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What does a freelance administrative assistant do?

Administrative assistant responsibilities involve managing the accuracy and distribution of information within an office. These duties can include establishing office procedures, ordering office supplies, faxes, data entry, bookkeeping, and so much more.

Freelance administrative and virtual assistants may support anyone from middle management to the chief executive officer. The level of support the administrative assistant provides for other staff is often commensurate with their years of experience and education. Typically, administrative staff who have earned undergraduate or graduate degrees support senior executives in multinational organizations. Those with a high school diploma often work with middle to senior managers.

What skills do I need to become a freelance administrative assistant?

There are a number of administrative assistant duties that a freelancer may be asked to perform. While different clients and employers may have different requirements, there are skills that are universal and can be applied across multiple clients and assignments.

Common skills a freelance administrative assistant job description might include are:

• Organizational skills. Administrative staff positions need accuracy in filing, copying, and distribution. Because clients rely heavily on administrative staff, freelancers must exhibit great attention to detail
• The ability to multitask. Because administrative staff often support more than one executive, they must be able to multitask. Being able to prioritize, manage their time wisely, and ensure different projects are moving forward simultaneously are hallmarks of administrative staff that are capable of multitasking
• Office etiquette. Admin assistants need to know how to properly address and engage executives, managers, and personnel in other departments. In addition, being polite, professional, and cheerful will go a long way in helping to cultivate a pleasant work environment.
• Flexibility. Because change is often the norm in most office environments, freelance administrative assistants must be able to adapt to changing goals, objectives, and personnel.
• Excellent communication skills. Freelance administrative assistants must effectively communicate with all staff, regardless of the level of seniority. Strong verbal communication and interpersonal skills significantly reduce the chances of miscommunication and misunderstandings
• Problem-solving skills. Executives often rely on administrative staff to help them solve tough problems. Whether it's how to properly spend a portion of the budget or resolve a conflict between two departments, freelance admin assistants can be very helpful when offering solutions to client challenges.
• Time Management Skills: An administrative assistant needs to balance a lot of tasks so time management skills are a must. You may be juggling meetings, managing a spreadsheet, and doing office supply inventory all at the same time.

What are the core freelance administrative assistant job responsibilities

Administrative assistants handle a number of duties in the course of their engagements with clients. While responsibilities differ across clients and engagements, there are core tasks clients will usually require freelancers to handle.

Core responsibilities clients ask freelance administrative staff to handle include:

• Maintain appointment calendars, bookkeeping, travel arrangements, and data entry for senior executives
• Type and distribute notes and memos from executive staff to all company personnel
• Screen incoming calls and determine the level of importance based on caller and client availability
• Coordinate domestic and international travel for all senior staff and sales personnel
• File project files and maintain project archive
• Run administrative tasks, take on email marketing strategies, and manage LinkedIn, Facebook, etc
• Manage meetings and correspondence in accordance with senior executives, clients, and vendors
• Oversee input and retrieval of information while managing the company database.

Should I get a degree or certification to become a freelance administrative assistant?

In addition to developing your skills and expanding your experience through employer and client work, job seekers may find it helpful to obtain a degree and/or professional certification.

While a degree or certification is not a requirement for most executive assistant jobs and positions, obtaining a formal education can prove helpful when starting your freelance administrative support career.

Some examples of popular degrees or certifications that would be helpful when pursuing a freelance administrative support career include:

• An associate degree, bachelor’s degree, or master’s degree in business, English, journalism, liberal arts or an equivalent field of study from an accredited college or university
• Certified Administrative Professional (CAP)—offered by the International Association of Administrative Professionals