If you’ve seen Mad Men you know Christina Hendricks as the beautiful, feisty, and professional Joan Holloway. While she functions as an office manager and administrative assistant, Joan brings a sharp awareness of office politics, and the changing role of women in the workplace, to AMC’s marquee period drama. The office can’t operate without her, as no one else knows how the office is organized. An Administrative Assistant provides support to people within a business, but beyond that this role provides an amazing opportunity to get deeply involved with a company and key executives, leading to future advancement.
Photo Credit: Flickr user ESwift
An administrative assistant provides support to people within a business by being the information and communication manager for an office. Furthermore administrative assistants are increasingly assuming responsibilities once reserved for managerial staff. Top executives need support to do their jobs effectively, and that’s where executive assistants come in: combining the organizational talents of an office manager, the record-keeping savvy of a financial whiz, and the professional foundation of a committed secretary into one flexible role. The great thing about being an Administrative Assistant is that it gives you the opportunity to get your foot in the door and then transition into something else within the company; it’s an opportunity for an entry level person to get in front of important people.
While a typical day for an administrative assistant varies, it generally includes some of these tasks:
On average in 2011 Administrative Assistants made $36,092 per year, while Executive Assistants earned $50,688. Qualified administrative assistants who broaden their knowledge of a company’s operations and enhance their skills may be promoted to senior or executive secretary or administrative assistant, clerical supervisor, or office manager ($23,347-$54,882/year). Administrative support experience also can lead to jobs such as instructor or sales representative. With additional training, many legal secretaries become paralegals.
Here are some hot spots for administrative assistants:
Employers of Executive Assistants increasingly are looking for candidates with a college degree. A degree related to the business or industry will provide you with an advantage in the application process. Although typically not required, testing and certification for proficiency in office skills are available through organizations such as the International Association of Administrative Professionals; National Association of Legal Secretaries, Inc.; Legal Secretaries International, Inc; and International Virtual Assistants Association.
Furthermore, to be an Administrative Assistant you’ll need to have great writing, project management, customer service, and communication skills. Beyond that, discretion, good judgment, organizational or management ability, initiative, and the ability to work independently are especially important for higher-level administrative positions.
If being an administrative assistant still sounds like your cup of tea, here are a few things you should do to get started.
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Experience Architecture, Tenure System (Posting 8590) | East Lansing, MI |
| Research Assistant Scientist | Florida |
| Assistant Professor | Florida |
| AST PROF | Florida |
| Assistant/Associate Professor | Florida |
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|---|---|
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| Medical Assistant, PRN | Fredericksburg, TX |
| Certified Nursing Assistant - CNA | Raleigh, NC |
| Patient Care Supervisor, (RN) | Bremerton, WA |
| Registered Nurse - First Assistant - (RNFA - Operating Room) | Wailuku, HI |
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| Website Content Coordinator - Entry level | Mesa, AZ |
| Administrative Coordinator - Entry level | Mesa, AZ |
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| Accounting Associate | Mesa, AZ |
| Enterprise Ecommerce SEO Consultant | Mesa, AZ |
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| Development Intern | Sausalito, CA |
| Not-A-School Early Childhood Education Intern | Sausalito, CA |
| Evaluation Intern | Sausalito, CA |
| Arts Program Intern | Sausalito, CA |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Entry Level - Fun Environment! Full Time, Training Provided | Kent, WA |
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| Entry Level - Fun Environment! Full Time, Training Provided | Bellevue, WA |
| Supplier Program Management 3\4 | Renton, WA |
| Office Manager - Clerical and Administrative | White Center, WA |
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|---|---|
| Sr. Program Officer | Northampton, MA |
| Venture Development Associate | Northampton, MA |
| Research And Evaluation Analyst | Northampton, MA |
| Program Officer, I-Corps | Northampton, MA |
| Sr. Program Officer, Faculty Programming | Northampton, MA |
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|---|---|
| Junior Design Internship | Easton, PA |
| Graphic Packaging Designer | Easton, PA |
| Senior Level Graphic Designer | Easton, PA |
| Associate Team Member- Sales and Marketing | Easton, PA |
| Sr Character Artist | Los Angeles, CA |
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|---|---|
| Financial Analyst | Northbrook, IL |
| Organizational Change Management Leader and Subject Matter Expert | Northbrook, IL |
| Contract Employee/Device and Dermaceuticals Sales | Phoenix, AZ |
| Freelance MBA Market Researcher | Philadelphia, PA |
| Senior Insurance Risk Management Consultant | Northbrook, IL |
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|---|---|
| Analytics Intern | New York, NY |
| Web Production & Content Intern | New York, NY |
| Delivery Operations Manager for Social Media | New York, NY |
| Creative Director -- New York | New York, NY |
| Office Manager/Junior Analyst | New York, NY |
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|---|---|
| Disaster Recovery System Engineer | Fayetteville, NC |
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| Systems Engineer | Miami, FL |
| Need furniture refinishing | Washington, DC |
| Web Developer/ Programmer C# | Hendersonville, NC |
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|---|---|
| Technical Support Level IV | New Jersey |
| Strategic Marketing Intern | New York, NY |
| Social Media Coordinator | New York, NY |
| Social Media Coordinator | New York, NY |
| Executive Assistant | New York, NY |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Social Media Manager | El Segundo, CA |
| PR Associate Manager | El Segundo, CA |
| Illustrator - Freelance | Los Angeles, CA |
| Online Marketing Manager | Los Angeles, CA |
| Proofreader/Copy Editor (Contract position) | Los Angeles, CA |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Stylist/Barber | Naples, FL |
| Editorial/Journalism Intern | Milton, MA |
| Family-Teaching Couple | Washington, DC |
| Administrative Assistant | Washington, DC |
| Family-Teaching Couple | Washington, DC |
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|---|---|
| Data Analyst Intern / Technology | Austin, TX |
| Marketing Intern | Austin, TX |
| Data Analyst Intern | Austin, TX |
| Java Develoepr+Filenet+J2EE+State/Dept | Rensselaer, NY |
| Sales - Guaranteed $2500-$5000 Per Month! - WP | Houston, TX |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Software Test Engineer | San Francisco, CA |
| Publicist, Fodor’s Travel | New York, NY |
| Director of Sales and Marketing | Murray, UT |
| Marketing Coordinator – Mobile Advertising | Sunnyvale, CA |
| Contract Corporate Recruiter | Jersey City, NJ |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Fit Technician / Patternmaker | Costa Mesa, CA |
| Intern | Costa Mesa, CA |
| Sales Associate | Park City, UT |
| Production Artist-Contract | Electric, MT |
| Database Coordinator for PTTOW! | Culver City, CA |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Payroll Administrator | Chicago, IL |
| Scout - Sports Inside Sales | Chicago, IL |
| Softball Scout - Sports Inside Sales | Chicago, IL |
| Softball Head Scout - Sports Inside Sales | Chicago, IL |
| Head Scout - Sports Inside Sales | Chicago, IL |
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| SAP Financial Analyst-Direct Hire to Fantastic Baltimore Employer!! | Baltimore, MD |
| MYSQL Database Administrator (DBA) | Trenton, NJ |
| VP, Product Strategy | Hamilton, NJ |
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| Director eAdoption & eRevenue | Hamilton, NJ |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| User Experience (UX) Designer (Interaction and Visual design) | Mountain View, CA |
| DTC Analyst - Asia | Columbus, OH |
| Field Manager | Plano, TX |
| Controller | Chicago, IL |
| Project Manager | Phoenix, AZ |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Vice President Business Development, B2B | Ogden, UT |
| Account Executive | New York, NY |
| Director Business Development, B2B | Ogden, UT |
| Design and Sales Consultant | Houston, TX |
| Sr. Web Architect/Mobile Application Developer | Fort Wayne, IN |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Chief Operating Officer (COO) | Washington, DC |
| Endangered Species Science and Policy Analyst | Washington, DC |
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| Coordinator to the CFO | Washington, DC |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Corporate Travel Agent | New York, NY |
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| Front Desk Receptionist | New York, NY |
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| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| L&D Registered Nurse | Boston, MA |
| Neonatal ICU Registered Nurse | South Weymouth, MA |
| Silicon Valley Internal Medicine Opportunity, Outpatient-Only, Four-Day Work Week | Mountain View, CA |
| Palliative Medicine Opportunity with the Premier Hospital for Silicon Valley | Mountain View, CA |
| Pediatric Recovery Room Registered Nurse | Boston, MA |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Experienced Shift Manager | Ionia, MI |
| Regional Sales Consultant with Medical Technology Sales Experience | Sacramento, CA |
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| GRAND OPENING! EVENT MARKETING & SALES COMPANY EXPANDING | Philadelphia, PA |
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|---|---|
| Teaching Artsists Needed | Chicago, IL |
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|---|---|
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|---|---|
| eCommerce Intern - Fashion Industry Opportunity | Los Angeles, CA |
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| Seasonal Associate | Niles, OH |
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|---|---|
| Design Intern for Winter 2014 | Campbell, CA |
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| Engineering Intern Winter 2014 | Campbell, CA |
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|---|---|
| PROJECT MANAGER | Fountain Valley, CA |
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| Business Account Manager Job | Broadview Heights, OH |
| Research Assistant | Santa Clara, CA |
| L&D RN Travel Job in TN | Kingsport, TN |
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|---|---|
| Senior Community Manager, Private Investors | New York, NY |
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|---|---|
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| Payment and Transfer Product Manager | Long Island, NY |
| Deposit Product Delivery Manager | Long Island, NY |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Regional Outpatient Coding Manager | Worcester, MA |
| Regional Director of Coding | Worcester, MA |
| Coding Specialist II | Towson, MD |
| Coding Specialist/Reviewer - Network Health Plan | Appleton, WI |
| Coding Supervisor | Manhattan, NY |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Public Relations Specialist | Centennial, CO |
| Digital Marketing Specialist | Centennial, CO |
| A/R Collections Assistant | Centennial, CO |
| Online/Mobile Coordinator | Centennial, CO |
| Accounts Payable Clerk | Centennial, CO |
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