Administrative support encompasses a range of administrative, organizational, and interpersonal duties that underpin a company’s day-to-day operations. Executive assistants, medical and social services secretaries, legal assistants, and office managers all share a core set of specific technical and interpersonal skills. Training in administrative support means acquiring these skills and then specializing in the sector you want to work in.
Electronic invoicing and administrative support: a practical skill that is now mandatory
Since September 1, 2026, all businesses subject to VAT must be able to receive electronic invoices. SMEs and microbusinesses will also have to issue them from September 1, 2027. This reform directly affects the day-to-day work of administrative assistants.
Knowing how to track an invoicing workflow, verify the accuracy of submitted data, and manage exchanges with e-invoicing platforms is now part of core administrative skills. Compliance involves more than knowing how to use software: it requires reviewing internal procedures, organizing approvals, managing access, and planning backup solutions.
For someone in training, this means working through real-world scenarios: handling a rejected invoice, identifying a duplicate, or managing an invoice received without a purchase order. These scenarios are still rarely covered in general training programs, setting Job Assistant’s training courses apart with their practical exercises tailored to regulatory changes.
The ability to help a team adopt these new procedures matters just as much as knowing the rules themselves. Feedback from the field shows that many organizations are still adapting, making candidates trained to handle exceptions rather than rely on automated routines especially valuable.
Digital skills: going beyond basic office software
Spreadsheets, word processing, and email remain the minimum requirements. Employers now look for proficiency with collaboration tools (cloud-based suites, online project management, and video conferencing) and the ability to quickly adapt to new business software.
The difference between a junior candidate and someone ready to hit the ground running often comes down to how quickly they can get to grips with an unfamiliar tool. Effective training does more than teach a specific software program: it develops a transferable approach to learning.
- Knowing how to organize a shared file so it remains easy for the whole team to use, not just its creator
- Setting up simple automations (email sorting, follow-up reminders, document templates) to save time on recurring tasks
- Managing access permissions and document confidentiality, particularly in environments subject to GDPR
Artificial intelligence is gradually making its way into office software. Being able to use writing assistance or automatic summarization features without compromising the accuracy of the content is a practical advantage.
Professional communication and prioritization in administrative support
Assistants constantly handle a wide range of information: phone calls, emails, internal requests, and supplier follow-ups. What sets them apart is not raw speed, but the ability to prioritize these demands in real time.
This requires a thorough understanding of how the company operates. Knowing which request can wait two hours and which needs to be escalated to management immediately calls for professional judgment, developed through supervised experience rather than theory alone.
Written communication: the skill most often tested during recruitment
Writing letters, meeting minutes, and executive summaries remains the first hiring filter. Clear professional writing immediately sets a well-trained candidate apart. Strong spelling, grammar, and the ability to adapt the tone to the recipient (client, supplier, or management) are skills that take practice.
Courses that include writing workshops based on real-world scenarios (responding to a complaint, summarizing a meeting, writing a follow-up email) provide better preparation than those focused solely on grammar rules.
Verbal communication and interpersonal skills
Screening calls, clarifying a confusing request, and defusing tension over the phone all require interpersonal skills that can be developed through role-play and simulations. Professional discretion, particularly when handling sensitive information (HR data, legal documents, communications from management), is non-negotiable.
Choosing administrative support training: practical selection criteria
The market for secretarial and administrative support training is crowded. Several criteria can help you distinguish a useful program from one that is overly theoretical.
- Whether the program includes practical workplace scenarios: processing files, reception simulations, and managing a schedule under time pressure
- Whether employers in your target sector recognize the qualification or certification (legal support, medical and social services, executive support)
- Whether the content is up to date with recent developments, particularly electronic invoicing and collaboration tools
- Whether you can complete an internship or work placement, which remains the most effective way to turn training into a job
A program covering document management, professional communication, and digital tools provides a comprehensive foundation. Specialization (legal, HR, sales, or medical) comes later, either through an additional module or through on-the-job experience.
Administrative support roles are evolving to include coordination and project management. Candidates who combine administrative rigor with digital versatility can move more quickly into office manager or project officer positions. Initial training shapes this career path, provided it reflects the operational realities of businesses rather than offering an abstract list of skills.
