Administrative assistants are the backbone of any company. All employees rely on them for the most basic of needs, as well as some of the most important. And admin assistants serve as the link between any individual on the outside, to the company. Their services are invaluable, and admin assistants often are in a great position for growth in a company, especially at a startup, where the culture is young and growing, and internal promotion is common. If you recently landed—or are interested in—becoming an admin assistant at a startup company, here are five tips you should follow:
Don’t be afraid to be creative
As the admin assistant, you’re the eyes and ears on the ground floor. You know when supplies are low, you recognize when people start to become agitated waiting for a meeting to begin, and can answer the most frequently asked questions during call ins with your eyes closed. With this in mind, don’t be afraid to be a little creative when it comes to creating solutions.
For example, let’s say you notice that the majority of your front desk space is being occupied by stockpiles of paperwork. Why not suggest using a document scanning company like ILM Corp to digitize your paperwork? Finding smart solutions will help show that you’re looking to create an efficient workflow, and can think outside the box.
Always be learning
A startup is constantly growing, and within one year, the brand you started working for could have pivoted completely. With this in mind, it’s important that you maintain an “always learning” mentality. Whenever marketing materials go around, pay attention. Research the market, learn the service or product, and don’t be afraid to ask for help if you’re having difficulty understanding. You should be able to give an elevator pitch about the startup you work for just as easily as anyone else. Your CEO will be happy to explain if you show interest. Try asking to sit on meetings or work on a project that another staff member is involved in.
Teach them to fish
You may have heard of the old Chinese proverb, “You give a poor man a fish and you feed him for a day. You teach him to fish and you give him an occupation that will feed him for a lifetime.” This applies in the office environment as well.
If you notice a pattern in what people are asking you for, take initiative. Show them where something is at when you go to grab it for them, so that they can remember for the future. Furthermore, make sure that everything is clearly labeled across file cabinets and in office supply closets, so that your coworkers can easily locate things on their own. And lastly, consider creating an info sheet of FAQs to send out to the team, giving everyone quick answers on how to do things/find things that people often ask for.
Be your own manager
As an admin, you’re juggling several tasks at once. At a startup, some of your responsibilities may be even more versatile than at a traditional company. It’s not unusual for your workload to be high, and for you to be multitasking throughout the day. Although your startup may already use a project management software to keep things running smoothly, consider starting a personal account of your own, preferably one with a mobile and desktop app component, like Wunderlist.
You should also try to keep your desk as organized as possible. With so much going on around you in the office, and projects coming in frequently with short turnaround times, the last thing you need is chaos in the place where you work. And lastly, to make your workload more streamlined, come up with processes that work for you, and share those processes with others. For example, if one of your coworkers needs to order an office supply, have them fill out a form instead of email you. This way, you’re able to manage order request much more efficiently.
Show others the ropes
As an admin assistant, coworkers come to you for everything—even the simple things. It may not seem like a big deal to do something small for someone, like get them a new pack of Post-It notes, but over time, you’ll likely become frustrated by the consistent lack of interruptions, especially if they’re usually for the same reason. At a smaller startup, this might not be such a big deal, but as you grow, you’ll notice more and more employees know less and less about the office. Take the time out of your day to teach new hires, and update the office when things have changed.