Secretary or Administrative Assistant

Occupation Description: Perform routine clerical and administrative functions such as drafting correspondence, scheduling appointments, organizing and maintaining paper and electronic files, or providing information to callers.

Life As a Secretary or Administrative Assistant: What Do They Do? * Greet visitors or callers and handle their inquiries or direct them to the appropriate persons according to their needs. * Open, read, route, and distribute incoming mail or other materials and answer routine letters. * Use computers for various applications, such as database management or word processing. * Arrange conference, meeting, or travel reservations for office personnel. * Coordinate conferences, meetings, or special events, such as luncheons or graduation ceremonies.

Qualities of a Secretary or Administrative Assistant

Secretaries and Administrative Assistants state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work: * Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times. * Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively. * Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents. * Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience. * Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people. * Time Management: Managing one’s own time and the time of others.

Types of Secretary or Administrative Assistant Jobs * Office Secretary * Administrative Support Specialist * School Secretary

Secretary or Administrative Assistant Salary

The salary for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants ranges between about $23,060 and $56,010 a year.

Secretaries and Administrative Assistants who work in District of Columbia, Massachusetts, or Connecticut, make the highest salaries.

Tools & Technologies Used by Secretaries and Administrative Assistants

Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Secretaries and Administrative Assistants: * Microsoft Excel * Microsoft Word * Microsoft Office * Microsoft PowerPoint * Microsoft Outlook * Microsoft Access * SAP * Microsoft Windows * Microsoft Project * Spreadsheet software * Microsoft SharePoint * Microsoft Visio * Microsoft Dynamics * SAS

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