Look for These Three Key Skills When Hiring Your Next Office Administrator

 

A legal office administrator can make or break the smooth functioning of your firm. Choosing the best candidate from your applicant pool, however, can be challenging.

Here are three of the top skills of outstanding law firm office administrators. Keep these abilities top of mind when reviewing applications to ensure you interview high-quality candidates.

Leadership

Outstanding law firm office administrators not only have strong leadership skills but also apply those skills across multiple leadership contexts. The best office administrators can lead individual teams when needed. They can also use their skills to unite teams and departments to collaborate on common goals.

When hiring an office administrator, look for candidates with demonstrated leadership skills. During an interview, take the opportunity to ask candidates to reflect on their leadership practices and abilities. Look for candidates who not only demonstrate strong leadership skills but who also show their willingness and ability to examine the results, reflect on their actions, and adjust their approach for future success.

Professionalism

Every member of a legal team is called upon to demonstrate professionalism on a daily basis. For law firm office administrators, professionalism is essential – whether or not your administrator ever interacts with clients.

Since your administrator sets an example for the rest of the organization, their adherence to confidentiality standards and respect for the profession must show in everything they do. Look for an administrator whose professionalism makes an immediate, positive impact.

Thoroughness

Law firms and legal departments trust their administrator with a vast array of details related to the smooth functioning of the organization as a whole. Consequently, the best office administrators are thorough and detail-oriented.

When choosing an administrator, look for evidence that a candidate can manage several projects at once and keep the details in mind for each project. Ask interview questions that explore a candidate’s experience with detail-heavy assignments or with keeping track of multiple projects.

 

At Avata Partners, we connect our clients to skilled talent with experience in office administration and other roles in the legal industry. To learn more, get connected with our team today!