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An administrative assistant is the driving force of a business.
They make sure things stay on the right track, and are the ones to smooth things over when they go awry.
This role can be a hectic one, you’ll need to have a very broad skills base, as well as the ability to multi-task.
You’ll be the person responsible for making sure the I’s are dotted and the t’s are crossed.
Working as an administrative assistant is a challenging role in itself, it can also be a doorway into many other exciting careers.
Successful administrative assistants are good problem solvers.
They know how to think on their feet and come up with solutions that are sometimes a bit outside the square.
If you’re a creative person who can think laterally, you’ll make an excellent administrative assistant.
Interpersonal skills are important too, you will need to be able to get on well with your colleagues and supervisors, as well as clientele that you communicate with.
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Education Requirements to Become an Administrative Assistant
While there are no formal requirements to become an administrative assistant, there are several different pathways you could take to become employed in this role.
If you have some good work experience in other industries, you may be able to gain a job without any education.
Also, if you have just finished high school, you may gain an entry-level role or some work as an intern.
It’s also possible to get a job as a secretary or working in a mailroom, and then be promoted to administrative assistant.
Most administrative assistants do have some kind of post-secondary education.
You can take a specialized diploma or certificate program either at a community college or business school.
During this time you’ll develop word processing and customer service skills, learn some basic accounting, as well as how businesses are structured.
Another option is to gain a specialist certificate as a legal or medical secretary.
With this extra qualification, you may find it easier to get work and will earn a higher salary.
If you’re not quite sure what kind of area you want to work in yet, you can always revisit this later and do some further training later in your career.
Employers will hold a college degree in high regard.
If you have completed a degree with a focus on the humanities then this will help you, as will any subjects in business or accounting.
Administrative Assistant Job Description
Administrative assistants can be found working in almost every industry.
Some will deal exclusively with clients and customers, others may work entirely behind the scenes.
Here are some of the tasks you might find yourself completing in a day.
- Greeting clients
- Answering calls, faxes, and emails
- Data entry
- Completing letters and forms
- Organizing ingoing and outgoing mail
- Bookkeeping
- Customer service
- Appointment setting and diary management
Depending on the industry you are employed in, these tasks could be quite varied.
Working in this kind of role is a good introduction to different types of work.
Administrative Assistant Salary and Career Path
Most administrative assistants start in entry-level positions, with time and experience they can move on to more complex roles.
Some move on to become office managers, personal assistants, and other senior positions.
Many go on to work within the industries they are employed in.
Some complete further study to become bookkeepers and accountants.
If you’re not sure what kind of administrative role you would like to be doing, look for an all-rounder job in a big company.
This will allow you to learn all different kinds of work, as well as have plenty of opportunities to move into more focused roles later on.
Building up a good range of different skills early on in your administrative career is important, you never know when you might need to use them.
According to BLS.gov, an administrative assistant’s median salary is around $30,000 per year.
Over time with some further training, and promotion to a senior role such as a personal assistant or office manager, you could expect to earn $50,000 a year or higher.
Gone are the days where secretaries completed mundane office work, today’s administrators are switched on and highly skilled workers who are helping to drive business.
If you are looking for a job that will offer you security, variety, and plenty of scope for advancement, then working as an administrative assistant could be perfect for you.
