In this course, we will discuss and become proficient in the skills necessary to succeed as an administrative office assistant, including office etiquette, reception skills, technology, correspondence, calendar management, basic bookkeeping, travel planning, and other duties performed by an assistant on a day-to-day basis.
Students will:
- Comprehensively review and understand the concept of an office environment and competencies one must have to be an administrative office assistant professional
- Learn the skills needed to manage information efficiently and correctly
- Develop proper communication skills that can be applied through written, oral, and telephonic means
- Understand and apply basic techniques applicable to banking, payroll, financial reports, and applicable procedures
- Effectively learn knowledge to manage one’s time, workspace, meetings, and travel persons in the office conduct
- Apply understanding and skills learned to properly manage documents and mail
- Review steps one can take to further their career in this discipline and complete ongoing professional development tasks
Course Outline:
Lesson 1: The Office Environment
The first lesson of the course reviews where administrative office professionals will likely spend the bulk of their time at a business – the office. The authors provide a synopsis of what the office was in the past relative to what it is today and how it relates to one’s organization. Students will also learn how their role in the office is critical to the success of the organizations they work for. While working through this lesson, participants will gain the skills needed to be successful in their role. One should note that information is at the core of any business and administrative office professionals are critical to the successful management of this on a daily basis.
Lesson 2: Communication Skills
Communicating with others is a core trait that an administrative office professional must master in order to perform their job to the best of their abilities. The second lesson of the course looks at the three most common ways that this is done in an office environment: orally, written, and on the telephone.
Lesson 3: Processing and Understanding Financial Information
Depending on the size of an office, administrative office assistants may be asked to assist with various financial matters that a business conducts on a day-to-day basis. Others may have exclusive departments and that not be the case. What is certain is one that should still have a firm grasp on these skills. This lesson covers basic banking, payroll, budgeting, and accounting fundamentals professionals in this field should know to help keep a business operating.
Lesson 4: Personal and Professional Time Management
Time is the operative variable in business that never ceases to exist. Gaining valuable skills to manage it properly is the purpose of this lesson. The authors go into great detail providing ample amounts of knowledge of how administrative office professionals can manage their own schedule while safely operating the office. A secondary topic, which is just as important, is managing the time of others. Ensuring they are properly scheduled for meetings and travel leads to a more functional office and is noticeable on many fronts.
Lesson 5: Document and Records Management
The fifth lesson of the course gives students an opportunity to understand the importance of records and documents and how they’ll need to be managed as an administrative office assistant. Every business, regardless of industry, is required to hold documents of varying degrees of complexity for some period of time. Having knowledge and understanding of managing the records – digitally or physically is crucial to meeting this goal. Additionally, processing mail, whether incoming or outgoing, is another document set that professionals in this area must master as well.
Lesson 6: Career Management
Administrative office assistants are key professionals in an organization. While some may assume that their career path is limited, that is hardly the case. The final lesson of the course reviews knowledge provided by the authors as to how one can plan and advance their career as well as ongoing professional development tips that can be done to stay current with the business environment they work in.
