What is a Secretary or Administrative Assistant?
Example of Secretary or Administrative Assistant Job Perform routine clerical and administrative functions such as drafting correspondence, scheduling appointments, organizing and maintaining paper and electronic files, or providing information to callers.
A Day in the Life of a Secretary or Administrative Assistant
- Prepare conference or event materials, such as flyers or invitations.
- Operate electronic mail systems and coordinate the flow of information, internally or with other organizations.
- Take dictation in shorthand or by machine and transcribe information.
- Open, read, route, and distribute incoming mail or other materials and answer routine letters.
- Greet visitors or callers and handle their inquiries or direct them to the appropriate persons according to their needs.
- Learn to operate new office technologies as they are developed and implemented.
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Secretary or Administrative Assistant Required Skills
These are the skills Secretaries and Administrative Assistants say are the most useful in their careers:
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.
Related Job Titles
- Secretary Specialist
- Clerk Secretary
- Receptionist Secretary
- Construction Management Assistant
- Secretary-Book Keeper
Secretary or Administrative Assistant Job Outlook
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 2,536,200 jobs in the United States for Secretary or Administrative Assistant. There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Secretary or Administrative Assistant. The BLS estimates 244,300 yearly job openings in this field.
The states with the most job growth for Secretary or Administrative Assistant are Colorado, Washington, and Utah. Watch out if you plan on working in Maine, Vermont, or Illinois. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Salary for a Secretary or Administrative Assistant
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants make between $23,060 and $56,010 a year.
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants who work in District of Columbia, Massachusetts, or Connecticut, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants in different U.S. states.
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $35,670 |
| Alaska | $42,450 |
| Arizona | $36,050 |
| Arkansas | $30,860 |
| California | $43,670 |
| Colorado | $38,810 |
| Connecticut | $46,470 |
| Delaware | $39,930 |
| District of Columbia | $50,140 |
| Florida | $35,080 |
| Georgia | $34,520 |
| Hawaii | $40,290 |
| Idaho | $32,380 |
| Illinois | $37,930 |
| Indiana | $32,720 |
| Iowa | $35,210 |
| Kansas | $33,820 |
| Kentucky | $32,950 |
| Louisiana | $31,880 |
| Maine | $37,150 |
| Maryland | $40,870 |
| Massachusetts | $46,940 |
| Michigan | $36,980 |
| Minnesota | $40,580 |
| Mississippi | $32,160 |
| Missouri | $35,010 |
| Montana | $33,380 |
| Nebraska | $34,100 |
| Nevada | $40,060 |
| New Hampshire | $37,230 |
| New Jersey | $42,600 |
| New Mexico | $34,710 |
| New York | $41,190 |
| North Carolina | $36,630 |
| North Dakota | $38,580 |
| Ohio | $36,320 |
| Oklahoma | $32,090 |
| Oregon | $39,460 |
| Pennsylvania | $36,080 |
| Rhode Island | $43,120 |
| South Carolina | $35,510 |
| South Dakota | $29,300 |
| Tennessee | $35,000 |
| Texas | $35,550 |
| Utah | $34,400 |
| Vermont | $36,780 |
| Virginia | $39,390 |
| Washington | $43,260 |
| West Virginia | $31,980 |
| Wisconsin | $36,840 |
| Wyoming | $38,130 |
What Tools & Technology do Secretaries and Administrative Assistants Use?
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
- Hypertext markup language HTML
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Web browser software
- Microsoft Access
- Data entry software
- SAP
- Microsoft Windows
- Microsoft Project
- Spreadsheet software
- Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat
- Microsoft SharePoint
- Microsoft Visio
- Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop
- Microsoft Dynamics
- SAS
- Linux
How do I Become a Secretary or Administrative Assistant?
What education or degrees do I need to become a Secretary or Administrative Assistant?
How Long Does it Take to Become a Secretary or Administrative Assistant?
Where Secretaries and Administrative Assistants Work
The table below shows the approximate number of Secretaries and Administrative Assistants employed by various industries.
You May Also Be Interested In…
Those who work as a Secretary or Administrative Assistant sometimes switch careers to one of these choices:
- Concierges
- Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping
- Gaming Surveillance Officers and Gaming Investigators
References:
Image Credit: Jace Armstrong via public domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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