How to hire in the Administrative industry

There are numerous administrative job descriptions and positions specific for certain job roles. Administrative departments and teams are inevitable parts of every company regardless of size and industry. Every company or organization needs someone to efficiently plan, organize, and administer different tasks for offices, departments or divisions. Demand for Administrative professionals with good skills, knowledge and experience is always high.

Understanding the Administration Industry

Administration roles, varying from entry-level to executive support, are integral to organizational success. These roles require a blend of organizational, communication, and technical skills.

Unique Challenges in Administration Hiring

Diverse Skill Set: Administrative roles require a unique mix of technical skills (like proficiency in specific software) and interpersonal abilities (such as communication and customer service). Finding candidates who excel in both can be challenging.

Adaptability: Administration staff often handle a variety of tasks and need to switch between them seamlessly. Candidates must be adaptable, able to prioritize effectively and manage multiple responsibilities simultaneously.

Confidentiality: Administrative roles often involve handling sensitive information. Ensuring candidates are not only capable but also trustworthy and able to maintain confidentiality is crucial.

Handling Pressure and Stress: Administrative roles can be demanding, often requiring working under tight deadlines or dealing with challenging situations. Candidates need to demonstrate resilience and the ability to remain calm and efficient under pressure.

Key Roles in Demand

Administrative Assistants: Handling office tasks and providing support to other staff.

Office Managers: Overseeing the general operation of the office.

Executive Assistants: Providing high-level support to executives.

Data Entry Clerks: Responsible for accurately inputting, updating, and maintaining data in company systems.

Receptionists: Often the first point of contact for a company, handling front desk operations, customer service, and general administrative tasks.

Secretaries/Assistants: Specializing in administrative duties, they handle scheduling appointments, managing correspondence, organizing files, and often act as the first point of contact for clients or visitors.

Assistant Managers: They play a crucial role in supporting managers by overseeing operational aspects, managing staff, and ensuring the smooth running of daily operations. Their responsibilities often include task delegation, performance monitoring, and assisting in strategic planning.

Personal Assistants: Personal assistants provide direct support to executives or senior managers. This role involves managing schedules, coordinating meetings, handling correspondence, and often, managing personal tasks for their employers, requiring high levels of discretion and organizational skills.

Effective Strategies for Recruitment in Administration

Crafting Detailed and Transparent Job Descriptions

This involves outlining the specific responsibilities, required skills, and qualifications for the role. It’s important to be clear about the expectations and any unique aspects of the job. This transparency helps attract suitable candidates and reduces the likelihood of mismatches.

Leveraging the Right Online Platforms

Utilize various online platforms for job postings. This includes general job boards, professional networking sites like LinkedIn, and industry-specific forums. Tailoring the platforms to the type of administrative role can increase the visibility of your job posting to the right audience.

Focusing on Employer Branding

Develop and promote an employer brand that reflects your company’s values, culture, and work environment. This can be done through social media, company websites, and employee testimonials.

A strong employer brand attracts candidates who are a good cultural fit and align with your organization’s values. Here’s how you could do it:

Define Your Employer Value Proposition (EVP): Identify what makes your company unique as an employer. This could be your company culture, career development opportunities, work-life balance, or unique benefits.

Showcase Real Employee Stories: Use testimonials, day-in-the-life videos, and employee spotlights to provide a genuine look into working at your company.

Utilize Social Media and Company Website: Everyone and their grandmother is on social media. Pick the channels you believe your audience is most engaged in and regularly post content that reflects your company culture and values. Highlight events, achievements, and employee activities. Your website is also one of the core touch points between your ideal candidates and your company. Build a careers page that will make the candidate come to you.

Communicate Career Development Opportunities: Emphasize training, growth opportunities, and potential career paths in administration within your company.

Target the Right Audience: Define your ideal candidate and then tailor your communication to attract the people you need. Highlight aspects that would appeal to them, such as organizational culture, support for administrative staff, and opportunities for skill enhancement.

Need help defining your ideal candidate? Check out our FREE guide on How to Create a Candidate Persona

Measure and Adapt: Regularly solicit feedback from employees and candidates and use this information to refine your employer brand.

Referral Programs

Encourage your current employees to refer candidates from their networks. This often leads to finding individuals who are likely to fit well within your company culture. Incentivizing employees for successful referrals can further enhance the effectiveness of this strategy.

Related: A Guide for Setting Up an Employee Referral Program

Interviewing and Evaluation

Preparing for the Interview

Role-Specific Preparation: Understand the specific requirements of the administrative role, including technical skills, organizational abilities, and experience levels.

Competency Framework: Develop a framework based on the key competencies required for the role. This helps in creating a structured and objective evaluation process.

Questions to ask

Behavioral Questions : Ask candidates to describe past work experiences to gauge their approach to administrative tasks, problem-solving abilities, and how they handle workplace challenges.

Situational Questions : Present hypothetical scenarios relevant to the role to assess decision-making skills, adaptability, and how candidates would handle specific administrative situations.

Skill-Based Assessments: Include practical tasks, such as drafting correspondence, managing a simulated schedule, or using specific software tools, to directly assess relevant administrative skills.

Cultural Fit Assessment : Evaluate whether the candidate’s values and work style align with the company’s culture and team dynamics.

Retention Strategies

Career Development Opportunities

Offer opportunities for skill enhancement and career progression, including workshops, certifications, and cross-training in different organizational functions.

Creating a Supportive Work Environment

The importance of administrative work can often be overlooked by employers so it’s important to make your administrative staff feel valued and engaged.

Regularly acknowledge and appreciate their contributions and implement a feedback system where employees can share their insights and suggestions for improvement.

Related: Employee Recognition: The Key to Employee Satisfaction

Competitive Compensation and Benefits

Regularly review and adjust compensation packages to ensure they are competitive and fair. Include benefits that address the needs of administrative staff, like healthcare, retirement plans, and wellness programs.

Final Thoughts

Effective hiring in administration requires understanding the unique aspects of the sector and implementing tailored recruitment strategies. By focusing on these approaches, companies can secure skilled administrative professionals essential for operational success.