7 Steps to Land Your Ideal Role in 2022
You know that the ideal administrative assistant job exists, and that if you find it, you’ll be happy in your work ─ and that’s going to make for a more satisfying career and better work/life balance.
So, how do you find your dream admin assistant job?
First, you must realize that your idea of the perfect job is different from someone else’s. You have different aspirations, unique needs, and different skillsets.
In this article, you’ll learn how to identify and land the job that’s right for you.
Step 1: What Are You Looking for in a Job?
The first question you should ask yourself is what you want from your role as an admin assistant. Is it the opportunity to learn new skills and develop your career? Is flexible working important to you? Do you want to work in a small company or a larger organization? What about your colleagues ─ what type of team do you want to be a part of? And your boss ─ what qualities would your ideal boss possess? How far do you wish to commute?
Really drill down on these questions and more. You’ve got to understand what role, company, boss, and team you want to work with.
Step 2: What Tasks and Responsibilities Do You Most Enjoy?
We could have included this in step 1, but it’s so important to be doing work that you enjoy that we think it’s a question that must be separated. Sure, all jobs involve doing tasks that you may find mundane, but if your new job gives you most of what you enjoy doing and much less of what you must grind through, then work seems less like, well, work, doesn’t it?
Step 3: Have You Got the Skills Needed for the Role?
As an administrative assistant, you don’t only answer the phone and take messages. You’ll also be expected to schedule meetings, answer emails, compose letters, and take care of your boss. Now’s the time to consider the skills that you have. Are you good with time management? How are your written and verbal communication skills? How up to date is your computer literacy? And in today’s high-tech, virtual work world, how are your technology skills?
Make a list of your key skills, and be brutally honest with yourself. Don’t try to bluff your way into a new job ─ it will only set both you and your employer up for disappointment.
Step 4: What Skills Should You Develop?
The next step is to start looking at jobs you think you would like to apply for, and match your skills to those that the job descriptions are stipulating as required skills and nice-to-have skills.
Which are you lacking, or not as competent in as you should be? These are the skills you need to focus on and develop. To do so, there are plenty of online or evening classes available, or you could approach your current boss and discuss if work can be given to you that helps your self-development.
Step 5: What Do You Need From Your New Workplace?
Okay, it’s now time to revisit the first step. Why? Because the process you’ve taken so far will have helped you learn a lot about yourself. Now it’s time to really think about the type of company you want to work for.
The workplace defines the way you work and how you spend your days. If you’re looking for a new job, look for a place that is structured and offers all the qualities you need to do your job and more.
If you’re looking for an employer with a healthy business environment, office location with low crime rates, or one that offers benefits like free food or gifts every day, then these qualities are what you should be looking for when searching for your next job.
Are there enough people on the team? Are they friendly and welcoming? Is there effective communication during meetings? Does everyone in the company feel responsible for each other’s success?
How do you find out all these things? By networking, reading employee reviews online, speaking to people who work in your target companies – it’s time to get your hands dirty with research.
Step 6: Decide Who You Want Your Boss to Be
Your boss will be a big part of your work as an admin assistant, so it is crucial that you work for the one that most suits you. Look at your current boss. What is it about him or her that most impresses you? What do you find are their weakest characteristics? How does their manner affect you, and what could they do better?
Make a list of all the things that you like about your current boss, and all the things you don’t. Now you have a roadmap to describe your ideal manager.
Step 7: Connect with an Expert
These first seven steps have taken you through a journey of discovery. You now know what appeals to you most about a role, the type of company, and the sort of boss you want to work for. It’s crucial to be really targeted in how you approach all these questions ─ get it wrong and you’ll end up working in a job that doesn’t satisfy you, for a boss you dislike, or in a team with which you just don’t gel.
This is where Lakeshore Talent comes in. Our staffing specialists have years of experience in placing people into jobs they love.
We’re successful because we care about our candidates. We understand that each is unique, and so we spend time getting to know the type of person you are, the team that you would excel in, and the type of boss who would bring out the best in you.
We’ll help you identify your skills, and we’ll help you with interview advice so you are relaxed when you meet your potential new boss for the first time.
Make 2022 your year. Let us help you. Submit your resume to Lakeshore Talent today.