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How to Become an Administrative Assistant

Administrative Assistants are essential members of the office management team that allows businesses to run smoothly. Secretaries have similar responsibilities to administrative assistants, but usually perform more clerical and fewer management tasks.

Administrative assistants help keep offices running by:

• Coordinating office activities
• Managing phone, mail, and electronic communications
• Scheduling meetings and appointments
• Maintaining databases, spreadsheets, and files
• Creating presentations
• Managing office equipment and supplies
• Training and orienting office staff

Administrative assistants must have computer software skills such as word processing, spreadsheet management, and database management. Office personnel also need good interpersonal skills. You can learn to be an administrative assistant through a specialized training program, typically a one-year diploma program or two-year associate's degree program at a business school, vocational-technical institute, or community college. You'll increase your opportunities for promotion to management positions, and your earnings, with a bachelor's degree.

Administrative assistant salaries vary widely. The 2004 median earnings of several types of secretaries and administrative assistants included:

• Executive secretaries and administrative assistants: $35,000
• Legal secretaries: $37,000
• Medical secretaries: $27,000

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Source: Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2006-2007 Edition; Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor.