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What is an administrative support specialist and how to become one
An administrative support specialist performs various administrative and clerical tasks in an office. Essentially, their job function is to complete these tasks so that others don't have to, which helps employees focus on their job and increase the overall productivity of the company.
The work duties of an administrative support specialist vary depending on their employer, but in general, they perform tasks like scheduling meetings, maintaining the inventory of office supplies, receiving mail at the front desk, creating presentation materials, and organizing documents. They may also do data entry tasks, monitor the operating budget of the office, and draft memos as needed.
For some employers, the minimum requirement for this position is a high school diploma. But more employers now require their administrative support specialists to have a bachelor's degree in business or other related fields. Besides educational attainment, employers also want their candidates to have at least six months of related work experience.
On average, administrative support specialists make $35,000 a year or roughly $17 an hour. More experienced and skilled administrative support specialists can even earn up to $46,000 annually or more.
What general advice would you give to an administrative support specialist?
Anne McConnell Ph.D.
Professor, West Virginia State University
Avg. Salary $38,244
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate -8%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.73%
Asian 3.85%
Black or African American 9.40%
Hispanic or Latino 16.44%
Unknown 3.88%
White 65.71%
Genderfemale 79.52%
male 20.48%
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 support specialist career paths
Key steps to become an administrative support specialist
Explore administrative support specialist education requirements
Start to develop specific administrative support specialist skills
Skills Percentages Customer Service 15.51% Data Entry 7.75% Patients 6.41% PowerPoint 5.11% Administrative Functions 4.05% Complete relevant administrative support specialist training and internships
Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New administrative support 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 support specialist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real administrative support specialist resumes.Gain additional administrative support specialist certifications
More About CertificationsAdministrative support specialist certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific administrative support specialist certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.
The most common certifications for administrative support specialists include Certified Professional - Human Resource (IPMA-CP) and Certified Billing and Coding Specialist (CBCS).
Research administrative support specialist duties and responsibilities
- Create PowerPoint presentations, manage spreadsheet information/graphs and provide reports as necessary.
- Participate in committee meetings by preparing minutes and presentation summaries, planning meeting agendas, and organizing and managing meeting logistics.
- Assist SharePoint intranet creation and documentation.
- Generate PowerPoint presentations for meetings and training.
Prepare your administrative support specialist resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your administrative support 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 support 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 support specialist resume templates
Build a professional administrative support 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 support specialist resume.
Apply for administrative support specialist jobs
Now it's time to start searching for an administrative support 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 support specialist job
Are you an administrative support specialist?
Share your story for a free salary report.
Average administrative support specialist salary
The average administrative support specialist salary in the United States is $38,244 per year or $18 per hour. Administrative support specialist salaries range between $29,000 and $49,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do administrative support specialists rate their job?
Administrative support 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
