How to Work from Home as an Administrative Assistant

Are you looking to work from home, due to the coronavirus pandemic? You may have been employed at a company that has not yet fully reopened, or you may be assisting your children with remote learning. Whatever the reason, you are not alone. By late spring, approximately 40% of Americans were working from home. A work from home administrative assistant handles highly varied tasks that every company needs to be successful. However, the administrative assistant (telecommute position) has unique challenges compared to the in-person admin assistant.

At C-Suite Assistants, we specialize in C-Level assistant staffing with top talent, and we have a wide range of high-quality positions for executive assistants, personal assistants and more, with many remote jobs available. Keep reading to discover the skills and qualities you need to be a successful work from home administrative assistant.

What Does a Work from Home Administrative Assistant Do?

A remote administrative assistant, also known as a virtual assistant, may have many duties, depending on the business. They make telephone calls, type and review documents, conduct research, update blogs and social media, make travel arrangements for managers, prepare presentations and assemble reports. They’ll also manage and distribute information to co-workers and customers. In a remote workplace, they will likely participate in online videoconferencing or conference calls and coordinate online communications and project management.

What Skills are Needed to do Admin Work from Home?

Both “hard skills” and “soft skills” are required for an administrative assistant. Hard skills include reading and writing, typing expertise, and the ability to use various computer programs. Communication skills, an amiable personality, honesty and integrity, conscientiousness, ability to multitask and attention to detail are considered soft skills. Online savvy and self-discipline are skills that are especially important for admin work from home.

What Makes an Effective Virtual Assistant?

Being an effective virtual assistant involves many aspects, from having the right home office equipment and the skills to do your job efficiently, to carefully following instructions, being self-motivated and staying focused so that you can meet deadlines.

We recommend that you:

• Set up a dedicated workspace where you won’t be disrupted.
• Use tools for video conferencing, company chats and project management.
• Have a plan for dealing with distractions (and try to minimize them).
• Work out a consistent schedule with your employer.
• Have regular check-ins with co-workers to keep yourself focused.
• Plan for breaks away from the computer to stay fresh and productive.

How Can You Communicate Effectively with Upper Management?

Effective communication with upper management is an art form. Put yourself in the place of a busy manager and focus on the bigger picture. Explain how what you’re doing or what you propose will help the company to achieve its goals.

When communicating with upper management, it is important to:

1. Focus on outcomes, rather than processes.
2. Look to what’s ahead, rather than defending past actions.
3. Know your facts and numbers to back up your proposals.
4. Don’t use informal speech or idioms that might not translate.
5. Keep it brief and to the point.
6. Focus on management’s key concerns and show that you share the company’s vision.

How Can You Make Sure to Keep Up to Date on Expenses?

As a virtual assistant, if you’re tasked with maintaining an expense report for the company, it’s important to have co-workers report all expenses in a timely manner. Establish a standard procedure for doing this and keep it consistent.

Tips for keeping expenses up to date include:

• Check account statements regularly.
• Categorize expenses.
• Use software for expense tracking and budgeting (i.e. a spreadsheet or apps like QuickBooks, Concur, Expensify, Rydoo, Hurdlr or Zoho Expense).

If you’re only keeping track of your own expenses, a spreadsheet may be enough.

Discover C-Suite Assistants

With our expertise in C-level assistant staffing and our extensive network of top talent, we can find you a tech-savvy virtual assistant to handle many daily tasks so that you can focus on your business. If you’re highly skilled and would like to be a work from home administrative assistant, see our current job openings or submit your resume.