RECEPTIONIST - Phone calls, greeting visitors, office upkeep, to name a few. Although many businesses are moving to virtual and remote staff or coworking spaces, any company that isn't can benefit from a receptionist at their front desk. A Receptionist can serve as that happy face of the company. They play a necessary role in the structure of your office and its team, especially if you have a steady stream of clients or visitors to your office. A great alternative title for them is the Director of First Impressions. Hire wisely.

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT (AA) - Generally, an Administrative Assistant is a very talented individual that is capable of rapid task switching, is a visionary (sees the company's big picture and wants to help the team get there), is a people person with great internal and external customer service skills. They thrive at being busy and in a challenging atmosphere. Administrative Assistants can be hired to support the entire office. Although an archaic analogy, they can be your "gopher." It's a good position to back up or assist Executive Assistants & Office Managers. It's a great person to back up your receptionist. An Administrative Assistant is an ideal person to run office errands or be assigned to specific departments that could use a go-to person for administrative tasks. They are tech-savvy, eager to learn and so very capable of assisting with multitudes of tasks.

VIRTUAL ASSISTANT (VA) - The wave of the future and a very valuable asset to any size business' team. A Virtual Assistant (VA) is a literal jack of all trades (administrative & tech). They are paid only for the work they do. They are effective in working with large or small companies; on projects or via monthly packages of hours. They are not employees and shouldn't be confused with one. They are contractors. You will find many solopreneur VAs out there. Or, to help make your search a bit less time consuming, find an already established agency of VAs to help you find "your person", and get them started. VAs are tremendously tech-savvy and consummate communicators. They work in a challenging remote environment, so it takes a very specific skill set to make the most of their paid hours. They need to be effective and efficient when on the clock. There are way too many things VAs do to name here. Maybe check out this link to our company website 101 Things A VA Can Do!

OFFICE MANAGER (OM) - There are two types of Office Managers. One is more administrative, and one is more financial (w/an added bookkeeping component to their role). Many times, the two are combined into one or an Office Manager is also the Executive Assistant to the CEO. The main areas of focus for an Office Manager are efficiencies in the office and the overall satisfaction the staff has for their office environment. They often manage another administrative person(s) in the office. They are the facilities liaison, the person that assures all supplies, infrastructure and equipment are available and maintained. They work in close partnership with IT staff and are responsible for the scanners, printers, copy machines, appliances and any other equipment that the entire staff uses. The Office Manager will make sure they keep a clean, safe environment in the office. They make sure there are no hazards in the office and that everything is accessible. They can be found reporting to anyone from a VP of Operations, VP of Human Resources, to the CEO. Quite often they are the party planners or morale keepers.

CHIEF OF STAFF (COS) - This is a newer title that we see popping up more and more often. This title is only for a very seasoned and experienced Executive Assistant/Office Manager that possesses high-level abilities to manage staff, work as a Project Manager & a be seen as a valued partner to a company's executive team. They are visionaries and process-focused, as well as uber capable of handling almost any administrative task. They love a challenge and know how to delegate to get the job done. They are ever-resourceful and know how to tap into their networks for the desired outcome. They have valuable input and foresight into a company and its efficiencies and inefficiencies. The good thing about hiring a Chief of Staff is that they quickly become that valued partner to take all administrative tasks off of the executive team so that they can easily become more productive at what they're supposed to be, i.e., marketing, technology, sales.

Any of the titles and job descriptions above can be combined to create an even more indispensable assistant. Think outside the box. Consult with an expert in the administrative recruiting niche. Finding a niche recruiter will help you find a better and more retainable new employee. Look for one in your metro area that has references, testimonials, a proven relationship or passion for the administrative profession and is willing to guarantee their placements.