As an admin today, you probably wear a lot of different hats. You might be a part-time project manager or a first-line responder for any number of IT issues. As if that’s not enough already, maybe you oversee different budgets or train staff on new software. Or, you could be responsible for updating a website, managing social media, or interfacing with countless internal and external stakeholders. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
So, how can you keep up with all of the skills that you need to learn? Or even just those that you’re interested in? That’s where online training comes in. You can complete online training for virtually anything. You can find webinars dedicated to administrative assistant training, or sites that provide skills based training. With a little searching, you can find a quick video, tutorial, webinar, or course, that will help you better understand the skills you are now required to know.
With all of the options for administrative assistant training online, there are a few places you can start. The easiest place to kick off your online training search is with sites dedicated to providing resources just for administrative professionals, like The American Society of Administrative Professionals. But you shouldn’t end your search there. There are also other sites dedicated to the development of specific skills rather than professions, like Lynda. Mix and match the resources available to you to best suit your professional development.
Here are some sites that offer training specific to administrative assistants, others that provide skills based training, and some what they offer.
- On-demand webinars: The American Society of Administrative Professionals (ASAP) offers webinars on a wide array of topics ranging from learning the latest software to developing your emotional intelligence. You can find plenty more from Office Dynamics, the Executive Assistant Network, and Assistant Edge, among others. Here is just a sampling of the courses that they offer for administrative assistant training:
- Helping Your Executive Maintain a Competitive Edge: In this course from Office Dynamics, Joan Burge, CEO of Office Dynamics, speaks about how you can help your manager maintain a competitive edge. Afterall, your boss’s success reflects on you.
- Google Suite – Using Its Features to Boost Your Productivity: Become a Google docs power user with this training from ASAP. Google certified trainer Anne Truger reviews how to use Google with Microsoft and tips for using Google Chrome.
- Actualizing Professional Goals: Learn how to make your professional goals reality with techniques for overcoming obstacles and keeping your motivation high in this ASAP webinar.
- Online tutorials: There are short courses that you can take on all kinds of useful topics. The online education company Lynda, for example, offers classes and tutorials on everything from project management and the fundamentals of accounting, to using social media effectively for business. Try these short webinars for example:
- Learning Gantt Charts: Gantt charts can be a powerful tool for tracking timelines and progress for projects. Learn how to create and leverage them in this training.
- Designing Better Slides: Need to bring your PowerPoint slides to the next level? This training will teach you how to make more attractive presentations.
- Organizing Contacts and Business Cards: As an admin, part of your role is keeping track of your boss’s contacts. This training will help you and them keep them straight.
- Resource sites: Sites like The Effective Admin, All Things Admin, and Desk Demon give you access to tons of useful content specific to administrative assistants. Read at your own pace to get practical tips and advice on an array of different practical matters, such as dealing with difficult stakeholders and managing complex budgets.
To continue to advance your career and learn new skills, you may have to take your professional development into your own hands. Online trainings are an easily accessible place to start and provide much of the learning that you may need. It may take time, but slowly and surely you’ll reach your goals.
Learn more about how you can advance your career as an administrative professional.