Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
What is an administrative office specialist and how to become one
An administrative office specialist, sometimes called an administrative assistant, has a vital role in making sure an office operates smoothly and efficiently. Organizational and communicational skills are essential, and almost every organization relies on qualified administrative assistants' skills to support their operations.
Administrative assistants must be able to communicate clearly and effectively. Very often, they need to be the voice of an organization. They deal with clients and help to solve problems or customer service issues. Much of their communication may take place over the phone; although, they may need to meet with some clients face-to-face. Other types of communication include customer letters to clients, contacting vendors, or speaking to advertising agencies on behalf of the company.
Administrative assistants earn a mean annual wage of $53,020, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. But to be one, applicants must have a bachelor's degree or a high school diploma degree. However, a master's degree is sure to benefit in the long run.
What general advice would you give to an administrative office specialist?
Anne McConnell Ph.D.
Professor, West Virginia State University
Avg. Salary $35,177
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate -8%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.74%
Asian 3.97%
Black or African American 10.17%
Hispanic or Latino 14.98%
Unknown 3.90%
White 66.24%
Genderfemale 85.65%
male 14.35%
Age - 52American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 52Stress level is manageable
7.1 - high
Complexity level is basic
7 - challenging
Work life balance is good
6.4 - fair
Administrative office specialist career paths
Key steps to become an administrative office specialist
Explore administrative office specialist education requirements
Start to develop specific administrative office specialist skills
Skills Percentages Customer Service 27.07% Data Entry 7.66% Word Processing 5.94% Payroll 3.16% PowerPoint 3.09% Complete relevant administrative office specialist training and internships
Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New administrative office specialists learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an administrative office specialist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real administrative office specialist resumes.Research administrative office specialist duties and responsibilities
- Participate in committee meetings by preparing minutes and presentation summaries, planning meeting agendas, and organizing and managing meeting logistics.
- Develop PowerPoint presentations for seminars and workshops.
- Prepare briefings for senior level management using Microsoft PowerPoint.
- Prepare bi-weekly payroll reports and special cost analyses and forecasting.
Prepare your administrative office specialist resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your administrative office specialist resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an administrative office specialist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose from 10+ customizable administrative office specialist resume templates
Build a professional administrative office specialist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your administrative office specialist resume.
Apply for administrative office specialist jobs
Now it's time to start searching for an administrative office specialist job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How did you land your first administrative office specialist job
Are you an administrative office specialist?
Share your story for a free salary report.
Average administrative office specialist salary
The average administrative office specialist salary in the United States is $35,177 per year or $17 per hour. Administrative office specialist salaries range between $28,000 and $43,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do administrative office specialists rate their job?
Administrative office specialist reviews
Writing a message,Organizing receipts and expenses and sending them out when needed
Failure to comply with working hours, theft and fraud,
It my passion to help people in need. It makes me feel good to see people the Youth do well in the life
I don't like to see anyone stuck in between and not being helped.
everything except phones : Meeting,greeting, customer service, interviewing, on boarding, recruiting, presenting, etc.
phones - because of my accent
Updated January 8, 2025
