Office administrators are the backbone of organization and efficiency in a work environment. They’re also great problem-solvers and are able to think quickly on their feet. When you are faced with decision-making challenges in your career, you will need methods in place to be able to clearly and effectively make choices. With solid action plans, your confidence will soar, and you will be in control of your responsibilities.

A popular method is the IDEAL (Identify, Define, Explore, Act, Look) model, outlined by Bransford and Stein in their book, The Ideal Problem Solver, in 1984. It has since undergone various tweaks and modifications for different purposes. Read on to learn how you can use this model to identify the focus of an issue and tackle the most important part.

Why this Strategy will Help when you Become an Office Administrator

An employee is more valuable when they bring solutions to the table, rather than adding problems. Office administrators are trusted with tasks involving human relations, record-keeping, organization, and more – all of which require sharp judgement and good solutions. Taking on projects independently is a fulfilling opportunity for administrators and the more you show your problem-solving skills, the more likely you are to be given these responsibilities. You’ll gain respect from your colleagues and will be able to show off your skills beyond office administration training, demonstrating your worth in the real world with all of its unpredictability.

Use your Career Training to Identify Problems and Opportunities

A positive attitude is easier when approaching problems with the mindset of opportunity. The first step in the IDEAL model is “Identify”, using facts and information to isolate the root issue at hand. A common example is a leaky roof in the office, where instead of placing a bucket under the leak we would identify that the root issue is a hole in the roof that needs to be fixed before it causes more complications. This might point to an opportunity to check for other holes in the roof or make more repairs (and as an administrator, it would give you an opportunity to step up outside of your day-to-day duties and show leadership). The next step, “Define”, calls for describing potential solutions and strategies, and choosing what will work best using the third step, “Evaluate”. Thinking of pros and cons can help when trying to choose from a list of possible solutions.

IDEAL Leaves Room for Re-Evaluation to Ensure you Chose the Right Issue

The final two steps of the IDEAL model are “Act” and “Look”. After evaluating your options and choosing the best solution, acting on that strategy means using your career training and soft skills combined to apply that solution. After you’ve acted, the “Look” stage encourages you to look back on what you’ve done, see if it worked and learn from the experience. At this point, if the solution didn’t work, you apply what you’ve learned to revise your strategy and try again. Giving yourself time to slow down and evaluate your work will make you a more efficient administrator in the end and keep you learning new things for the duration of your career.

Do you want to become an office administrator?

Contact KLC College for more information.

Today’s contemporary office looks very different than it did ten or twenty years ago, and technological progress has introduced a variety of tools and resources to help businesses run more efficiently and save time, money, and effort, including software applications.

Businesses need office administrators to help keep everyday operations running smoothly, and computerized software can be an invaluable help to organizing, managing, and maintaining the information and data you would be expected to work with. Although there is a large amount of variety when it comes to available software, there are a few popular applications you may encounter throughout your career.

If you’re interested in discovering what software you can expect to use in a career as an office administrator, read on to find out more.

Familiarity with Microsoft Office Can Help You Handle Everyday Tasks

When it comes to business, Microsoft Office is, of course, a useful tool for any professional to have. Along with their standard programs, Microsoft also offers other features such as email and various applications for business-related tasks, and knowing how to use some of the world’s most widely-used software can help you find career success no matter where you work when you become an office administrator.

Microsoft Office is a crucial tool for any office administrator, and it helps you maintain communication, focus on productivity, and use easily-accessible programs to complete your daily tasks. From MS Word to Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Access, and more, your office administration courses can help you stay updated on relevant computer software and keep your technological skills current for today’s business world.

Sage 50 Accounting Software Helps Centralize Crucial Financial Information

Formerly known in Canada as Simply Accounting, Sage 50 is accounting software that is used by a variety of businesses to manage and organize their financial resources into one centralized location.

Accounting is a vital process for any company to stay in business, but it can be difficult to keep track of all of the different kinds of information at once. When you work in office administration, you’ll be responsible for handling tasks that involve bookkeeping, and office administration training can help familiarize you with the common software you may encounter. From tracking expenses to making sure a business is operating within their budget and even organizing important data like invoices, credits, and returns, Sage 50 software is a useful tool you can use to simplify the everyday bookkeeping tasks you’ll be working with, and help you succeed as an office administrator.

QuickBooks is an Important Tool to Use When You Become an Office Administrator

Businesses of different types and sizes have many options when it comes to accounting software. One software, known as QuickBooks Pro, can be particularly useful, especially if you’re working in a small business.

QuickBooks Pro can help office administrators manage sales and expenses, as well as keep track of daily transactions. Similarly to Sage 50, you can use QuickBooks Pro to complete many important bookkeeping tasks such as creating invoices to keep better track of individual sales, and ensure that your billing process is on-schedule.

Software like QuickBooks Pro also allows you to gain insights into how a business is performing by allowing you to efficiently monitor and manage profit inflow and outflow activities through specialized reports. These reports can range from Profit and Loss Report to Balance Sheet Report and Statement of Cash Flows, but each offers a valuable analysis and look at the state of any business, and you can use it to your advantage during your career to keep better tabs on your bookkeeping as well as your office’s overall performance.

Are you interested in taking the next step towards a rewarding career in office administration?

Contact KLC College for more information about starting a business administration course.

Are you looking for training that will prepare you to find work in a wide variety of areas? If so, office administration may be right for you! Most companies need employees who have a diverse set of skills, which can be acquired in a good office and business administration training course program.

If you’re considering enrolling at an office administration school, read on to learn about some of the exciting career paths that will be available to you once you graduate.

1. Become a Receptionist After Office Administration Training

Are you a people person with a strong work ethic? Then you might consider a career as a receptionist once you’ve completed your office administration course program.

Receptionists are generally the first point of contact for clients when they visit a business or office. That means someone in this role will need to maintain a professional demeanour and have excellent communication skills. Some of the daily responsibilities of a receptionist include scheduling appointments, taking phone calls and greeting clients. These professionals may also be tasked with typing and sending emails, taking meeting notes, sending out office memos and more, which will require them to have basic computer skills.

A good office administration training program provides students with the computer skills they’ll need to complete their daily tasks once they begin their career. Students at KLC College, for example, will receive practical, hands-on training in basic computer programs and software including Windows 7, Microsoft Office, QuickBooks Pro and more.

2. Prepare for Many Tasks as an Administrative Assistant

Administrative assistants are the backbone of any office and they are usually responsible for completing a wide range of tasks daily. This career path is a great choice for those who enjoy completing different tasks from day to day.

If you decide to become an administrative assistant, it will be your job to make sure the office that you work for runs smoothly. Your duties may include communicating with clients, organizing events, sending and sorting mail, managing inventory, data entry, preparing documents, and much more.

3. Gain the Skills Needed to Become a Successful Personal Assistant

Personal assistants do much of the same work that administrative assistants do, however, instead of assisting the entire office, they focus on assisting one senior executive of the company. This is a fast-paced job with tons of responsibility. Since personal assistants handle much of the communication for company executives, it is very important that they have a good work ethic, professional demeanor, and of course, excellent communication skills.

In large companies, personal assistants usually need to gain experience as administrative assistants first. In smaller offices, however, the knowledge gained in a business administration course, including administration software proficiency, will prepare you to take on the role.

4. Benefit from Your Business Administration Skills as an Office Manager

If you want a career that enables you to use your leadership and organizational skills, then consider becoming an office manager. The duties of an office manager depend on the specific company you work for. However, responsibilities often include managing invoicing, ordering inventory, communicating with staff and clients and supporting human resources.

Of course, you may not begin your career by jumping directly into an office management position. Many people become office managers once they’ve gained experience as an administrative assistant and put the skills they learned in their business administration courses to use on the job. Those skills can help you succeed in your job and enable you to climb the ladder to a leadership position faster.

Are you ready to become an office administrator?

Contact KLC College to learn more about our office administration program, which is offered any Monday!