What is the career path for an administrative assistant?

The career path for an administrative assistant involves jobs as an administrative assistant, office administrator, and human resource coordinator. There is an extremely wide variety of career paths that an administrative assistant can take, this all depends on the area they choose to focus on and the industry they work in.

Most entry-level administrative assistants have at least a high school diploma or equivalent in terms of educational background. Many who want to advance along one of the many different career paths also obtain one of the following degrees:

• Associate's degree

• Bachelor's degree

• Master's degree

When aiming for a career as an administrative assistant, there are many different choices for majors, some of the most common include:

• Business Administration

• Business

• Communications

• Marketing

Above all, aspiring administrative assistants need to be educated and trained in the following areas:

• Database management

• Office administration

• Basic computer skills, including word processing and spreadsheet software

Essential skills for administrative assistants include:

• Basic computer literacy

Administrative assistants spend a lot of time performing tasks on computers, especially using word processing, database and spreadsheet software, and the web. Competency with Microsoft Office is an essential skill for an administrative assistant to have.

• Organization

This role often relies on organization and time management skills to keep schedules for executives and managers on point. The ability to multitask on a variety of administrative responsibilities is also a key feature.

• Written and oral communication

Administrative assistants communicate with all of the staff involved in a company's hierarchy, from entry-level workers to managers, and even top-tier executives. They also might communicate with the public at large or potential customers or clients.

They also need to be well-versed in a professional tone when composing communications for internal or external use. This includes items like professional letters, emails, and social media posts.

Administrative assistants are often the main point of contact for many employees, clients, and customers of a business. Thus, administrative assistants need to have highly effective people skills.

• Attention to detail

This is a critical skill, especially when it comes to proofreading an organization's communications or inputting information into a database.

• Team player

Since administrative assistants often interact with every arm and department of an organization, they must know how to act as a member of a team.

• Self-starter

This role requires professionals to anticipate incoming work tasks and take initiative.

• Strong numeracy skills

Bookkeeping is often a facet of an administrative assistant's job; therefore, they must have great math skills.

• Problem-solving abilities

Administrative assistants' work can sometimes be unpredictable, so being able to resolve issues when they arise is key.

• Flexibility

An administrative assistant's duties can vary considerably from one day to the next. Flexibility enables them to shift priorities, delegate, and multitask many of their office functions.

• Strong work ethic

The work administrative assistants do is extremely important to a company. They are often saddled with many daily tasks, some are predetermined, while others spring up on the spot, meaning they must be committed to doing their jobs effectively and efficiently.