Are you looking for more than a job but a career? Getting the training you need to be an effective administrative assistant is an ideal way to start a new career. And the good news is that Ģ����ý and Institute offers an Administrative Assistant program that can prepare you for entry-level positions in many unique industries. So, where do administrative assistants work?

Where Do Administrative Assistants Work?

While many industries rely on administrative assistants, your skillset and interest may help you direct your job search to one of the following fields.

Healthcare

As an administrative assistant in healthcare, you will spend part of your day organizing client files. You will likely be exposed to private information as an administrative assistant so it is important to study HIPAA restrictions, which will give you a deeper understanding of general professional security and patient privacy.

With each task you take on, you will have the chance to build your professional skills. If your job includes answering phones, you will learn to manage patients who are distressed, unwell, or in pain. The ability to be supportive, gentle, and direct can help you in many aspects of your career and, indeed, your life.

You will understand the certifications and licensure requirements of others in your current office. You may work with certified medical assistants, licensed practical nurses, registered nurses, and nurse practitioners. You will also get the chance to work with physician assistants and physicians. Occupational and physical therapists may also be among the professionals you support.

A detailed understanding of the breadth of these positions may be possible to learn over time. If you intend to continue your career in administration, you may be called upon to schedule additional training for any of these professionals so they can maintain their licensure. If you plan to get more schooling in the world of healthcare, these professionals can give you pointers on your educational goals.

Part of your work will be to support the office administrator. By supporting aspects of their work, such as basic bookkeeping, you can increase your skills and make yourself a more attractive employee. Each time you tackle this assignment, do your best to understand better where it fits in the overall framework of the bookkeeping process.

Education

An administrative assistant in the educational field may have the pleasure of working with administrators, teachers, students, and paraprofessionals. Part of your work will include scheduling staff meetings or parent/teacher/administrative meetings.

You can use this time to invest in your skill in greeting “customers” as you may be dealing with busy parents, overloaded teachers, and troubled students. Staying consistent with your presentation will take focus; any organization that serves young people, especially very young people, will require you to remain flexible.

When you work in education, you will take care of filing and document design. You may help teachers design parent notification documents, including documents that need to be viewed, signed off on, and returned to the teacher and school. Tracking tools, such as spreadsheets, will help you  design effective documentation management, and your skills can be of great help to teachers and administrators.

Employees in education will also need to stay abreast of legal and regulatory changes. Even those who work at private colleges will still need to follow state and federal regulations. Creating a process for storing copies of grades, student correspondence, and syllabi may be part of your workload.

Professional Services

As an administrative assistant, you will support sales personnel or engineers. Accountants and financial advisors also need administrative assistants. Each professional industry serves as a draw for different personality types; if you are a quiet, reflective person, supporting a dynamic sales team in the automotive industry may be challenging. A person who loves action and change may not thrive as an assistant to a tax professional.

Never stop looking for a way to build your skills. Data entry is a simple skill, but helping car shoppers apply for an automobile loan may require you to work quickly and handle detailed information.

Stay open to input, but make sure you check in with your supervisor. Many salespeople are carefully focused on their clients; they may check in at odd times or have tasks that need to be addressed quickly. Clients can also change your work requirements; if a client is out of town when their tax return is complete, you may need to prepare a lengthy fax.

Be aware that your industry may also impact your hours. If you work for a public accountant, March and April will be busy. If you support a team of sales professionals at a car dealership, your days off may not include the weekend. Each of these features of your job will have pluses and minuses; just be aware that flexibility may be required.

Scientific Services

As an administrative assistant for a scientific services firm, you may be given the chance to learn a great deal about the regulatory world. For example, you may work for a lab that supports the petrochemical industry, and you may be tasked with direct communication, such as phone calls and memos, to the professionals in your firm.

Knowing which professional handles what documentation will take time. It will also require you to understand document content to direct it properly. For example, the head of Research and Development may need immediate access to documentary changes in product content. In contrast, the Head of Manufacturing might need all incoming information on regulatory changes in packaging.

If you plan to continue your science education, your administrative assistant position may help you see the scientific process from the ground up. The life of a scientist is one of endless curiosity; after all, the scientific method is all about asking questions and conducting experiments. Part of your job will include taking care of the database where results are tracked. As you work with the numbers and information, the compilation of data can pique your curiosity.

Technical Services

The world of technical services is far-reaching and may offer you the opportunity for tremendous growth. You may work for a firm that does testing for other industries. Your tasks will include detailed tracking of lab work dedicated to measuring fluids, weights, or even measuring tools.

This is the field for those who are detail oriented. If you can work independently, you can quickly become even more valuable to your direct supervisors and your firm. In such cases, you must learn to manage your capacities.

As an administrative assistant in technical services, you will need to learn jargon and acronyms. To avoid an embarrassing or costly mix-up, carry a notebook to consistently remember which acronym or jargon is specific to different clients.

The ability to quickly enter numbers into a spreadsheet is a skill that you can build. You’ll also need to learn the following:

• Asking for a deadline so you can manage your tasks
• Take a break when you need one so you can stay focused
• Coming up with design changes if a database can’t be easily manipulated

As you build your time management skills, you may be given more opportunities to work autonomously. This is an ideal way to increase your skills, support more people, and grow within your firm.

Final Thoughts

A quality administrative assistant will find ways to grow at almost any organization. Keep your eyes open for new ways to learn. If you’ve been assigned a database clean-up that could benefit from an updated layout, go ahead and finish the clean-up task, then offer to create a sample layout change.

Administrative Assistant Program

The trains Ģ����ý College students to seek entry-level positions in the office administration or secretarial field. Graduates may work as a secretary, receptionist, executive assistant, or administrative assistant after coursework is completed. The school’s  Administrative Assisting program externship will allow Ģ����ý College students to apply the skills learned during the classroom training.

Contact Ģ����ý & Institute today to learn more about becoming an administrative assistant

Monday through Friday and 9:00am – 5:00pm schedules are common for an administrative assistant. Schedules may vary depending on the employer’s needs and business operations. Benefits are at the discretion of the employer and size of the business. Opportunities are available for flexible schedules.

Knowing your strengths and weaknesses simplifies the job selection process. You want to seek a position where you perform well and enhance your current skill set. If hired, you should be confident that you will fulfill their clerical tasks and be an asset to the team.

What are Administrative Assistant Skills?

The general support that an administrative assistant provides revolves around the organization, communication, and clerical needs of the staff. As an administrative assistant, you will cater and report to managers and members of the executive team. The skill set acquired to qualify for this position will service any field or industry.

What are the Skills That Make You A Qualified Assistant?

There are many different skills that support an administrative assistant to succeed at an organization. The top skills include customer service, technology savvy, organization, verbal and written communication, time management, strategic planning, being detail oriented, billing and research skills.

Skill #1: Customer Service – knowing how to interact with others under a variety of circumstances is a crucial component in recruiting and sustaining client relations. The administrative assistant is strategically located at the entrance as the face of the business. They must emanate the company’s mission through your actions, expressions, and delivery of services. The administrative assistant must know how to handle unfavorable situations that are inevitable in business. They will be relied on to diffuse these issues so that management does not have to be involve themselves unless necessary.

Skill #2: Technology Savvy – staying updated on the latest office equipment is essential to remain a competitor in this field. Technology is always changing in the workplace. The phone systems can be monitored via software and used in business analytics, desktop computers are upgraded, and faxing through a facsimile machine is becoming extinct.

Skill #3: Organization – not only must the administrative assistant structure their work in a productive fashion, the administrative staff needs organization as well. Keeping things in a specific order, creating schedules that function properly for all parties involved, and planning a variety of events are among the many tasks that will keep the business moving forward. Creating records, reports, logs, and reminders are some of the methods used by administrative assistant to stay organized.

Skill #4: Verbal and Written Communication – administrative assistants communicate in person, on the phone, by email, and by postal mail. The delivery of their message must be concise. The administrative assistant’s tone should reflect enthusiasm, empathy, and confidence. The administrative assistant is the primary resource for the business.

Skill #5: Time Management – the office schedule is managed in a way that works for everyone. Setting deadlines and reminders will assist with meeting an administrative assistant’s goals. Enforcing schedules and time limitations will keep everyone in sync. Proper time management skills include allowing for extra time on schedule for unforeseen circumstances.

Skill #6: Strategic Planning – pertinent to ensuring that everyone is effectively working toward a common goal. Meetings develop goals where goals, and a strategy of execution is planned. The goals are based on the needs of the company, the clients, and the industry.

Skill #7: Detail Oriented – dotting your I’s and crossing your T’s is essential in this administrative support role. Human error is expected. An administrative assistant will want to review their work before final submission. It should become second nature to look for errors or missing items.

Skill #8: Billing – it is important to balance the company budget to meet its internal and external needs. There are several software programs designed to assist businesses with managing their finances. Creating invoices, purchase orders, creating deposits, and processing payments are all parts of billing.

Sill #9: Research – being a skilled researcher is invaluable to a business. Information, statistics, and comparisons are usually needed to stay in sync with competitors. Administrative assistants need research skills to successfully perform their job.

What Business Related Software Does an Administrative Assistant Use?

Microsoft Office is the most used software suite by administrative assistants. Word processing, creating spreadsheets, presentations, and databases are part of the job description. Excelling in this area is vital to an administrative assistants’ success.

What are the Personality Skills Needed to Succeed?

An administrative assistant needs specific personality skills to perform their job successfully. These personality skills include multi-tasking, being a team player, being discreet, showing patients, and being ambitious.

Skill #10: Multi-tasking – being able to handle multiple tasks at once and execute them as requested is a skill an administrative assistant must master. Answering a call while performing data entry and greeting a guest is a common occurrence at a business.

Skill #11: Team Player – working well with others is essential in a support role. The team must fulfill the company’s mission as one. Helping or being one step ahead and getting something done without being asked is a valuable quality of an administrative assistant.

Skill #12: Discretion – some companies require an administrative assistant to sign a Non-Disclosure agreement that prohibits them from sharing inside information. In absence of this agreement, an administrative assistant should still be discreet. Earning an employer’s trust is important to their future with the business and in the industry.

Skill #13: Patience – an administrative assistant comes across many circumstances where patience is key to resolving the issues. If they lose their cool it could cause a domino effect and set the entire office in a frenzy.

Skill #14: Ambition – exuding interest and satisfaction with the work an administrative assistant is doing will reflect in the atmosphere of their workplace. Voluntarily learning things outside of their job description will expand their qualifications. Adding on new skills may qualify an administrative assistant for a promotion.

What Industries Require Tailored Skills?

There are many different industries that an administrative assistant can work in. Along with getting an administrative assistant diploma, on the job skills and education will prepare the administrative assistant for entry-level positions. The industries include the medical field, law, government, construction, automotive among other businesses.

For the medical field, an administrative assistant will need to supplement their education with medical terminology, safety procedures, and employment policies. Joining a law firm will involve legal terminology, legal documents, and legal procedures. An administrative assistant that joins a government agency will also need to learn government policies, protocol, and safety procedures. An administrative assistant working in the construction industry will need to learn general contracting terminology, contracting law, and the Department of Buildings procedural process. Working in the automotive industry involves learning car industry terminology, safety procedures, cross selling and upselling.

Some businesses provide onboard training to orient an administrative assistant in the company’s policies and procedures. Most expect the administrative assistant to come with the skill set or the experience necessary to fill the role immediately. Employers look for knowledge of the industry and its terminology. They depend on an administrative assistant to execute their basic responsibilities tailored to their services.

Typical Administrative Assistant Tasks

An administrative assistant performs many tasks working within an office and supporting the executive team. Trip planning entails booking flights, hotels, renting vehicles, getting directions, confirming reservations, and any special directives provided by management. An administrative assistant will manage the executive team’s daily itinerary. They’re expected to manage everyone’s schedule to enable the most productivity. The administrative assistant is responsible for keeping track of all changes, cancellations, and emergency situations. The schedule must be adapted accordingly. Everyone must be aware of what they are doing, where they are going, or who they will be meeting with at all times.

The administrative assistant handles documents, reports, and presentations. These tools are a vital source of communication and education of the business. The administrative assistant will educate the clients every step of the way through client communication. Some services will require an administrative assistant to process a payment before the client leaves or after the services are rendered. Administrative assistants call potential customers with the hope of luring them in for an appointment. Follow up contact will be the most repetitive task. It is good practice to follow up with clients, vendors, and in-house personnel. This ensures everyone is in sync. It avoids confusion and chaos.

An administrative assistant creates a welcoming atmosphere to work in. To be productive, they must put in place a functioning system. Order will prevent delays, miscommunication, and unnecessary errors that could cost the business money or clients. Cleanliness will contribute to making their space healthy to work in. Adding a personal touch solidifies their bond with the business. It conveys that the administrative assistant cares about the environment they work in. Less clutter equals more space for productivity and clear thought

Final Thoughts

What are you looking for in a new career? Becoming an administrative assistant opens many doors of opportunity. With businesses adapting to modern strategies, the administrative assistant may also opt to work from home. There are many positions offered remotely by reputable companies. An administrative assistant can work from home as an independent contractor for several clients. They can also work directly by telecommuting with one employer as a full-time employee with potential benefits. After gaining experience they may choose to further their education to advance their career. Experience, staying up to date on one’s skills, and a willingness to learn may help an administrative assistant advance.

Did learning about what an administrative assistant does interest you? The is designed to train Ģ����ý College students to seek entry-level positions in the office administration or secretarial field. The Administrative Assisting graduate may work as a secretary, receptionist, executive assistant, or administrative assistant.

Contact us to learn more about becoming an administrative assistant.

Administrative Assistant Roles

Role #1: Secretary & Administrative Assistants – performs clerical and administrative duties. They organize files, prepare documents, schedule appointments and support staff. They can work in offices, schools, government agencies and private corporations. According to the , secretaries and administrative assistants typically do the following:

• Answer telephones and take messages or transfer calls
• Schedule appointments and update event calendars
• Arrange staff meetings
• Handle incoming and outgoing mail
• Prepare memos, invoices, or other reports using word processing software
• Edit documents with Microsoft Office
• Maintain databases and filing systems, whether electronic or paper

Role #2: Receptionist – the first employee of an organization that a customer or client will have contact with. A receptionist is responsible for making a good first impression. The receptionist is also responsible for performing administrative tasks, answer phones, receive visitors and provide general information about the organization to the public. Receptionists typically do the following:

• Answer telephone calls and take messages or forward calls
• Schedule and confirm appointments and maintain company calendars
• Greet and welcome customers, clients, and other visitors
• Check visitors in and direct them to specific destinations
• Inform other employees of visitors’ arrivals or cancellations
• Copy, file, and maintain paper or electronic documents
• Handle incoming and outgoing mail and email

Role #3: Executive Assistant – provide high-level administrative support by conducting research, preparing statistical reports, handling information requests, and performing clerical functions such as preparing correspondence, receiving visitors, arranging conference calls, and scheduling meetings for an office and for top executives of an organization. They may handle more complex responsibilities and some also supervise clerical staff. Executive assistants do the following on a day-to-day basis:

• Assistance with clerical tasks, accepting and making phone calls, setting business meetings, sending memos, reviewing incoming reports and setting the executive’s daily schedule.
• Conduct research and prepare statistical reports that are used by executives to make business decisions.
• Receive visitors and controls which phone calls go through to the executive.
• Supervise and train clerical staff to coordinate administrative assistants and their tasks.

Administrative Assistant Curriculum

An administrative assisting program will teach specific curriculum including accounting, office administration skills, Microsoft Office, business math and English, and advanced keyboarding.

Manual and Computerized Accounting – keeping financial records by hand or with the aid of a computer. The administrative assistant will be responsible for recording of financial transactions plus storing, sorting, retrieving, summarizing and presenting the information in various reports.

Office Administration Skills – related to running a business or keeping an office organized. Office administration skills include creating documents, managing spreadsheets, conducting research, maintaining files, answering telephones and managing customers. Office administration skills include the following skills that a successful administrative assistant should learn:

• Communication Skills – an administrative assistant will interact with employers, staff and clients. It is important for the administrative assistant to speak clearly, loudly and maintain a positive tone. They must also listen in order to know how to help. Written communication is also important for administrative assistants to master.
• Technology Skills – administrative assistants operate a variety of technological tools including Microsoft Office and online scheduling programs. They may also be responsible for the maintenance of office equipment, faxes, scanners and printers.
• Organization – administrative assistants must keep extremely organized to juggle the many tasks they are responsible for. They will use calendars, appointment scheduling software and other tools to keep the office running smoothly.
• Planning – a successful administrative assistant can plan and schedule things in advance. They need to plan ahead and prepare for any office issues.
• Problem Solving – Many members of the staff and customers come to the administrative assistant with questions or problems. The administrative assistant must be able to listen to questions or problems and come up with an appropriate solution using problem solving skills.

Microsoft Office – a computer program created by Microsoft for word processing, spreadsheets, database management, email management and presentation creation.

• Microsoft Word – a word processing program that helps administrative assistant create documents, memos, letters and business collateral. These documents can be printed or sent by email.
• Microsoft Excel – a spreadsheet program that can calculate, graph, manage data in pivot tables and use macros to perform repetitive tasks.
• Microsoft Access – a database management system to manage contacts and other data for later use by administrative assistants.
• Microsoft PowerPoint – presentation software that uses slide presentations to convey information for meetings or educational purposes.
• Microsoft Outlook – email interface and personal information manager that is used for email applications, calendar, task manager, contact manager, note taking, journaling and web browsing.

Business Math and English – used by administrative assistants to record and manage business operations. Mathematics in particular is used in accounting, inventory management, marketing, sales forecasting and financial analysis. The most common topic of business math is Business Statistics. Business English focuses on vocabulary, spelling, grammar, and punctuation used by the administrative assistant for correspondence, meetings, presentations, and report writing.

Advanced Keyboarding – much of what an administrative assistant does is completed on a computer with a keyboard. The administrative assistant must master advanced keyboarding to increase their skill, speed and accuracy while typing. This advanced typing skill can be used while creating of business reports, presentations and correspondence.

Did learning about the role of an administrative assistant interest you? Want to find out more about becoming an administrative assistant and learning about accounting, office administrative skills, Microsoft Office, business math and English, and advanced keyboarding? The is designed to train Ģ����ý College students to seek entry-level positions in the office administration or secretarial field. The externship phase of the program will allow students to apply the skills learned during the classroom training. Graduates of the program can also transfer all credits into Ģ����ý’s Associate of Science Degree in Business (Computer Information concentration).  Contact us to learn more about how you can become an office administrator or secretary today.