Do I need to screen for admin skills when hiring?

Claire Baker
Nov 9
2 min read

"Everybody knows how to do that."

But do they, though?

When it comes to hiring and promotion, we tend to think admin skills are intuitive. So we devalue them.

But admin skills are not universal.

Let’s take planning a simple lunch meeting:

“Noon on Tuesday at the Cheesecake Factory.”

Piece of cake, right?

Not so fast.

First, is the Cheesecake Factory within walking distance, or will you need to take an Uber? Have you factored in the Uber wait time and travel? What if the meeting before it runs long?

What’s the lunch crowd like at the Cheesecake Factory? Will you need a reservation? And if you get a reservation, whose name should you put it under?

Is this the first time you’ve met? How will you even recognize each other? And do you have each other’s cell numbers in case you’re late?

How are the acoustics? Will it be too loud to hear each other? Will someone have to shout trade secrets at top volume?

And how quick is the service? Will you get your food in time to eat and get back to the next meeting? What about the check? Is there time for that?

And is this meeting even appropriate for the Cheesecake Factory? You can’t take a country club guest to the Cheesecake Factory.

Ten-figure deals have been lost for less.

Deadlines. Presence. Responsiveness. Fiscal responsibility. When you think about how small details affect outcomes, the cumulative effects of tiny administrative decisions add up.