How To Write An Administrative Assistant Job Description

If you work in an office setting of any kind, you may consider hiring an administrative assistant. Administrative assistants provide various kinds of administrative assistance or clerical duties in almost every industry. Some administrative assistants, especially those in medical or legal fields, might be more experienced than others.

Most administrative assistant’s jobs will revolve around the management and distribution of information within an office setting. These responsibilities may include things like answering phones, taking memories, notes, maintaining files, sending reports, ordering supplies, and keeping the general office clean and tidy, among other things.

Administrative assistants are often the key to keeping the office running smoothly. They are the go-to person for any kind of important information within an office setting. This can include a variety of things, depending on the organization.

This person should be highly organized, friendly, detail-oriented, productive, with a strong work ethic. You should assess your candidates to ensure they’re an appropriate fit experience-wise and with the team dynamic.

If you’re a hiring manager looking to hire an administrative assistant, you’ll want to make sure you have all of the criteria necessary to find your ideal candidate. Below, we discuss the different aspects to consider when hiring for an administrative assistant and developing your job description.

Duties and Responsibilities of an Administrative Assistant

Since administrative assistants are responsible for running and coordinating the day-to-day operations of an organization, they must perform various duties and responsibilities within the office.

Although this will vary by office, industry, and organization, the responsibilities are similar across the board. An administrative assistant should be expected to perform some if not all of the following duties.

• Answering and directing phone calls to other members of the organization. An administrative assistant will be the first person to answer the phone at your organization.

  They should be highly skilled at customer service and be able to transfer phone calls with ease. They should also be able to take effective messages for any missed calls and deal with any unwanted phone calls, such as telemarketers.

• Scheduling meetings and appointments. Administrative assistants are typically individuals who handle office calendars and occasionally executive calendars. These individuals should be able to coordinate meetings and appointments in a calendar and schedule booking times for conference rooms or office space.

• Taking meeting notes. Administrative assistants can be a wonderful asset for important meetings. You may require them to take notes in meetings that can then be distributed to the rest of the organization or team.

• Keeping the office stocked properly. Since your administrative assistant will be the main hub of the office, they’ll have the best oversight into what supplies, food, or office supplies are needed daily, weekly, or monthly.

  This means they may be required to keep inventory and order new products so that the office stays adequately stocked.

• Being the office point of contact. As mentioned above, administrative assistants are the go-to people inside of an office. They should be able to answer most office-related questions or, at the very least, know who would have the answer.

• Preparing documents. Your administrative assistant can be the individual responsible for photocopying, printing, preparing manuals, important documents, or marketing materials in your office. This helps take the strain off other employees who may spend time doing these things in addition to their job.

• Greeting visitors. In addition to answering the phone, administrative assistants are the first face a customer may see when entering the office. This is an important responsibility to call out, especially if you have a busy office.

• Writing emails. As the point of contact in the office, your administrative assistant may be required to write brief emails on behalf of executives or just to update the office on something that may be happening.

• Booking events. Again, depending on the needs of your office, your administrative assistant may also be required to book travel, events, or other activities. You’ll want to make sure this person understands that they’ll have to do research, understand how to stay within budget, and effectively book appointments or events efficiently.

Administrative Assistant Skills and Qualifications

An administrative assistant role doesn’t typically require formal qualifications or a degree. It’s typically recommended to have a high school diploma, however. There are also certain certifications administrative assistants can obtain or courses they can take that are valuable to the role, such as a certificate, diploma, or a bachelor’s degree in business administration.

In addition, there are key skills administrative assistants you may want your candidates to have so that the learning curve is not as steep. This can include things like proficiency in Microsoft Office, Google Drive, and knowledge of project and task management tools like Asana, Trello, Smartsheet, or Monday.

Even in an entry-level position, you should require your hires to be somewhat proficient with computers and look for someone who can learn new programs quickly. Even better, look for candidates who aren’t afraid to surface opportunities for improvement.

Objectives of the Administrative Assistant Role

When you’re casting your net out into a sea of candidates, it’s important to identify the objective of the administrative assistant position. This is important to attract the right kind of candidates who believe the role’s objectives speak to them.

Having key objectives upfront also helps your new hires understand what to work towards and may assist them in creating personal and professional goals to strive for. Give some thought to what you’d like your administrative assistant to achieve during their time with your company. Some examples of objectives for administrative assistants can include:

• Complete all administrative tasks in a professional and efficient manner

• Coordinate all scheduling and calendar management for the executive team

• Manage all aspects of office operations

• Provide in-office clients with a pleasant initial experience

• Perform all necessary bookkeeping tasks

• Coordinate all travel and accommodation arrangements for office executives

• Plan, manage and deliver office events such as social gatherings, company holiday parties, birthday events, and more.

As you can see, these objectives can vary widely. It depends on your office expectations and which roles you’ll expect your administrative assistant to take on.

Administrative Assistant Salary Expectations

As all jobs go, administrative assistants are typically paid based on experience level and credentials. Education, certifications, additional skills, and more years in an administrative role will earn you a higher salary.

On the lowest end of the spectrum, in the bottom 10% of administrative assistants, you can expect to earn upwards of $34k per year. The lowest 25% can expect to make a bit more, up to $38.5k. The median pay for an administrative assistant is $43k. If you possess greater skills or qualifications.

Administrative Assistant Education and Experience Requirements

When hiring for an administrative assistant, you should require a high school diploma or a General Education Development (GED) certificate to begin employment. You may also choose to require skills certifications depending on your needs and the learning curve you’re comfortable with.

Administrative assistants may be looking for an entry-level position even if they have secondary education. Degrees in any field will work well, specifically business, communication, or liberal arts. If your organization requires specialty knowledge such as law or healthcare, you may want to consider hiring someone who has a degree in a specialized field. Education backgrounds can be a differentiator as well, as it better prepares administrative assistants for requirements like working with finances, managing teams, and being organized.

Suppose your candidate doesn’t have a formal education. In that case, you may want to consider the different certifications mentioned above and technical courses such as those that focus on business writing, documentation, filing, organization, data processing, and bookkeeping.

Example Administrative Assistant Job Description

If you’re having trouble developing your administrative assistant job description, below is an example you may be able to work from.

Author

Caitlin Mazur

Caitlin Mazur is a freelance writer at Zippia. Caitlin is passionate about helping Zippia’s readers land the jobs of their dreams by offering content that discusses job-seeking advice based on experience and extensive research. Caitlin holds a degree in English from Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, PA.