Today's Administrative Professionals Do More
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Administrative professionals need a variety of technological skills to thrive in the business environment of the 2000s. Beyond the basics of word-processing, spreadsheet and presentation software, today's admins are making advanced use of scheduling and calendaring software, project-management programs, and desktop and Web-publishing packages. Sometimes they're using specialised office applications like Visio, a flowcharting program, and shepherding collaborative documents through complex review processes. Many administrative professionals are applying their detailed knowledge of software, including human resources information systems and statistical analysis programs.
"It's not just typing and filing; it's information management," says Rick Stroud, a spokesman for the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP). For example, a substantial part of an executive assistant's role is to manage the flow of information between the executive, the rest of the organisation and the outside world.
Riding the technology wave is a proven way to advance through the ranks of admin professionals. "I've always taken the initiative to learn the new software as it comes out," says Cathy Hoke, an executive assistant with a health insurer. "It's now understood that admins are capable of using software, so they're being given more projects that require in-depth knowledge."
