Best Jobs For Former Assistants [2026]

In today’s evolving job market, many former assistants are seeking new opportunities and exploring diverse career paths. While the demand for assistant roles remains steady, there is a noticeable trend of individuals transitioning to other professions that better align with their skills and ambitions.

As the workforce undergoes significant changes, including the rise of remote and hybrid work models, former assistants are increasingly looking for roles that offer greater flexibility and growth potential. This shift prompts the question:

What new careers are former assistants pursuing?

To answer this, we analyzed the resumes of thousands of individuals who previously worked as assistants, identifying the top jobs they have transitioned into. We focused on the most prevalent roles, narrowing it down to the top 100 positions.

Among the findings, several surprising and noteworthy jobs emerged, which we are excited to highlight below.

Best Jobs For Former Assistants

While some of these roles may be more appealing than others, they collectively reflect the diverse opportunities available to former assistants as they navigate their careers.

Explore the complete list of jobs below.

Detailed Ranking of the Most Common Jobs of Former Assistants

Rank	Job Title	%
1	Sales Associate	2.55%
2	Administrative Assistant	2.01%
3	Internship	1.87%
4	Customer Service Representative	1.78%
5	Cashier	1.64%
6	Volunteer	0.96%
7	Server	0.89%
8	Assistant Manager	0.86%
9	Manager	0.78%
10	Office Manager	0.74%
11	Research Assistant	0.66%
12	Teacher	0.62%
13	Office Assistant	0.6%
14	Substitute Teacher	0.59%
15	Associate	0.59%
16	Receptionist	0.57%
17	Sales Representative	0.45%
18	Supervisor	0.44%
19	Certified Nursing Assistant	0.4%
20	Medical Assistant	0.37%
21	Owner	0.37%
22	Teacher Assistant	0.37%
23	Executive Assistant	0.35%
24	Customer Service Trainer	0.34%
25	Specialist	0.34%
26	Crew Member	0.34%
27	Coordinator	0.32%
28	Consultant	0.32%
29	Tutor	0.31%
30	Security Officer	0.31%
31	Project Manager	0.31%
32	Teaching Assistant	0.31%
33	Technician	0.3%
34	Registered Nurse	0.28%
35	Team Leader	0.26%
36	Human Resources Coordinator	0.25%
37	Graphic Designer	0.24%
38	Waitress	0.23%
39	Legal Assistant	0.23%
40	Store Manager	0.23%
41	Pharmacist Technician	0.23%
42	Teller	0.23%
43	Graduate Assistant	0.23%
44	Production Assistant	0.23%
45	Operations Manager	0.23%
46	Customer Service Associate	0.21%
47	Machine Operator	0.21%
48	Account Manager	0.21%
49	Secretary	0.21%
50	Account Executive	0.21%
51	Case Manager	0.2%
52	Director	0.2%
53	Nanny	0.19%
54	Instructor	0.19%
55	Marketing Internship	0.19%
56	Barista	0.19%
57	Ship Worker	0.19%
58	Home Health Aid	0.19%
59	Counselor	0.18%
60	Student Assistant	0.18%
61	Dental Assistant	0.18%
62	General Manager	0.18%
63	Driver	0.17%
64	Personal Assistant	0.17%
65	Hostess	0.17%
66	Program Coordinator	0.17%
67	Clerk	0.17%
68	Laboratory Technician	0.16%
69	Program Manager	0.16%
70	Warehouse Associate	0.16%
71	Vice President	0.16%
72	Analyst	0.15%
73	Preschool Teacher	0.15%
74	Data Analyst	0.15%
75	Operator	0.15%
76	Graduate Research Assistant	0.15%
77	Data Entry Clerk	0.15%
78	Accounts Payable Clerk	0.15%
79	Assistant Director	0.14%
80	Office Administrator	0.14%
81	Owner/operator	0.14%
82	Billing Specialist	0.14%
83	Representative	0.14%
84	Marketing Coordinator	0.14%
85	Data Entry Associate	0.13%
86	Laboratory Assistant	0.13%
87	Manufacturing Team Member	0.13%
88	Program Assistant	0.13%
89	Cook	0.13%
90	Paralegal	0.13%
91	Front Desk Receptionist	0.13%
92	Designer	0.12%
93	Senior Technician Specialist	0.12%
94	Photographer	0.12%
95	Bartender Server	0.12%
96	Shift Supervisor	0.12%
97	Licensed Practical Nurse	0.12%
98	Administrator	0.12%
99	Accountant	0.12%
100	Business Analyst	0.12%

Most Common Jobs For Former Assistants

These roles represent a solid foundation for former assistants, utilizing their transferable skills while offering pathways to new careers. Exploring these opportunities can lead to fulfilling professional journeys.

How We Determined the Best Jobs of Former Assistants

We utilized data from our extensive database of over 7 million resumes to analyze the work history of individuals who listed “assistant” as their previous job title. By examining the subsequent roles they pursued, we compiled a ranked list based on frequency.

To identify the most intriguing job transitions, we filtered our ranked list by looking for positions:

Representing less than 1% of all job placements
Not included in the top 100 jobs identified in our analysis

In conclusion, as the job market continues to evolve, former assistants have numerous avenues to explore beyond traditional roles, tapping into their skills and experiences in new and exciting ways.

Author

Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.

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