Administrative Assistant

Secretaries and administrative assistants work in nearly every industry. Most secretaries and administrative assistants work in an office setting. Some administrative assistants may work out of their own homes as virtual assistants

Some of the things a secretary or administrative assistant might do:

• Answer telephones and take messages or transfer calls
• Schedule appointments and update event calendars
• Arrange staff meetings
• Handle incoming and outgoing mail and faxes
• Prepare memos, invoices, or other reports
• Edit documents
• Maintain databases and filing systems, whether electronic or paper
• Perform basic bookkeeping

Watch this video to learn about what our administrative assistant role models do in their careers:

• Decision-Making skills: Secretaries and administrative assistants often prioritize tasks and make decisions on their employers’ behalf, so good judgment is essential.
• Interpersonal skills: Secretaries and administrative assistants interact with clients, customers, or staff. They should communicate effectively and be courteous when interacting with others to create a positive work environment and client experience.
• Organizational skills: Secretaries and administrative assistants keep files, folders, and schedules in proper order so an office can run efficiently.
• Writing skills: Secretaries and administrative assistants write memos and emails when communicating with managers, employees, and customers. Therefore, they must have good grammar, ensure accuracy, and maintain a professional tone.

Watch this video to learn more from our administrative assistant role models:

The average pay for secretaries and administrative assistants in the United States was $46,010 in May 2023 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The specific pay depends on factors such as level of experience, education and training, geographic location, and specific industry.

About 316,000 new job openings for secretaries and administrative assistants are projected each year, on average, over the next 10 years in the United States.

Overall employment of secretaries and administrative assistants is projected to decline 10 percent from 2022 to 2032 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

In some organizations, technology is expected to enable other staff to prepare their own documents without the assistance of secretaries.

However, employment of medical secretaries and administrative assistants is projected to grow 8 percent from 2021 to 2031.

High school graduates can take courses in word processing and office procedures at technical schools or community colleges. Some temporary placement agencies also provide training in word processing, spreadsheet, and database software.

Some medical and legal secretaries learn industry-specific terminology and practices by attending courses offered at community colleges or technical schools. For executive secretary positions, employers increasingly prefer to hire those who have taken some college courses or have a bachelor’s degree.

Discover some of the courses you will take pursuing a degree in English/Creative Writing.

Watch this video to learn more from our administrative assistant role models: