Hardworking. Independent. Reliable. The best employees exhibit many skills that are impossible to teach but contribute to their outstanding daily performance. For administrative assistants in a construction company, there are undeniable skills that we know make an excellent, well-rounded addition to any business.
At Virtual Construction Assistants, we help find administrative assistants for your construction company, giving you back more time to focus on strategic tasks and less time spent handling back-office functions.
If you’re looking to hire the best administrative assistant, here are some skills we recommend hiring for.
—
Independence
Finding an independent administrative assistant is key to their success in the role. Working in a remote environment requires an employee to have a lot of autonomy and independence to complete the task at hand without needing extra direction or instructions. We see that independent and motivated administrative assistants can greatly impact the company’s workflow and structure, helping everything move along smoothly and efficiently. The best administrative assistants have great judgment and are able to make decisions without needing someone to check over their work every minute.
Organization
While administrative assistants aren’t going through filing cabinets or managing Rolodex anymore, they are still responsible for the organization of digital files and systems. That’s why administrative assistants for a construction company need to be organized and meticulous in keeping everything in proper order. From managing schedules to following the right naming system, every task requires a high level of organization from the assistant.
Communication
Working as a virtual assistant requires a high level of communication for both written and verbal channels to excel. Whether they’re managing emails or answering customer support phone calls, a construction company’s administrative assistant should communicate professionally, ensuring all details are clearly conveyed to the right people at the right time. Plus, working in a remote environment requires excellent written communication skills to convey and delegate work. Administrative assistants should be comfortable communicating across digital channels as well.
Interpersonal skills
Even in a remote environment, the best administrative assistants for a construction company have impeccable interpersonal skills. This role has the potential to interact with many different levels of people, including C-suites, customers, and other colleagues. Because of this, the administrative assistant should feel confident building relationships and managing expectations with everyone they work with.
Tech-savvy
Administrative assistants in a construction company should have a wide range of technology and software skills that they can use in their day-to-day work. Most of the tasks required of the virtual assistant will be done on industry-related software that allows them to manage administrative tasks like bookkeeping, accounting, communicating and more. The best administrative assistants in a construction company are Microsoft Office wizards, who can use a large variety of email platforms and account management software. Even if they’ve never used a specific software or technology, they can quickly pick up a new tool without much time learning.
Problem Solving
One skill that is undeniably important when looking for a virtual assistant in a construction company is the ability to solve problems. We look for skilled assistants who can navigate a wide range of problems, exhibiting confidence and calmness the entire time. Whether it’s rescheduling a meeting or helping address a customer service issue, the best administrative assistants can tackle a problem head-on without much guidance or direction. Not only should they be able to address a problem, but they should also feel comfortable doing it without much direction or coaching. This ensures they won’t require additional time from management and can operate problems independently.
Excellent time management
We expect our administrative assistants for a construction company to be excellent at managing their time. Whether booking meetings, juggling multiple calendars or coordinating travel between clients, they should be able to manage their time appropriately and help executives manage theirs. The logistics they plan should be manageable, their meetings adhere to the scheduled time, and they’re skilled at adjusting agendas if things change at the last minute. The best administrative assistants in a construction company will keep things on schedule and make good use of their time by staying focused and working efficiently.
Customer service skills
It’s a misconception that administrative assistants aren’t customer-facing employees. Many of our clients will utilize their administrative assistants in a construction company to field any customer service requests or issues. Because of this, we expect the administrative assistants we hire to have excellent customer service skills. They should be able to build customer loyalty through stellar service, liaise between clients and colleagues, communicate clearly with them and ultimately keep the client satisfied.
Resourcefulness
When a problem arises, having a resourceful administrative assistant can help mitigate the problem and get to a solution quickly, ensuring the problem doesn’t escalate. This is especially true in construction, where priorities and timelines are constantly changing and require the resourcefulness of quick thinking and calm focus. An administrative assistant for a construction company should show resourcefulness not just in the way they approach problems but also in their ability to work through everyday tasks without frequent direction or guidance. This also requires confidence and independence as they work through decisions on their own.
Multitasking
Being a virtual assistant for a construction company often involves juggling multiple tasks and projects at once. As they go through their day, administrative assistants should be skilled at working on several different types of tasks while exhibiting great attention to detail to ensure nothing is missed. This requires focused attention and a broad skillset to handle anything that comes their way. Managing several tasks and pivoting as needed is crucial to their success.
—
There are countless benefits to hiring an administrative assistant for your construction company. At Virtual Construction Assistants, we help our clients find the top candidates in the industry. We’ll sit down with you to understand your needs and find the best fit for you and your company. You’ll get valuable time back in your day to work on strategic projects while ensuring your administrative assistant is picking up the tasks instead.