The work of an administrative assistant is interesting and varied. If you love to be kept busy and are not afraid of a challenge, it could be an excellent career for you.
Are you a good problem solver who works well under pressure? Are you happy to give anything a go and learn new skills?
Then administrative assistant is definitely a profession you should consider.
What does the job of an administrative assistant entail?
Sound interesting? Then let’s take a closer look at some of the duties that could become part of your job as an administrative assistant…
Dealing with communications
While each administrative assistant position is different and will entail taking on a different set of tasks, there’s one thing you can be pretty sure of, your role is very likely going to involve answering the telephone and replying to emails.
The average business receives a wealth of emails and phone calls, and as an administrative assistant, it’s going to be down to you to sort it all out.
You’ll delete the junk mail, respond to enquiries, and take important messages.
You’ll prioritize returning calls, and highlight emails that need the attention of someone else in the company.
Organizing calendars and scheduling events
You’ll also be in charge of arranging appointments and engagements.
It will be up to you to ensure appointments don’t clash and are at times to suit everyone. You may even be involved in organizing events and hiring venues or meeting spaces.
You’ll become ever more valuable to the business when you begin to gain inside knowledge.
You’ll have a contact that always comes up with a space to rent for a last-minute meeting, and you’ll know that your boss hates having appointments first thing in the morning.
It is this attention to detail that makes a truly great administrative assistant.
Creating reports, organizing files and filing paperwork
Paperwork, whether it’s in physical or digital form, will play a large part in your role as an administrative assistant.
You’ll be tasked with filing and organizing documentation, and you may also be asked to prepare reports.
Meticulous attention to detail and the ability to multi-task is vital in this profession.
A variety of office admin tasks
Depending on the type of business you work for, you really could be asked to do pretty much anything within the office environment.
An administrative assistant never gets bored because there just isn’t time – there’s always something new to do!
From ensuring the office never runs out of printer paper, or coffee, to hiring a contractor for repair work or arranging a round of interviews for a new opening, the life of an administrative assistant is never dull.
So, What Degree Do You Need to Be an Administrative Assistant?
The big question is – what degree course will you need to complete before you can become an administrative assistant?
The answer to this is pretty interesting. There is actually no requirement to have a degree of any type, in order to work as an administrative assistant.
This comes with some major benefits, but also some drawbacks.
Firstly, let’s take a look at the positives. You don’t need to spend a fortune, taking a lengthy degree course.
Many of us simply can’t take the time out to go back to school to study for a degree. We’ve got bills to pay and we’ve got commitments.
This can be a problem when the career you’re hoping to go into requires degree-level qualifications. But if you want to become an administrative assistant, you don’t have this to worry about. You don’t have to invest all your savings, nor do you have to invest years of your time.
But now let’s take a look at the negatives.
Without a degree, it can be harder to prove your credentials and secure a position in this competitive industry, especially if you have no previous experience in the profession.
However, if you’re motivated and driven, this need not be a real problem. There are some easy solutions that will set you on the right track to getting your first job as an administrative assistant.
Let’s take a look at some great ways to put yourself ahead of the crowd when you’re applying for a job as an administrative assistant…
Earn a certificate in administration
Just because you don’t need a degree to become an administrative assistant doesn’t mean you shouldn’t consider working toward a relevant administrative assistant certification.
While a degree course is both extensive and expensive, there are short online courses available that can be completed flexibly in your spare time, in the comfort and convenience of your own home.
If you check out the courses available online, or at colleges in your local area, you’ll find some that are very reasonably priced. Here at the Administrative Assistant Institute, our courses start from as little as $247.
When choosing a course, look for one that rewards its successful students with a certificate. This is a great way to prove your credentials, it’s a huge enhancement to your resume, and of course, you’ll learn a lot of relevant skills on your course too.
Get your skills up to date
As an administrative assistant, you’ll need to work fast and efficiently.
An employer is likely to want you to hit the ground running, so it pays to be up to date with all the latest office software and systems.
While you can’t say for sure what systems a particular business will use, you can safely say that learning how to be an expert user of common software such as Microsoft Excel or Google Docs is going to be useful and will reassure potential employers that you know what you’re doing with regard to IT.
Ensure your resume is outstanding
When you’re applying for a position as an administrative assistant, it could well be the case that there are also many others vying for the same job.
It doesn’t matter how skilled you are, or how personable, if your resume is overlooked.
You know you can shine at an interview, so you need an impactful resume that will get you to that all-important next stage.
When a position gets lots of applicants, the person tasked with narrowing down the selection and putting together a shortlist of candidates has a mammoth job on their hands. Are they going to read every word of your carefully complied three-page-long resume that starts with a large paragraph extolling the joys of your interests and passions?
In a word, no. Successful resumes tend to be short and to the point.
Make sure the important parts stand out and can be seen at a glance.
Don’t let your administrative assistant certification be overlooked because you’ve wasted too much space on your resume telling potential employers how important your kids are to you, or that you enjoy walking the dog. Place the focus on what you can offer the business.
If in doubt, get a professional to look over your resume. You may need to alter the design to keep up with the latest trends, they may suggest ways to improve the text, or they might even spot an error that could have resulted in your resume being rejected due to a lack of attention to detail!
