|
Review our list of featured admin assistant schools.
What Does An Administrative Assistant Do?
Some would say everything! Administrative assistants are responsible for whatever is necessary to efficiently run an office.
Some of their duties include:
* Be the information manager
* Plan and schedule meetings and appointments
* Organize and maintain all documents (paper and computer)
* Manage projects
* Do research
* Handle phone calls, postal mail, and e-mail
* Handle travel arrangements
The role of administrative assistants has changed a lot due to technology. Office automation and restructuring have forced administrative assistants to take specialized responsibilities once performed by upper management. Many administrative assistants train new staff, do research, and maintain new office technologies. Some of their tasks remain, however – handling administrative tasks and creating, storing, and handling all documents.
A quick look at the jobs section in your local newspaper or online career site shows that administrative and office assistants are in demand. The U.S. Department of Labor expects 6.2% growth in administrative jobs through 2014, so now’s a great time to start thinking about your new career. Associate’s degrees in business administration, administrative assisting, medical office coordination, and other administrative fields can be completed in just 1-2 years.
Today’s administrative assistant needs to have a solid base of software and technology expertise to cover duties ranging from creating documents with desktop publishing tools to creating PowerPoint presentations, managing databases, producing spreadsheets, and performing basic accounting tasks. Admin assistants are expected to use computers, fax machines, the Internet, photocopiers, scanners, e-mail, and telephones.
Many of these technical jobs have been handed down to assistants by their managers, who have in turn taken on more clerical tasks. Secretaries were once expected to type correspondence for their superiors – nowadays, many managers prefer to handle email themselves. Other clerical duties such as planning meetings and appointments and handling travel arrangements continue to be the responsibility of office administrators, coordinators, and assistants. Executive secretaries also take on responsibilities like training employees, conducting research, preparing statistical reports, and supervising other clerical staff.
While certain characteristics are important for any administrative personnel, such as being able to work independently and prioritize tasks, can not be learned in the classroom setting, the majority of skills can be acquired in school. An associate’s degree from any of the Administrative Assistant Schools to the right will provide you with the necessary skills in desktop publishing, word processing, data entry, and other computer programs. You can also choose specialized programs for administrative positions in healthcare or legal practices.
View our list of featured Administrative Assistant Schools.
Sources:
U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics
International Association of Administrative Professionals |
