Administrative Assistant Job Description
Administrative assistants and secretaries provide important clerical assistance to offices. Higher-level administrative assistant job duties may include more advanced work. Educational requirements vary, but some college is usually preferred.
Administrative Assistant Job Description
Administrative assistants, also referred to as secretaries, offer support for office personnel. Their responsibilities can vary greatly, depending on the size of the office and how many other assistants there are. Administrative assistants may schedule meetings or appointments, arrange travel accommodations and organize files. They need to be well-versed with office equipment, such as fax machines, scanners, videoconferencing systems and photocopiers.
Career Options
Executive assistants provide support for executives and managers. These assistants share some clerical duties, such as handling correspondence between high-ranking personnel, but may also conduct research and prepare reports. Executive assistants may train and supervise other clerical staff members.
Medical and legal secretaries need technical knowledge about their field. Medical secretaries may need to understand insurance claims, billing and medical procedures. Legal secretaries may need an understanding of the legislation relevant to the types of law their firms practice. Other administrative assistants who perform specialized duties may work in engineering or with schools.
Educational Requirements
A high school diploma is the minimum requirement for most entry-level administrative assistant jobs. Relevant programs are offered at the associate’s degree or certificate levels, which offer coursework in keyboarding, databases management and office administration. Programs specific to medical or legal administrative assistants are available, which include courses on the procedures and terminology specific to those fields. The BLS indicates that employers of executive-level assistants are increasingly seeking individuals with college degrees.
