How to hire an Administrative Specialist

How to hire an administrative specialist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step administrative specialist hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an administrative specialist job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new administrative specialist
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an Administrative Specialist do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the administrative specialist you need to hire. Certain administrative specialist roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine Employee vs Contractor Status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   An administrative specialist's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, administrative specialists from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   The following list breaks down different types of administrative specialists and their corresponding salaries.

   Type Of Administrative Specialist	Description	Hourly Rate
   Administrative Specialist	Secretaries and administrative assistants perform clerical and administrative duties. They organize files, prepare documents, schedule appointments, and support other staff.	$12-27
   Administrative Internship	Administrative interns are entry-level professionals providing administrative support in organizations. The interns are responsible for the improvement of their knowledge of administrative works... Show More	$14-24
   Administrator Secretary	Administrator secretaries are assistants to managers or higher officers in charge of administrative tasks. Their responsibilities include liaising with an organization's internal departments and in communicating with the general public... Show More	$12-22

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common Skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Data Entry
   • PowerPoint
   • Office Procedures
   • Patients
   • Payroll
   • Provides Administrative Support
   • Human Resources
   • Office Equipment
   • Word Processing
   • Travel Arrangements
   • Database Management
   • Logistics
   • Purchase Orders

   Check All Skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Participate in committee meetings by preparing minutes and presentation summaries, planning meeting agendas, and organizing and managing meeting logistics.
   • Process incoming and outgoing medical records with newly implement HIPAA requirements.
   • Maintain personnel records, electronic databases, oversee and administer department SharePoint website.
   • Redesign and reformat PowerPoint presentations, customize individual client presentations for specific look & feel.
   • Create and successfully implement a new faculty form to collect necessary information for payroll forms.
   • Conduct training of new personnel using spreadsheets & PowerPoint presentations to ensure compliance of organizational policies & procedures.

   More Administrative Specialist duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your administrative specialist job description helps attract top candidates to the position. An administrative specialist salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for an administrative specialist in Oklahoma may be lower than in California, and an entry-level administrative specialist usually earns less than a senior-level administrative specialist. Additionally, an administrative specialist with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average administrative specialist salary

   $38,758yearly

   $18.63 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level administrative specialist salary

   $25,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 23, 2025

   Average administrative specialist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. Salary	Hourly Rate
   1	District of Columbia	$52,909	$25
   2	California	$51,425	$25
   3	Washington	$46,656	$22
   4	New York	$44,855	$22
   5	Massachusetts	$44,508	$21
   6	Oregon	$42,469	$20
   7	Virginia	$41,041	$20
   8	Texas	$40,416	$19
   9	Colorado	$39,786	$19
   10	Arizona	$39,328	$19
   11	Maryland	$39,319	$19
   12	Minnesota	$37,465	$18
   13	Illinois	$36,422	$18
   14	Wisconsin	$35,968	$17
   15	West Virginia	$35,644	$17
   16	Nebraska	$34,596	$17
   17	Florida	$34,505	$17
   18	Georgia	$34,196	$16
   19	North Carolina	$33,789	$16
   20	Indiana	$33,668	$16

   Average administrative specialist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average Salary	Hourly Rate	Job Openings
   1	Meta	$112,595	$54.13	10
   2	ValueMomentum	$86,258	$41.47
   3	NTT Data International L.L.C.	$84,624	$40.68	1
   4	BlackRock	$79,608	$38.27	7
   5	Ernst & Young	$77,833	$37.42	11
   6	Valero Energy	$76,370	$36.72	4
   7	Jacobs Engineering Group	$72,926	$35.06
   8	Alvarez & Marsal	$72,577	$34.89
   9	ABB	$68,428	$32.90	9
   10	Schneider Electric Industrial Services	$67,438	$32.42
   11	AMETEK	$67,426	$32.42	1
   12	YASH Technologies	$65,495	$31.49
   13	Baptist Health Home Care	$62,936	$30.26	9
   14	Dillard University	$62,322	$29.96	2
   15	Argonne National Laboratory	$62,301	$29.95	4
   16	Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory	$62,301	$29.95	11
   17	Mt. San Antonio College	$61,602	$29.62
   18	M&T Bank	$61,488	$29.56	10
   19	Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory	$61,456	$29.55	1
   20	Encompass Health	$61,193	$29.42	10

4. Writing an Administrative Specialist Job Description

   An administrative specialist job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of an administrative specialist job description:

   Administrative Specialist job description example

   At Labcorp we have a passion in helping people live happy and healthy lives. Every day we provide vital information that helps our clients and patients understand their health. If you are passionate about helping people and have a drive for service, then Labcorp could be a great next career step!
   
   Work Schedule Monday - Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm overtime may be required Spokane, WA or Seattle, WA possible work from home opportunity in the Pacific Northwest.
   
   There are sites this role supports which require workers to be vaccinated for COVID-19.Labcorp will consider reasonable accommodations If you are in need of an exemption due to a medical contraindication/disability or religious belief.
   Requirements
   High School Diploma or Equivalent Excellent Organization Skills 2 years Lab, Hospital or Sales experience preferred Must be proficient in Microsoft Excel, Outlook CRM, and internal systems preferred
   Responsibilities
   Act as a liaison between the client and the LabCorp operations team in relation to client needs Support Internal and External Sales Teams Provide ongoing service and problem resolution to customer base Ensure customer retention by providing superior customer service Recommend solutions that are client focused and persuasive Work closely with all sales partners Continuously provide educational material to the client base Resolve any customer related issues in a timely manner Special projects/Initiatives Provide administrative support to clients and team members Acquisition/IPA/Contract execution and support
   Labcorp is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer:
   
   As an EOE/AA employer, the organization will not discriminate in its employment practices due to an applicant's race, age, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or veteran status.
   
   For more information about how we collect and store your personal data, please see our Privacy Statement.

   Copy This Example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right administrative specialist for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with administrative specialists they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit administrative specialists who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your administrative specialist job on Zippia to find and recruit administrative specialist candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit administrative specialists, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new administrative specialist

   Once you've decided on a perfect administrative specialist candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new administrative specialist. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire an administrative specialist?