Top 3 Awesome Resources for Administrative Assistants

Being an administrative assistant can be a tough job. It’s often considered an entry-level position, but it’s a role that requires a large number of skills to perform effectively and support your manager. So how do you gain those skills? And once you’re in the assistant role, what kind of support is there for the supporter? These three online resources are great places to help admin assistants expand and improve skills.

1. The American Society of Administrative Professionals (ASAP)

ASAP is an organization created specifically to support professionals like you. Here, you can find career development opportunities like online training courses and webinars, articles on industry trends and business skill development, and a certificate program (Professional Administrative Certificate of Excellence, or PACE) if you want to be certified as an administrative professional. Access to these benefits is part of a free membership, and with 50,000 members nationwide, you get the support of an entire field—you’re not alone!

2. LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a great resource for job hunters—but did you know that it can be a useful tool once you’ve been hired, too? Groups like the Administrative Assistant Office Professional Network (149,000+ members) and Administrative Assistant Office Professionals (All Levels) (189,000+ members) offer discussion and networking opportunities for all sorts of admin assistants and professionals. You can also find specialized groups relevant to your role or industry: for example, medical assistants, executive assistants, receptionists, etc. Want to connect with other assistants in your area? You can search for groups specific to your city or region, as well.

3. Lynda.com

There aren’t many sites out there that can teach you everything from basic software use to advanced coding—and that’s what makes Lynda.com so special. This site offers online video tutorials for professionals in all industries and at all levels and features some great seminars for administrative assistants—whether it’s application training (Excel, Office, Word) or general business skills (marketing, leadership, project management). This site can also be excellent for bumping your skills to the next level, or helping you adapt to different office environments. For example, if you’ve always used a PC but your new office is all Mac, Lynda can give you tips on how to perform your daily tasks in iOS. It’s like having an expert mentor in your pocket at all times. If you’d like to build skills or just find others who can relate to the realities of being an administrative assistant, these resources can be a big help.