15 Management Assistant Skills for Your Career and Resume

Management assistants provide support to managers and executives in a variety of businesses and organizations. They perform administrative tasks, such as scheduling appointments and preparing reports, as well as more complex tasks, such as developing marketing plans and managing projects. Management assistants need to have a variety of skills to be successful in their roles. If you’re interested in becoming a management assistant, understanding what skills are necessary can help you determine if this is the right career for you.

Problem Solving

Problem solving is the ability to identify and resolve issues. As a management assistant, you may be tasked with resolving problems that arise in your manager’s absence. For example, if an employee has a question about their benefits or vacation time, you might need to solve this issue by researching company policies and providing them with accurate information.

Organization

Organization is a skill that can help you be an effective management assistant. You may need to keep track of multiple projects, tasks and files for your manager or executive. Having strong organizational skills can allow you to stay on top of all the responsibilities in your workplace. It also allows you to provide information quickly when someone asks you for it. This can save time and make you more efficient at work.

Customer Service

Customer service skills are important for management assistants because they often interact with customers and clients. This means that you need to be able to provide excellent customer service, which includes greeting people, answering their questions and resolving any issues they may have. Customer service skills can also help you build relationships with your coworkers and supervisors, as providing good customer service is an essential part of most jobs.

Scheduling

Scheduling is the ability to plan and manage time effectively. As a management assistant, you may be responsible for scheduling meetings, conference calls and other work-related activities. Having strong scheduling skills can help ensure that your manager has all of the resources they need to complete their tasks on time. It also ensures that everyone who needs to meet with your manager does so at an appropriate time.

Database Management

Database management is the ability to use and maintain databases. This skill can be useful in a management assistant role because it allows you to store information about clients, projects and other details that your manager may need access to. It’s also important to ensure that this database is secure so that confidential information remains private.

Meeting Coordination

Managers and assistants often work together to plan meetings, schedule conference rooms and prepare agendas. Having strong meeting coordination skills can help you support your manager in this area. You might also be responsible for scheduling appointments or maintaining calendars for both managers and employees. This requires attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple tasks at once.

Communication

Communication is the ability to convey information clearly and concisely. Management assistants often communicate with their managers, clients and other employees. Strong communication skills can help you relay messages effectively and build trust with others. You may also need to explain complex topics or ideas, so it’s important to be able to present information in a way that others understand.

Report Generation

Managers often delegate tasks to their assistants, and these assistants may need to create reports detailing the status of those tasks. For example, if a manager delegates an assignment to an assistant, the assistant might need to provide regular updates on the progress they’ve made on the task. This can help managers stay informed about what’s happening in their departments and allow them to make more informed decisions.

Presentation Assistance

Presentation assistance is the ability to help a manager prepare for public speaking. This can include researching topics, creating visual aids and preparing notes or speeches. Presentation assistants are also able to provide feedback on how managers present themselves in front of an audience. For example, they may be able to suggest ways to improve body language or voice tone when presenting.

Flexibility

Flexibility is the ability to adapt to changing circumstances. As a management assistant, you may be asked to fill in for your manager when they’re absent or take on additional responsibilities. Being flexible means being willing and able to change your schedule or duties as needed. It also means adapting to new processes or procedures that may have changed since your last position.

Travel Arrangements

A management assistant often handles travel arrangements for their managers, including flights, hotels and rental cars. They also know how to navigate the internet to find the best deals on these services. A good management assistant can research destinations and plan itineraries that help their manager save time and money.

Document Preparation

Document preparation is the ability to create and edit various types of documents, including letters, reports, presentations and other files. Management assistants often use these skills when preparing materials for their managers or executives. They may also need to prepare documents for meetings with clients or suppliers, so it’s important that they can write clear, professional correspondence.

Expense Reports

Managers and assistants alike need to be able to create expense reports for their companies. This is a necessary skill because it allows you to track the money your company spends on various items, services or events. You can also use this information to help determine if certain purchases are worth making in the future. For example, if an assistant manager uses their own money to buy office supplies, they may be able to submit an expense report that shows how much the company saved by not buying those same supplies.

Invoicing

Invoicing is the process of creating and sending an invoice to a customer. Management assistants often need to create invoices for their company, so it’s important that they have this skill. You can learn how to make invoices by taking a class or reading books on accounting. Then you can practice making them at work or with friends who own businesses.

Planning and Scheduling

Managers rely on their assistants to plan and schedule their workday, meetings and other tasks. As a management assistant, you can use your planning and scheduling skills to create agendas for managers’ meetings, set up conference calls and reserve meeting rooms. You may also help managers develop timelines for projects or initiatives and track progress toward goals.

How Can I Learn These Management Assistant Skills?

There are a few ways that you can learn the necessary skills to be a successful management assistant. Many of these skills can be learned through on-the-job training, or through taking courses offered by businesses or organizations. You can also learn these skills by reading books or articles on the subject, or by attending workshops or seminars.