Basic Business Skills Required

I cannot possibly list all of the business skills you are going to need to suit your particular line of work. However, there are two rather basic skills you will need to effectively perform in just about any office:

Computer skills - in all likelihood, you will need to interact with a computer somehow during the course of conducting business, whether it is to place an order, track a shipment, record your time, or to write a letter or memo. As such, you should become familiar with the basic operation of a computer. Most High Schools today do a fair job of teaching the basics, but if you missed the course, there are plenty of places you can receive training, such as at public libraries and community service associations. Of course, there are also professional training programs you can also attend.

In addition to the use of the keyboard, mouse, and monitor, one of the most important things to learn is the concept of the computer's "clipboard" which is used to copy and paste data from one program to another; e.g., from a spreadsheet to a word processing document. When using a computer, this is one of the most common features you will actively use. Also, learn the basics of the computer's file management system; e.g., the organization of the folders, the various file types used, and how to search the computer for its contents.

Also learn how to use the computer's help facilities to assist you in problem areas. Most programs use similar help facilities making it easy to learn and follow.

Word Processing - word processors are perhaps the most extensively used programs on a computer and there are a variety of programs available offering comparable features. Aside from basic typing, you should learn how to format a document in terms of setting up margins, pagination, headers and footers, and font selection (type, style, and size). More importantly, learn how to effectively use spell checkers and grammar checkers. I am amazed how many people use word processors yet know little about how to use such facilities. Consequently, a letter may look graphically appealing but is inundated with spelling errors and weak sentence structures.