent and vital tasks, business operations run smoothly without delays.
Financial and documentation tasks
Administrative support is responsible for preparing reports, managing client payments, processing documents, and assisting with bookkeeping or budgeting. By providing readable and available information that company leaders need, executives and managers can make informed decisions with efficiency.
Communication hub
As the first point of contact, administrative assistants handle emails, greet clients, answer inquiries, and serve as liaisons between internal staff and external parties. They contribute to the client’s experience with the company and assist other employees with their responsibilities.
Operational support
Maintaining office inventory, distributing materials, collecting supplies, and ensuring smooth day-to-day operations across departments are some of the responsibilities of administrative assistants. Administrative assistants pay attention to and care for the small details that make a difference in the operations and working environment of the company.
Technology use
Skilled in using computers to prepare presentations, transcribe meeting minutes, and conduct basic research. Administrative support is responsible for making the workflow efficient and convenient.
Proactive role
Administrative support anticipates the needs of executive and managerial staff to improve efficiency and productivity. Their in-depth knowledge of the company’s operations enables them to identify requirements in advance and deliver solutions before challenges arise.
Essential Skills of Administrative Professionals
Administrative assistants are like second fiddles in an orchestra. Just as being a second fiddle demands excellent skills to blend with and support the other musicians, administrative support demands technical, social, and clerical skills to support their executive managers and fellow employees.
Below are the essential skills administrative professionals need to succeed in their roles. To support HR professionals in hiring top-performing administrative assistants, we’ve also provided sample interview questions that can help evaluate each skill.
Organizational Skills
Administrative assistants must have organizational abilities as they are critical for managing office records, maintaining schedules, and balancing multiple tasks efficiently.
Sample Question to Ask:
- What tools or methods do you use to organize office records, schedules, and daily tasks?
- Can you give an example when your organizational skills prevented a problem or improved efficiency in the workplace?
Interpersonal Skills
Strong communication skills are a must-have for administrative support to be able to work effectively with executives, managers, staff, and clients.
Sample Question to Ask:
- Can you give an example of how you’ve built positive working relationships with executives, managers, or clients?
- How do you handle conflicts or misunderstandings in the workplace?
Technical Proficiency
Administrative assistants must be able to use administrative software, perform data entry, and manage documents with modern office tools.
Sample Question to Ask:
- Which office software programs are you most proficient in, and how have you used them in your previous roles?
- How do you ensure accuracy in data entry or sensitive records?
Communication Expertise
Clear written and verbal communication is vital in administrative work. It enables support to handle correspondence, answer emails, and manage client inquiries professionally.
Sample Question to Ask:
- Can you share an example of a time you had to draft a professional email or memo under a tight deadline?
- How do you ensure that your communication is clear and professional when interacting with clients or staff?
Time Management
Administrative assistants must have the ability to prioritize work and balance different job duties to meet deadlines.
Sample Question to Ask:
- When managing multiple tasks, how do you decide which to prioritize first?
- Tell me about a time you had competing deadlines. How did you manage them?
Decision-Making
A major part of administrative support is making informed choices. When booking travel, scheduling meetings, or selecting vendors, they must make optimal solutions to support their superiors’ business operations.
Sample Question to Ask:
- What process do you follow when selecting vendors or booking travel arrangements?
- Can you describe a time you had to make a decision quickly with limited information?
Problem-Solving
Administrative assistants must identify practical solutions to challenges that arise in the workplace. By doing so, they promote smoother operations for the company as a whole.
Sample Question to Ask:
- Tell me about a workplace problem you encountered and how you solved it.
- How do you approach finding solutions with unexpected challenges?
Qualities Employers Should Seek in Administrative Assistants
Aside from communication skills, tech savviness, and clerical know-how, other qualities are often overlooked when seeking administrative assistants. To get an optimal return from the candidates you’ll hire, here are different attributes to screen them for.
Adaptability
Adaptability is being able to quickly adjust to new tasks, shifting priorities, or unexpected changes in the office or business environment. As the assistant to executives, managers, and other organizational leaders, administrative support must be able to think and act quickly in unexpected situations.
How HR Can Evaluate It:
Use behavioral questions to allow candidates to describe past experiences where they navigated change. This gives insight into how they learn, adjust, and respond under stress or shifting priorities.
Sample Question to Ask:
- Tell me about a time when you had to adjust quickly to a new task or environment—how did you handle it?
- What’s the biggest change you’ve faced in a previous role, and how did you manage it?
Professionalism
An administrative assistant must project a positive image when greeting clients, answering calls, and interacting with colleagues. As the first point of contact, administrative support is the frontline to representing the company’s brand.
How HR Can Evaluate It:
Observe both behavior and language during the interview, from greeting style to attire and tone. Ask situational questions that reflect client and interdepartmental interactions.
Sample Question to Ask:
- How would you greet a key client when they arrive unexpectedly?
- Describe your approach to maintaining professionalism during high-pressure phone calls.
Outgoing Personality
An approachable, enthusiastic attitude that helps build connections with executives, managers, clients, and staff across departments. While an administrative support’s role is to assist, they also contribute to the company experience that clients and staff receive.
How HR Can Evaluate It:
Look for indicators of enthusiasm, interpersonal ease, and engagement during the conversation. Ask about cross-departmental interactions.
Sample Question to Ask:
- Share an example of how you built rapport with a new manager or team.
- How do you approach introducing yourself and interacting with staff at all levels?
Strong Written and Oral Communication
Some people can speak well. Others can write well. Administrative assistants who can speak and write well are a great hire due to their adaptability. Clear communication in emails, memos, phone calls, and reports ensures effective administrative support and builds credibility.
How HR Can Evaluate It:
Have the candidate draft a sample memo or explain a scenario to assess clarity, tone, and structure. Ask them to recount real-world communication.
Sample Question to Ask:
- Describe a time when you had to draft a professional email under pressure.
- Share an example of resolving a misunderstanding through clear communication.
Knowledge of the Business
Administrative support staff who have worked with similar industries before are an advantageous hire. Their familiarity with industry-specific terms, operations, and expectations allows them to perform job duties more efficiently and support overall management.
How HR Can Evaluate It:
Ask tailored questions that probe industry familiarity, terminology comprehension, and ability to adapt to sector-specific responsibilities.
Sample Question to Ask:
- How would you ensure you understand and effectively use the industry-specific terms in daily tasks?
- What experience do you have in learning and navigating industry nuances in previous roles?
Diplomacy
The unwritten rules of the office are often nuanced and shifting. An administrative assistant must maintain neutrality in office politics and handle conflicts with tact to ensure smoother workflows and stronger team relationships.
How HR Can Evaluate It:
Use behavioral questions around conflict, messaging, and interdepartmental issues to assess tact and neutrality.
Sample Question to Ask:
- Tell me about a time you delivered a delicate message—how did you handle it?
- How have you maintained focus and diplomacy amid office politics or gossip?
Confidentiality
Administrative support must practice discretion in handling sensitive records and private information. They must serve as a trusted partner in business matters and activities.
How HR Can Evaluate It:
Ask direct situational questions to reveal the candidate’s awareness of boundaries and discretion practices.
Sample Question to Ask:
- Describe a situation where you handled sensitive information. What steps did you take to ensure confidentiality?
- What specific measures do you use to safeguard private files?
Contact Provisional Recruiting for Administrative Support Services in Spokane, WA
Administrative support is vital for hassle-free business operations, helping managers, executives, and teams stay focused on their core responsibilities. We understand that hiring can be stressful and time-consuming. We take the hassle out of hiring by sourcing top administrative professionals throughout the Spokane area. Through Provisional Recruiting, you can access skilled administrative assistants and support associates across industries. Reach out to us today to gain administrative support that’s the best fit for your Spokane business.