The main function of the administrative assistant is to perform and coordinate the administrative activities of an office. Administrative assistants perform a variety of functions to run an organization efficiently. Administrative assistants serve as communication managers, where they have to plan meetings, appointments, maintain data, papers, and electronic files. They need to conduct research and circulate information to the people concerned. They may even need to make travel arrangements for guests and employees.
Administrative assistants are also required to make presentations, create spreadsheets and make reports, manage certain databases, write correspondence, parley with vendors, maintain and examine leased equipment, maintain the office library, manage the stockrooms, provide the required training to new staff and certain old ones too.
A high school graduate with basic computer and office skills can qualify for the post of an administrative assistant. A bachelor's degree is an added benefit to work as managerial assistant and perform more complex jobs. Pursuing vocational classes that deal in typing and other basic office skills or a diploma course in the same can be handy. These can be obtained from business and technical institutes. If you are retired and do not possess the basic skills to be an administrative assistant, you could can acquire them by enrolling for online courses or correspondence courses. Administrative assistants working with the legal or medicine industry need to have certification in certain specialized courses. This helps them to get comfortable with the terminologies specific to the industry. More and more organizations today prefer individuals with an MBA, as they are then better equipped to understand and handle the job responsibilities. Training to perform the task of an assistant administrator is given mainly on the job. Certifications like NALS, CAP, CPS, ALS and few others could be handy for this occupation. There are many placement agencies that will provide you with short term courses to equip the candidates with the required skill set.
An administrative assistant needs to be very swift at his work and proficient at computers. They should have good written and verbal communication skills because information needs to be conveyed to clients or other office staff with extreme accuracy. Good interpersonal skills are an added benefit as they need to deal with all kinds of individuals. Versatility and independent working abilities are some of the skill sets that help administrative assistants at the senior level. An Administrative assistant in the legal or medical field need certain technological know-how too.
Experience of many years will help you to handle the office of senior executives with ease and elegance. Most recruiters while recruiting administrative assistants are on a look out for prior experience as the job needs a lot of maturity and sense of responsibility on the part of the recruit.
The situation of an administrative assistant holds huge vacancies that spans across all the industries and government departments. 9 out of 10 administrative assistants work in the service providing sector that ranges from health to education. The second highest employer of administrative assistant and secretaries is the manufacturing and construction industry. The job scopes in this sector will continue to grow as no industry can perform without the valuable services provided by these people. Job opportunities are best for experienced and retired individuals with good computer skills and strong communication abilities.
The median annual salary of administrative assistants is about twenty seven thousand dollars. The salary of the experienced performers among administrative assistants could even go up to as high as forty one thousand annually. But salary will vary with location, experience, educational qualifications, and employing organization.
Job opportunities for experienced individuals are huge as a part time administrative assistant across all industries. If you have the required experience, skill set, and knowledge, a part time administrative assistant's job is a great way to utilize the long period of retirement.
