Great Administrative Assistant Jobs and How to Get Them

Behind every good manager or executive is a reliable administrative assistant. This individual is responsible for preparing everything and anything for the big boss. The position puts a person in the middle of a very competitive and highly professional environment. On the lighter side, the job could require occasional mingling and socializing with executives. As the right hand of the big boss, an administrative assistant needs to be keen on every detail, for he or she is the eyes and ears of the boss. Whether the position puts you on a corporate management team or in the office of a distinguished doctor or lawyer, you will no doubt find yourself in a formal office environment.

Because communication is crucial in relaying information openly between clients or customers and the boss, it is sometimes imperative for an administrative assistant to be bilingual. This is especially true for companies that are dealing with foreign clients or investors. Since it is more expensive for companies to hire an in-house multi-lingual interpreter, they tend to hire bilingual administrative assistants instead. This enables the boss to work with a very efficient assistant on all occasions. As companies realize the importance of having a bilingual assistant, the demand for jobs as bilingual administrative assistants has increased exponentially.

Administrative assistant jobs comprise a big chunk of the workforce in the United States. These jobs put people in the middle of a very competitive and professional environment. Competition leads to difficulty in hiring. Being bilingual can be an advantage when applying for this job. Since the position is awarded the responsibility of making or writing correspondence on the boss' behalf, the jobs are tailor-made jobs for a bilingual. Being able to demonstrate good communication and interpersonal skills is important to the job. Aside from having excellent communication skills, anyone who is planning to pursue a career as an administrative assistant should be able to work comfortably with modern office equipment. Having the skills for advanced computer use will be helpful in doing correspondence. Being perceptive in the use of software programs for spreadsheets, word processing, and database management will surely be an advantage when it comes to job applications. Since assistants need to do business correspondence, you also need to know how to use copiers, fax machines, and multi-purpose telephones. Remember, there will be no difficulties when one is trying to find bilingual jobs in companies.



Often, assistants work with a secretary. Together, they make the boss look good and perform well in his or her job. Sometimes, the position will require you to perform administrative and clerical duties to smoothly run the company. The job may also involve you in the projects and tasks performed by communications managers, such as project management, research, and information dissemination. Together with the secretary, the job may require you to provide or arrange for training and orientation for new staff. It may even involve you in handling technical troubleshooting. An assistant may also help organize company events, and executive meetings may be arranged with the secretary.

Administrative assistant jobs are one of the classic office jobs. Common qualifications include skills in word processing, writing, and computer applications. Educational background requirements will vary depending on the company or office in which the assistant will be hired. High school graduates may even qualify for the job if they have basic office skills. However, for administrative assistants that are hired in the corporate world, a degree that is related to business is crucial as they are meant to work closely with top company executives. They may be hired for school organizations, hospitals, corporate settings, government agencies, and legal or medical offices. The common problems with this job include eyestrain, stress, and repetitive motion ailments. Nevertheless, with the right stress-management technique, all of these physical problems may be effectively managed.

Here are some great jobs that have administrative assistant qualifications:

• Executive Assistant/Senior Executive Assistant — responsible for handling administrative duties for executive management.
• Office/Facilities Manager — involved in operations management.
• Human Resources Assistant — responsible for the recruitment of new employees as well as employee-company relations.
• Sales/Marketing Assistant — supports marketing development.
• Project Coordinator — responsible for managing and organizing the internal and external parties of ongoing company projects.
• Logistics Coordinator — responsible for doing logistics processing for customer relations.

In 2006, the median annual income for administrative assistant jobs was $37,240. The annual earnings for this job were determined to fall in the range of $30,240 to $46,160. The salary of an administrative assistant would vary depending on the duties or field of expertise of an individual. Since all assistants possess different skills, work experience, and degrees of responsibility, their salaries will depend on the extent of their duties and responsibilities as well as their value in the company. Understandably, having a related educational background, impeccable work experience, and certifications of skills and other qualifications will command a higher salary. For people who are planning to pursue corporate careers in the future, this could be the perfect entry-level job. Being bilingual is definitely an advantage, and can be a factor in being given a higher salary and adequate benefits.