Looking for your next administrative opportunity? If so, differentiating yourself from your competitors is crucial to leaving a positive impression with employers and landing the job. Since employers routinely assess candidates on several dimensions that include personality traits, characteristics, and skills in order to identify the most qualified person for the role, you’ll want to demonstrate your fit in all the aforementioned aspects, in order to ace the interview. Take these four steps for success:

Do your research. Research the organization beforehand to bring yourself up to date with the standard practices and the business culture of the company. Doing so can help you develop key talking points about why you would be an excellent fit, while allowing you to identify the requirements of the role in order to strategically emphasize the skills and experience you have that make you qualified. You can do this by alluding to specific details of their company history, reputation, and goals during the interview. In the same respect, putting your most professional foot forward means embodying the ideals of the company, including everything from how you dress to what you say.

Master your technical skills. As an administrative professional, it’s important to show that you have full working knowledge of the tools you say you’re familiar with, that you’ll be able to acclimate to technology you may not already be proficient in, and will be capable of acquiring new skills in the future.

As a result, it’s wise to periodically revisit and brush up on any software knowledge or functions that can help you fulfill the duties of your position. For instance, depending on your role, you’ll probably be asked to:

• Create spreadsheets and databases
• Utilize the internet (for research purposes), as well as company-specific applications
• Create presentations using graphics and PowerPoint/Keynote/Prezi
• Create and format documents such as manuals, newsletters, and other content
• Fax, photocopy, and scan materials

By looking up job postings and descriptions that are similar to what you want to do in desirable industries, you can compile a list of standard software programs and office equipment to become proficient in.

Emphasize your soft skills. As an office support professional, soft skills are just as important as technical skills. Some soft skills to emphasize in an interview include your:

• Communication skills
• Time Management skills
• Organizational skills
• Ability to manage stress
• Abilities to work independently as well as on a team

Be adaptable.  As a team member, it’s expected that you’ll have a roll-up-your-sleeves attitude and pitch in to provide back-up support for your colleagues when the need arises. Since you’re the person that many rely on for keeping workflow organized and efficient, you’ll need to master the art of keeping your composure in times of change, and going above and beyond the job description. As a result, in an interview, it’s important to show employers that you are a professional who can be flexible with your duties and are able to remain productive and positive under a variety of working conditions.

As the job market strengthens, more and more employers are looking for talented office support professionals to fortify their teams. If you’re determined to get on the fast track and scale the administrative ladder, doing a self-evaluation using the aforementioned four dimensions can help you market yourself. Once you do get hired, you’ll be well-prepared for what lies ahead.