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Career Exploration

Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive

Also called: Administrative Assistant (Admin Assistant), Administrative Secretary (Admin Secretary), Office Assistant, Secretary

What they do:

Perform routine administrative functions such as drafting correspondence, scheduling appointments, organizing and maintaining paper and electronic files, or providing information to callers.

On the job, you would:
  • Answer telephones and give information to callers, take messages, or transfer calls to appropriate individuals.
  • Greet visitors or callers and handle their inquiries or direct them to the appropriate persons according to their needs.
  • Create, maintain, and enter information into databases.
On the job, you'll need:

Business

  • administrative services
  • customer service

Arts and Humanities

  • English language

Engineering and Technology

  • computers and electronics

Basic Skills

  • listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
  • talking to others

Problem Solving

  • noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it

Verbal

  • communicate by speaking
  • communicate by writing

Attention

  • pay attention to something without being distracted

Conventional

People interested in this work like activities that include data, detail, and regular routines.

  • Attention to Detail
  • Integrity
  • Cooperation
  • Dependability
  • Concern for Others
  • Self Control

Enterprise resource planning ERP software

  • Microsoft Dynamics
  • Oracle PeopleSoft

Data base user interface and query software

  • Blackboard software
  • Yardi software

Video conferencing software

  • Cisco Webex
  • Zoom

Video courtesy of CareerOneStop.

Job Outlook

The job outlook for this position is Bright.

New job opportunities are very likely in the future. This career will have large numbers of openings.

Median Annual Salary: $41,000

Education

High school diploma/GED or associate's degree is usually needed.