Top administrative assistant skills to look for in candidates
1. Communication skills
Included in 45.81% of administrative assistant job postings
Communication is a critical skill for admin assistants, as they often stand as a go-between or point person for teams, vendors and clients. Strong communication skills help ensure smooth interactions with internal and external stakeholders.
You might ask for “excellent verbal or written communication” or “strong interpersonal skills” in job descriptions. During interviews, you can assess communication skills by listening to how candidates answer questions. You can also administer a writing skills test to assess the quality of their writing.
2. Microsoft Office
Included in 39.93% of administrative assistant job postings
Microsoft Office skills help admin assistants streamline document management and support email, presentation and spreadsheet tasks. You might include “advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office” or “proficiency in Word, Excel and PowerPoint” in your administrative assistant job description.
Practical tests that require candidates to create or manage documents in these programs can help you evaluate Microsoft Office skills.
3. Microsoft Excel
Included in 39.66% of administrative assistant job postings
Excel skills allow administrative assistants to manage a variety of processes digitally, including basic accounting or project management tasks. Employers may list these skills in job postings with phrases such as “ability to create and manage spreadsheets in Excel” or “advanced spreadsheet skills.”
You can require candidates to take practical tests to demonstrate their Excel skills or ask them how they would use Excel to address a specific data need.
4. Administrative experience
Included in 31.29% of administrative assistant job postings
If you want someone with previous administrative experience, include it in your job postings. You might use phrases such as “3+ years administrative assistant experience” or “previous back-end office experience.”
You can evaluate candidates for this skill by reviewing their resumes and asking them about their administrative experience in interviews.
5. Microsoft Word
Included in 27.30% of administrative assistant job postings
Administrative assistants proficient with Microsoft Word can create a variety of business documents. Include requirements such as “knowledge of Microsoft Word” or “experience with Microsoft Word’s mail/merge function” in your job description, depending on your specific needs.
To understand whether a candidate possesses the required skills, you can ask them to take a practical test or ask questions about their experience using Word.
6. Customer service
Included in 26.93% of administrative assistant job postings
Customer service is a top administrative assistant skill because these team members typically serve both internal and external customers. You can find candidates with customer service skills by listing them in your job descriptions using phrases like “strong customer service skills” or “ability to handle or appropriately escalate customer complaints.”
You can evaluate admin assistant candidates for customer service skills and experience by reviewing their work history and asking customer service interview questions.
7. Microsoft PowerPoint
Included in 18.31% of administrative assistant job postings
PowerPoint skills allow admin assistants to support others with professional-looking presentations and other written and visual communications. List these skills on resumes with phrases such as “proficiency in PowerPoint” or “experience creating complex PowerPoint decks for sales teams.”
Employers can assess candidates for this skill through practical tests and discussions about previous experience with PowerPoint or how to approach hypothetical use cases for the program.
8. Organizational skills
Included in 16.93% of administrative assistant job postings
Admin assistants use organizational skills to manage schedules, coordinate meetings and ensure smooth office operations. Find candidates with these types of skills by asking for “strong organization skills” or “ability to multitask while keeping others on target.”
To assess the organizational skills of administrative assistant candidates, consider asking them to talk about a time they juggled numerous tasks and priorities and how they organized and managed them.
9. Computer skills
Included in 15.83% of administrative assistant job postings
Admin assistants typically manage computers and software programs, phone systems and office equipment like printers and scanners. List specific computer skills on your job postings, such as, “confidence learning new app-based project management programs” or “some experience printers and fax machines.”
Review resumes for specific computer skills and discuss software and computer programs during interviews to gauge a candidate’s suitability when it comes to this skill.
10. Microsoft Outlook
Included in 14.28% of administrative assistant job postings
Microsoft Outlook is one of the most popular email and schedule management programs for many offices. If your company uses it, admin assistants must be proficient in its use and you should consider listing this requirement in job descriptions as “proficiency in Microsoft Outlook.”
Evaluate candidates for this skill by looking for Outlook on their resumes and discussing their level of knowledge about Outlook features like calendar management.
11. Time management
Included in 12.55% of administrative assistant job postings
When you rely on an admin assistant to help keep everyone else on schedule, they need strong time management skills. Employers might use phrases such as “calendar and schedule management experience” when describing these skills in job postings.
Assessing time management skills requires asking specific interview questions. Consider asking candidates to describe how they prioritize tasks and handle deadlines. For example, you might ask, “Can you describe a time when you had to juggle multiple deadlines? How did you prioritize your tasks and ensure everything was completed on time?”
12. English
Included in 10.95% of administrative assistant job postings
English skills are important for admin assistants to communicate effectively, draft clear documents, and handle correspondence proficiently. If this skill is critical to your position’s success, consider listing English as a requirement in your job postings
13. Office experience
Included in 9.09% of administrative assistant job postings
Experience in office environments helps admin assistants hit the ground running in new jobs. Detail the experience you’d like to see in candidates in job listings with terms such as “previous office work experience” or “experience in legal offices.”
To assess office experience, ask candidates to discuss specific challenges they faced in a previous office environment and how they overcame those obstacles.
14. Spanish
Included in 6.94% of administrative assistant job postings
Administrative assistants who speak Spanish can help organizations serve Spanish-speaking customers or navigate processes that involve partners from other countries. Include “Spanish-speaking” or “bilingual in Spanish and English” as a requirement in your job posting.
15. Management
Included in 6.79% of administrative assistant job postings
Candidates who have experience supervising others or managing processes may be appropriate for leadership roles in administrative offices. List these requirements in job postings with phrases such as “supervisory experience,” “administrative management skills” or “leadership experience.”
To evaluate a candidate’s management skills, ask questions about their previous leadership experience and present hypothetical scenarios. Have them describe how they would handle different management situations, like resolving conflicts, motivating a team or managing a project under a tight deadline.
16. Bilingual
Included in 6.70% of administrative assistant job postings
Bilingual administrative assistants can act as translators or help your team serve communities or clients who speak different languages. List the specific language in your job posting, such as “bilingual in English and French.”
While you can evaluate a candidate’s language skills by speaking with them during interviews in that language, you can also administer a language skills test to confirm their ability to read and write in the language.
17. Writing skills
Included in 6.69% of administrative assistant job postings
Writing skills allow administrative assistants to draft compelling emails, create presentations and write and edit business documents of all kinds. List this skill on your job descriptions and postings using language such as, “excellent written communication skills” or “strong writing and editing skills.”
Reviewing a candidate’s cover letter and resume is a great way to understand whether they may have the writing skills you need.
18. Typing
Included in 6.58% of administrative assistant job postings
Typing is still an important skill for administrative assistants, who may need to take meeting notes and type emails regularly. You can list typing skill requirements on your job postings with specifics, such as “types at least 50 words per minute.”
Consider administering a typing test to assess candidates’ typing skills and ensure they’re a good fit for your role.
19. Data entry
Included in 5.61% of administrative assistant job postings
Data entry skills allow administrative assistants to keep up with digital records and provide support roles for accounting and other teams. Consider spelling out data entry needs on your job listing by including requirements such as “10-key skills” and “data entry spreadsheet skills.”
Practical tests can gauge a person’s speed and accuracy with 10-key devices, or you can have candidates review spreadsheet data and make corrections to evaluate data entry skills.
20. QuickBooks
Included in 4.95% of administrative assistant job postings
You may want your administrative assistant to be able to use QuickBooks to help with basic company financial tasks or support accounting teams. Listing “proficiency with QuickBooks” or another straightforward requirement on your job posting can help candidates understand your needs.
To evaluate a candidate’s QuickBooks knowledge, present hypothetical situations that involve QuickBooks use and ask them how they would complete the task.
21. Office management
Included in 4.27% of administrative assistant job postings
Administrative assistants with office management experience may be skilled at using common office equipment and tasks. Let candidates know you want applicants with this type of background by including phrases such as “previous office management experience” or “4+ years managing processing in front-end offices” in your job listing.
Consider the previous job experience listed on an applicant’s resume to help understand if they might have office management skills. You can also ask them to describe previous responsibilities in detail during an interview or ask them to tell you about a time they dealt with a challenging office management issue.
22. Accounting
Included in 3.91% of administrative assistant job postings
Administrative assistants in any industry can use accounting skills to help manage processes such as expense reporting or payroll. Include these types of skills in your job description with language such as “accounts receivable or payable experience a plus” or “business bookkeeping skills.”
While you can test for some accounting and math skills, you can also look at past work experience and ask questions about specific accounting processes to gauge whether a candidate has the knowledge you’re looking for.
23. Computer literacy
Included in 3.75% of administrative assistant job postings
Computer literacy is critical for those working in administrative assistant positions that require use of email, word processing, internet and other software programs. Consider listing the specific programs you’d like candidates to be familiar with in job listings and using language such as “confidence when learning new programs.”
Look for software certifications or specific software skills on resumes. During interviews, you can ask candidates to discuss their comfort level with computers and software.
24. Word processing
Included in 3.64% of administrative assistant job postings
Word processing skills allow administrative assistants to create forms and documentsin programs such as Microsoft Word and Google Docs. Strong word processing skills help admin assistants support teams with templates, editing and version control.
When listing word processing skills on administrative assistant job descriptions, be specific. Use language such as “expertise with Google Docs” or “proficiency with Microsoft Word.” You can gauge these skills with practical tests and by asking about their experience with these tools in interviews.
25. Filing
Included in 3.51% of administrative assistant job postings
Filing remains a common task for administrative assistants, who may act as the official keeper of both physical and digital records. List this skill requirement with language such as “experience managing large file libraries” or “experience converting files from physical to digital.” To evaluate a candidate’s filing skills, ask them to tell you about solutions they implemented to manage records or make filing more efficient in a past job.
Other top administrative assistant skills in demand
Here are an additional 25 administrative assistant skills that are common in administrative assistant job postings on Indeed:
26.Clerical experience: included in 3.44% of administrative assistant job postings
27. Analysis skills: included in 3.41% of administrative assistant job postings
28.Editing: included in 2.72% of administrative assistant job postings
29.Windows: included in 2.69% of administrative assistant job postings
30.SharePoint: included in 2.46% of administrative assistant job postings
31.Phone etiquette: included in 2.20% of administrative assistant job postings
32.Microsoft Access: included in 2.18% of administrative assistant job postings
33.Google Suite: included in 2.15% of administrative assistant job postings
34.Human resources: included in 2.12% of administrative assistant job postings
35.Project management: included in 1.82% of administrative assistant job postings
36.Bookkeeping: included in 1.80% of administrative assistant job postings
37.Social media management: included in 1.69% of administrative assistant job postings
38.Google Docs: included in 1.59% of administrative assistant job postings
39.Front desk: included in 1.57% of administrative assistant job postings
40.Adobe Acrobat: included in 1.51% of administrative assistant job postings
41.Proofreading: included in 1.51% of administrative assistant job postings
42.Supervising experience: included in 1.45% of administrative assistant job postings
43.Marketing: included in 1.44% of administrative assistant job postings
44.Research: included in 1.36% of administrative assistant job postings
45.Medical terminology: included in 1.28% of administrative assistant job postings
46.Payroll: included in 1.22% of administrative assistant job postings
47.Leadership: included in 1.15% of administrative assistant job postings
48.Medical office experience: included in 1.15% of administrative assistant job postings
49. Construction: included in 1.12% of administrative assistant job postings
50.Maths: included in 1.08% of administrative assistant job postings
¹Indeed data (US), January 2023 – Dec 2023
