Being a freelance administrative assistant is fulfilling and offers many benefits. (Check out Selfgood to learn more about becoming an admin assistant!) Working as one allows you to put your skills to work in various settings. If you love working at home, you’re in luck. Depending on the position, you can do some or all work remotely. This gives you plenty of flexibility concerning where you live and your work hours.
Whether you’re new to being a freelance admin assistant or are a seasoned one, there are always ways to enhance your skill set. Check out some top tricks to take your freelance admin career to the next level.
1. Keep a Cheat Sheet
Keep a cheat sheet if you work as a freelance admin assistant in an office setting. A cheat sheet ensures you remember who you work for and what they do. Your job description may be open-ended. Most of your work will likely be for just a few people.
Keep a simple notebook with you about those you support and their preferences. You may have a supervisor who prefers conversations to email. If there’s a client like that, take your hands off the keyboard while you listen. They’ll like it if you take notes while they give you daily run down.
You may have a supervisor who writes very detailed emails. Then, take the time to break them down, sentence by sentence. This is your moment to deliver platinum service to your supervisors. So, ensure you communicate with them as they prefer. It’ll go a long way in retaining and keeping your clients happy.
2. Use Colors and Photos
If you work remotely, you’ll likely spend more time on the phone than video chats. There’s a way to ensure your current work is related to the right boss. Use various colors on your worksheets and fonts when writing letters or notes. Using different colors and fonts will make it easier to tell tasks apart.
Here’s another helpful idea. Go to LinkedIn and pick up a photo of your supervisor. Give it a particular color on the border or in the background. When you get an email or call from them, start making your notes in the border color. Defining your tasks will save you time. It may also save you embarrassment if you never meet your boss face to face.
3. Don’t Multitask
You may be an excellent multitasker and do much of it personally. When working on personal projects, you may excel at multitasking. However, don’t try to do more than one thing at a time at your new freelance job.
Working on various tasks for different clients needs to be clarified. You’re also more likely to make mistakes.
Interruptions may happen from time to time. If you get interrupted, note when you stop working on a specific task. You may be working hard to provide excellent service with each interaction. But do your best not to be rushed. If any of your co-workers make you feel rushed, apply calmness.
While communicating with them, you can clarify your tasks by doing the following:
- Asking specific questions
- Keeping your voice low
- Referring to previous instructions
- Asking your direct supervisor if need be
We’ve all worked with people who tend to be agitated or even enjoy the pressure of being rushed. You may be all okay with being rushed. Keep yourself from being scattered by focusing on one task at a time.
4. Join In
If a supervisor invites you to the breakroom for coffee, go. Consider carrying a lunch container with snacks and a sandwich for the first few days. This will simplify your meals until you know where nearby restaurants are.
Ask lots of questions about nearby spots for lunch or for a morning coffee. If there’s a cafe in your building, check out the menu. Money may be tight, but you can build goodwill with your co-workers. Participate in gatherings and conversations to excel at your job and network.
5. Self-Care Tips
Being the new kid on the block can be exhausting. Make sure you also take care of yourself. If you get burned out, take your mental health seriously. There are mental health professionals who can help you through challenging times.
Also, remember to get outdoors and take advantage of vitamin D! You may get little light where you work. Go on a walk in the sunshine with a co-worker or friend over lunch.
Attending conferences and webinars are other ways to stay on top of your game. Revel in what you’ve learned and build on your skill set.
Last but not least, a few other ways to care for yourself are to take a hot bath or do yoga.
Conclusion
Your world can open up dramatically once you get the hang of freelancing. It’s exciting to build new skills with on-the-job experience quickly. If you’re looking for a full-time job, you can gain references. If not, you can use your knowledge to catapult you into more lucrative freelance gigs. Don’t give up on your dreams. You have what it takes to succeed as an admin assistant!
