In most cases, administrative assistants work in an office setting. These individuals are usually hired as aides to one or more senior executives or company officials. Administrative assistant jobs are available in a variety of industries, including real estate and web development. Their responsibilities often include a mix of clerical, specialized, and personal tasks.
An administrative assistant’s skill set can be quite diverse. This is due to the fact that each employer’s requirements may be quite different. Even within a single industry, this is true. Administrative assistant work at one printing company may not entail the same tasks or skills as administrative assistant work at another. As a result, even when a person’s experience in the field is obvious, the disclosure and assessment of responsibilities is often a deciding factor during the interview process.
Almost every administrative assistant job entails some level of clerical work. Finding a job that does not require computer skills is difficult, if not impossible. Basic spreadsheet, word processing, and Internet skills may be all that is required of those computer skills. In some cases, a person may be expected to be extremely knowledgeable in these areas, as well as experience with less common programs like accounting software.
The types of specialized knowledge that may be required vary depending on the industry and the company. Administrative assistant work at a website development firm, for example, may necessitate some programming and web design knowledge. A real estate company, on the other hand, may demand that a person be knowledgeable in areas such as real estate law and geography.
Because many professionals are overworked, the distinction between an administrative assistant and a personal assistant can become hazy. Personal tasks for others, such as scheduling activities or rejecting invitations that are not directly related to work, are common in administrative assistant jobs. Menial tasks such as ordering and receiving lunch or sending and receiving private deliveries are examples of such jobs.
Administrative assistants are assigned to various levels within some businesses. Some may be more qualified, well-paid, and have higher-ranking positions than others. This frequently occurs when the required workload exceeds one person’s capacity. It’s also found in businesses that advocate for the separation of certain functions, such as accounts receivable and payable. Administrative assistant work may be specifically defined in these cases, or a senior administrator may delegate duties as she sees fit.