Clerical candidates are expected to be talented and multifaceted professionals, much the same as most other industries. Administrative professionals should be able to manage multiple schedules, have excellent written and oral communication skills, be organized, and have a solid understanding of general office procedures. Being an admin in a specialized industry often requires additional, industry-specific knowledge as well. But have you considered that your IT skills are just as important as any of the other administrative skills listed on your resume?

You might be surprised to learn that they are. In today’s high-tech world, tech skills are not only in demand, but required even for clerical staff. There are a wide variety of IT-related abilities that look nice on an administrative resume. Here we highlight the top four IT skills that all clerical candidates should possess.

Commonly Used Office Programs

Most workplaces rely on Microsoft’s Office Suite such as Word and Excel to assist with the content development and spreadsheet management tasks that are required on a day-to-day basis. As a clerical candidate, you should know these programs like the back of your hand. Word processing, spreadsheets, and presentation software are more or less the bread and butter of administrative tools. You should be up to date on these programs, which means staying current on recent changes and updates to these programs. Having a working knowledge of competitor programs (such as Google’s cloud-based office tools) is also a good idea as not every office uses Microsoft software.

Social Media Best Practices

Social media has become more and more of a professional tool. It’s particularly relevant from a marketing perspective. Having a solid understanding of the popular social media platforms and how they impact day-to-day business is a definite bonus for your administrative resume. Corporate social media outreach is often a task assigned to clerical staff when there is a lack of otherwise skilled staff. It is important for admins to understand how best to interact on social media from a corporate perspective. This can include translating long-form content into short-form content for social media, managing editorial calendars, and creating a consistency of message across multiple platforms.

Collaboration Software

Collaboration software is becoming more and more critical to successful project management today. Programs like Google Drive and Microsoft SharePoint allow people to access and modify content without loss of document control and encouraging remote access to critical information and tools. Admins should understand how these programs are used, and should be able to access information within these databases to provide support for other staff members as needed.

Typing Skills

When was the last time you took a typing test? If it has been a while, now is a great time to check your numbers. Typing is, and likely will remain, a critical skill for many administrative professionals. An accurate and quick typing style will put you head and shoulders above your competition.

For more information or advice on strengthening your hiring process, contact the expert team at Search Services today!