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Reports

I have been looking for a new job as either a senior administrative assistant or an EA and I often see where the job description asks for someone to do reports. Can someone please tell me what types of "reports" they do for their organization and how I might learn how to do these? If you are using one of the programs of MS Office, please tell me what reports those are. I would appreciate any feedback on this since I never was responsible for creating or maintaining any type of report. Thank you!

Submitted by: Anonymous

 

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Don't be frightened by the requirement to be able to create reports. If you are familiar with Microsoft products or other applications that most businesses use; reports are simply collected data put into a format that can be used to convey the information. The most common applications used to create reports are Excel and Word. Brush up on your skills, and reports will be a cinch. Linda Goss on 6/1/2012 9:22:33 PM
I strongly agree with the comments that you will need to know how to analyze and interpret data. I too think employers are looking for someone who has several years experience doing this. Anonymous on 5/31/2012 1:49:36 PM
I agree with all of the above. In addition, you will want to be familiar enough with all of the software mentioned including the ability to analyze how a report that was created by someone else was written. Quite often that is the greater challenge; first analyzing how a document/report was created to the extent you know how to make edits. Anonymous on 5/31/2012 2:40:02 AM
Excel: You will probably be expected to present and organize financial data in an organized format. You will also want the ability to analyze data to the extent you can tell if something is not balancing or incorrect (that may come with time after understanding the content of data you are presenting). In your resume, you will want to present your level of expertse using this software. Google around to get an understanding of what "Basic", "Advanced" and "Expert" with respect to this skill. PowerPoint: You may be asked to create presentations of various information your supervisor or company wants to present to an audience. Again, present your level of expertise in your resume. Word: You may be asked to create reports in text (perhaps technical reports) and tables. Again, present your level of expertise in your resume. If you don't know any of these programs. Microsoft.com has some free online tutorials you can do at home to get up to speed on the basics. Anonymous on 5/31/2012 2:37:44 AM
Examples of reports I have been asked to do are: Budgets-generally created in Excel, that include accountable spending (such as travel; meetings; samples; office supplies; samples; etc.) Be sure to know how to build sreadsheets in Excel. Hospital Databases - created in Access; that include a lot of information (such as names; addresses; number of procedures; number of beds; which products of ours they use; dollars sales annually; sales rep name; etc. Progress reports of staff - could be as simple as a summary in a Word document where the same templet is used from week to week or month to month (that will be shown to upper management for justification of work performed and next steps). Good luck! Pam Maestas on 5/30/2012 5:24:17 PM
There is more to preparing reports than just being able to enter the data into a program. When most employers list that as a job requirement, they are looking for someone who knows how to analyze data AND has experience (a key word!) in preparing reports. You will need to do more than find a software program and learn how to use it. My advice to you would be to seek opportunities in your current position where you can begin to take on this role. Once you've been doing it for a while (a couple of years at the least), you will be "seasoned" in that regard - which is what an employer desires. Good luck! Anonymous on 5/30/2012 9:20:52 AM
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