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 |
|---|---|
| Executive Assistant | New York, NY |
| Social Media and Website Consultant | New York, NY |
| Development Assistant | New York, NY |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Senior Game Programmer | New York, NY |
| Physical Therapy Assistant PTA | Olympia, WA |
| Physical Therapy PT Assistant PTA | Lexington Park, MD |
| Parks and Recreation Director | City of Olathe, KS |
| AETD Turbine Frame Lead Engineer (Mid-Career Mech. Engineer) | Cincinnati, OH |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Physical Therapist - Home Health - (PT - HH) | San Jose, CA |
| Senior Technical Consultant - Java | Pittsburgh, PA |
| Full-time Math Teacher | Wyoming, MI |
| Graphic Design Intern | New York, NY |
| Administrative Assistant to Store Planning & Construction Team | New York, NY |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Help Desk Manager | Houston, TX |
| Merchandise Allocation Analyst | Houston, TX |
| Production Lead | Missouri City, TX |
| Production Associate or Clerk | Missouri City, TX |
| Director of Online Marketing | Los Angeles, CA |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Intern - Collegiate Social Media Coordinator | Redwood City, CA |
| Design Lead | Campbell, CA |
| Email Marketing Manager | Redwood City, CA |
| Platform Business Development Manager | Redwood City, CA |
| Community Marketing Manager | Redwood City, CA |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Copywriter | Detroit, MI |
| Copywriter | Detroit, MI |
| Research Assistant | Santa Clara, CA |
| Research Assistant | Santa Clara, CA |
| Creative Intern | Detroit, MI |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Chief Executive Officer | Austin, TX |
| Marketing Director | Atlanta, GA |
| VP, Corporate Development (1285) | San Francisco, CA |
| Wealth Management Group Credit Manager | San Francisco, CA |
| CEO | Youngstown, OH |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Jr. Photo Stylist | Brooklyn, NY |
| Jr. Assistant 597 | Houston, TX |
| Graphic Design Intern | Brooklyn, NY |
| Staff Intern | Brooklyn, NY |
| Copywriter | Brooklyn, NY |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Senior Network Contract Manager | Signal Hill, CA |
| DRG Validation Reviewer | Manhasset, NY |
| Network Contracting Manager | Boise, ID |
| Senior Network Contract Manager | Orlando, FL |
| Senior Financial Analyst, 1.0 FTE | Bremerton, WA |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Regional Account Director - Dayton, OH | Cincinnati, OH |
| Regional Account Director | Dayton, OH |
| Communications Coordinator | Centennial, CO |
| Research Analyst | New York, NY |
| Human Resources Specialist | Centennial, CO |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Buyer - Retail Fashion Industry | Los Angeles, CA |
| Chaplain (PT) | Dubuque, IA |
| Membership Team Leader/Adult Recruitment and Education Specialist | Jackson, MI |
| Membership Specialist | Marshall, MI |
| Employee Assistance Program Counselor | Denver, CO |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Copywriter | Princeton, NJ |
| Outside Sales Representative | Minneapolis, MN |
| Marketing Copywriter | White River Junction, VT |
| Attendant Pool (Temporary) | Atlantic City, NJ |
| Lifeguard/Pool Attendant (Temporary) | Atlantic City, NJ |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Online Marketing Specialist | Westlake Village, CA |
| Online Sales/Customer Service | Clarksville, IN |
| Retail Inventory Auditor | Denver, CO |
| Financial Analyst – Risk Management – Banking | Fitchburg, WI |
| Retail Sales (Pawnbroker) | Indianapolis, IN |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Austin Tennis Jobs | Austin, TX |
| Mortgage Loan Originator / Coordinator | Los Angeles, CA |
| Java Technical Lead | Pittsburgh, PA |
| The Best Hair Stylists in Town! (licensed cosmetologist, hair stylists) | Palo Alto, CA |
| The Best Hair Stylists in Town! (licensed cosmetologist, hairstylists) | Burlingame, CA |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Why Watchfire?: Careers at Watchfire | Danville, IL |
| Summer/Fall 2013 Intern, Accounts Receivable, Accounting - Danville IL onsite | Danville, IL |
| Electronics Technician - Repair Center Service Technician | Danville, IL |
| Manufacturing Production Labor 2nd shift | Danville, IL |
| Machine Operator, 2nd shift | Danville, IL |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| AS Review Editor in Chief 2013-2014 | Bellingham, WA |
| AS Review Assistant Editor 2013-2014 | Bellingham, WA |
| AS Board Assistant for Club Committees 2013-2014 | Bellingham, WA |
| AS Outdoor Center Excursions Assistant Coordinator 2013-2014 | Bellingham, WA |
| AS ROP Women's Center Assistant Coordinator for Creative Programming 2013-2014 | Bellingham, WA |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Civil Construction Senior Estimator | Midland, MI |
| CNC Lathe Person | Manchester, CT |
| Software Developer | Fort Worth, TX |
| Director of Engineering | Lynchburg, VA |
| Sales Supervisor - Customer Contact Center | Lynchburg, VA |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Production Assistant A&E/BIO (Freelance) | New York, NY |
| Producer, Social Media - Freelance | New York, NY |
| Marketing Specialist/Webmaster (Freelance) | New York, NY |
| Taxonomist | Stamford, CT |
| Sales Assistant/Sales Planner | Troy, MI |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Manager Candidate Program | San Francisco, CA |
| UNIQLO Internship Program Summer 2013 | New York, NY |
| Marketing Intern | New York, NY |
| Recruitment Researcher | New York, NY |
| Executive Assistant | New York, NY |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Copywriter | Industry, CA |
| Student / Intern | Cambridge, MA |
| Event Coordinator | Industry, CA |
| Category Manager, Marketplace | Hacienda Heights, CA |
| Web Editor, B2B | Industry, CA |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Internship, Summer 2013, Undergraduate or Graduate Student | Brooklyn, NY |
| Accounts Payable Assistant | Leesburg, VA |
| Medical Officer (General Practitioner) | Many, LA |
| M4212 Postdoctoral Fellow | Albuquerque, NM |
| Fall 2013 Legal Internship-ACLUF Racial Justice Program, NY | New York, NY |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Business to Business Sales | Mesa, AZ |
| Inventory Lead | Pharr, TX |
| Home Based Telemarketing | Phoenix, AZ |
| Open House! Sales Associates / Management Trainees | Citrus Heights, CA |
| TOYS"R"US - OFF HOURS STOCK CREW | Citrus Heights, CA |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Principal Taxonomy Researcher | Chicago, IL |
| User Experience Researcher | Chicago, IL |
| Editor | Durango, CO |
| Business Intelligence Analyst (Digital Marketing) | Carlsbad, CA |
| Google Adwords Certified Paid Search Specialist | Eatontown, NJ |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Product Designer | New York, NY |
| Backend Engineer | New York, NY |
| Frontend Engineer | New York, NY |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Sr. Specialist Research & Content Strategy | Jersey City, NJ |
| Exciting Management Opportunity | Long Island, NY |
| Floor Manager and Sales | McLean, VA |
| Salon Assistant Needed Immediately | Evanston, IL |
| Sponsorship Broker - Sales - Executive Producer | Los Angeles, CA |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Research Neuropsychologist (#207448) | Fort Carson, CO |
| Public Relations Specialist | Los Angeles, CA |
| Business Development Specialist – Strategic Information | Arlington, VA |
| Public Relations Specialist | Breinigsville, PA |
| Google Adwords Certified Paid Search Specialist | Eatontown, NJ |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Pet/house Sitter | Overland Park, KS |
| Servers | United States |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Intern - Mens Buying | Anaheim, CA |
| Intern - Inventory Management | Anaheim, CA |
| Retail and Restaurant Openings | Saint Paul, MN |
| Merchandise Planner | Anaheim, CA |
| Assistant Buyer, Women's Accessories | Anaheim, CA |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Recruiter | Los Angeles, CA |
| Mortgage Loan Officer | Columbia, MO |
| Pricing Analyst Merchandising | Northbrook, IL |
| Credit Analyst | Reston, VA |
| Loan Counselor / Call Center | Harrisburg, PA |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Alex and Ani - Bloomingdales (Orlando) | Orlando, FL |
| Accounts Payable Assistant | Cranston, RI |
| Data Entry Assistant | Cranston, RI |
| Alex and Ani - Henri Bendels (5th Ave Flagship) | New York, NY |
| Sales Associate, Cherry Creek CO | Cherry Creek, NY |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Sales Executive | Chicago, IL |
| Research Lab Analyst | South Bay, FL |
| Sales Engineer | McLean, VA |
| Environmental Engineer | Soda Springs, ID |
| Research Scientist | Thousand Oaks, CA |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Medical Assistant (MA) | Providence, RI |
| Greenhouse Assistant | Waltham, MA |
| Travel Coder- Destination: Northeastern US | Albany, NY |
| Tennis Instructor - On Call | Stowe, VT |
| Property Manager | Rochester, NY |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Digital Analyst | New York, NY |
| Interaction Designer (IXD) | Stony Brook, NY |
| Annual Giving Director | Spartanburg, SC |
| 999934 Technical Support Representative | Dallas, TX |
| 9999-CS Technical Support Representative | Dallas, TX |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Administrative Assistant, Cincinnati Manufacturing | Cincinnati, OH |
| Administrative Assistant, Supply Chain | Cleveland, OH |
| Senior Analyst, Inventory Planning | New Orleans, LA |
| Co-op, Research & Development - Coffee (Chemistry) | Cleveland, OH |
| Packaging Scientist, Research & Development - Consumer Foods | Cleveland, OH |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| Editorial Intern | New York, NY |
| Social Media & SEO Intern | New York, NY |
| Production Assistant | New York, NY |
| Production Assistant | New York, NY |
| Freelance Writer | New York, NY |
| Job Title | Location |
|---|---|
| RESTAURANT MANAGER TRAINEE - LANCASTER AREA | Bird in Hand, PA |
| Internship: Photography Summer 2013 | New York, NY |
| Baker/Pastry Chef (part-time) | Memphis, TN |
| Senior Designer | New York, NY |
| Lead Baker | Baton Rouge, LA |
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