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How to hire a clerical/administrative assistant

Clerical/administrative assistant hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring clerical/administrative assistants in the United States:

  • HR departments typically spend 15% of their expenses on recruitment.
  • It usually takes about 12 weeks for a new employee to reach full productivity levels.
  • It typically takes 36-42 days to fill a job opening.
  • The median cost to hire a clerical/administrative assistant is $1,633.
  • Small businesses spend an average of $1,105 per clerical/administrative assistant on training each year, while large companies spend $658.
  • There are currently 960,147 clerical/administrative assistants in the US and 56,261 job openings.
  • Salt Lake City, UT, has the highest demand for clerical/administrative assistants, with 25 job openings.
  • New York, NY has the highest concentration of clerical/administrative assistants.

How to hire a clerical/administrative assistant, step by step

To hire a clerical/administrative assistant, you should create an ideal candidate profile, determine a budget, and post and promote your job. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire a clerical/administrative assistant:

Here's a step-by-step clerical/administrative assistant hiring guide:

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

What does a clerical/administrative assistant do?

An administrative assistant, also known as a secretary or office clerk, is someone who carries out daily clerical and administrative tasks. Admin assistants do a variety of tasks such as answering phone calls, organizing files, maintaining contacts, schedule meetings and appointments, and many more. Their task can be extensive, depending on the needs of operations and higher management. They serve as a gatekeeper of the company, so strong verbal and written communication skills are a must. They should also exhibit great organizational skills and time management since they act as the resource of the company.

Learn more about the specifics of what a clerical/administrative assistant does
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    The clerical/administrative assistant hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    A clerical/administrative assistant's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, clerical/administrative assistants 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.

    This list presents clerical/administrative assistant salaries for various positions.

    Type of Clerical/Administrative AssistantDescriptionHourly rate
    Clerical/Administrative AssistantSecretaries and administrative assistants perform clerical and administrative duties. They organize files, prepare documents, schedule appointments, and support other staff.$11-18
    Administrative SupportAdministrative support specialists provide different types of governmental assistance. They carry out varied clerical duties in almost all industries... Show more$12-25
    Administrative StaffAs the administrative staff, they primarily provide administrative and secretarial support for the department. Typically, they do report-writing, filing and scheduling, and payroll... Show more$27-48
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Data Entry
    • Word Processing
    • Payroll
    • Customer Service
    • Scheduling Appointments
    • Clerical Support
    • PowerPoint
    • Office Equipment
    • Front Desk
    • Travel Arrangements
    • Telephone Calls
    • Financial Statements
    • Multi-Line Telephone System
    • Purchase Orders
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Work with QuickBooks to manage store invoices and accounts.
    • Use EMR software to manage patient records and files; reinforce and uphold patient confidentiality as required by HIPAA.
    • Support medical doctors, manage sensitive and confidential records pertaining to high risk patients with emphasis on accuracy.
    • Check patients in and out, EMR, collect co-pays, answer phones, and take patients to exam rooms.
    • Assist with preparing and printing of exhibits, spreadsheets and PowerPoint slides as needed.
    • Maintain payroll and expense information.
    More clerical/administrative assistant duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your clerical/administrative assistant job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A clerical/administrative assistant can vary based on:

    • Location. For example, clerical/administrative assistants' average salary in indiana is 47% less than in washington.
    • Seniority. Entry-level clerical/administrative assistants 37% less than senior-level clerical/administrative assistants.
    • Certifications. A clerical/administrative assistant with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
    • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a clerical/administrative assistant's salary.

    Average clerical/administrative assistant salary

    $14.90hourly

    $30,983 yearly

    Entry-level clerical/administrative assistant salary
    $24,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 11, 2025

    Average clerical/administrative assistant salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1Washington$43,414$21
    2Alaska$39,849$19
    3California$35,587$17
    4Connecticut$34,374$17
    5New Jersey$33,936$16
    6Nebraska$31,947$15
    7New York$30,757$15
    8Maryland$30,357$15
    9Ohio$29,402$14
    10Michigan$28,827$14
    11Pennsylvania$28,751$14
    12Colorado$28,548$14
    13Texas$28,367$14
    14Illinois$28,050$13
    15Utah$26,978$13
    16North Carolina$26,458$13
    17Tennessee$25,921$12
    18Florida$24,070$12
    19Georgia$23,008$11
    20Kentucky$22,830$11

    Average clerical/administrative assistant salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1University of California$38,723$18.6245
    2City of Seattle$38,615$18.561
    3Sharp HealthCare$35,448$17.042
    4Amyx$34,425$16.55
    5Village Green$34,371$16.52
    6Barstow Community College$34,310$16.50
    7Sensus$33,944$16.32
    8True Care Home Care$33,710$16.21
    9University of Nebraska System$33,481$16.10
    10Kindred Healthcare$32,718$15.732
    11City Of Kirkland$32,696$15.721
    12Goldbelt Falcon$32,060$15.41
    13Express Employment Indy South$31,871$15.329
    14PeopleReady$31,844$15.3119
    15Adecco$31,696$15.2442
    16AtWork$31,648$15.221
    17Duke University Health System$31,405$15.1017
    18PLUM$31,403$15.101
    19Nefcu$31,397$15.09
    20Kelly Services$31,207$15.0037
  4. Writing a clerical/administrative assistant job description

    A job description for a clerical/administrative assistant role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a clerical/administrative assistant job description:

    Clerical/administrative assistant job description example

    Responsibilities

    OBXtek is currently accepting resumes for a contingent position supporting the Army's Product Manager Power Projection Enablers (PdM P2E) organization. Place of performance for the Administrative/Clerical, Senior will be located in Fort Belvoir, VA. The start date for this position is TBD, in 1st quarter of FY-2023.

    Below is a list of expectations the candidate must meet for this effort:

    • Greet, receive, and escort visitors; coordinate travel for senior-level individuals using the Defense Travel Service (DTS) website; screen and log telephonic and verbal communications, maintain calendars and schedules for senior-level individuals, and maintain calendars and schedules for multiple conference rooms.

    • Support establishing and scheduling Video teleconference and telephone bridges; coordinate and make travel arrangements for senior and executive level individuals; coordinate site visits in Europe, SWA, and Pacific; and coordinate Periodic Status Reviews (PSRs), conferences, and workgroups.

    • Maintain organizational correspondence and documentation in accordance with AR 25-50, staff and track paper and electronic documents to completion of intended actions and maintain paper and electronic files IAW Army Records Information Management System, AR 25-400-2.

      Scheduling and coordinating meetings (Calendar Maintenance); preparing and typing correspondence including reports and meeting minutes; prepare, consolidate, and submit for purchase specific supplies requested by PdM staff; and reproducing Documents

    • Maintain daily attendance roster, preparing and typing Alert and Phone Rosters, Email Distribution Lists, and Organizational Charts Monitor stock levels for a variety of office supplies and coordinate restocking as necessary with the Government credit card holder; and ensure that all office equipment supporting the front office (e.g., copiers, faxes, and multi-media equipment) is in working order.

    • Maintain business travel schedules for the PdM and the Deputy PdM. Maintaining and preparing records of leave, travel, training and other organizational activities for PM personnel.

    Travel can be expected up to 10% of the time.

    Travel will consist of trips both CONUS and OCONUS.

    Must be readily deployable (medically and administratively) to travel within 72 hours in any environment including contingency operations.

    Qualifications

    Secret Clearance

    • 8-10 years of relatable experience.

    Education/Certifications:

    • Bachelor's Degree, preferably a MA/MS degree
    Security Clearance Secret Company Information

    COVID Policy: Prospective and/or new employees will be required to adhere with OBXtek's COVID-19 policy. Employees working onsite at a customer location must comply with customer COVID-19 policy which may include any or all the following: social distancing, masks, vaccination, mandatory statements regarding one's vaccination status and mandatory testing .

    Headquartered in McLean, Virginia and founded in 2009, OBXtek is a fast-growing leader in the government contracting field. Our mission is Our People…Our Reputation. Our people are trained professionals who enhance our customers' knowledge and innovation using technology, collaboration, and education.

    We offer a robust suite of benefits including comprehensive medical, dental and vision plans, Flexible Spending Accounts, matching 401K, paid time off, tuition reimbursement plans and much more.

    As a prime contractor for 93% of our current work, OBXtek pairs lessons learned across disciplines with industry standard quality practices such as CMMI-Dev Level III, ITIL, 6Sigma, PMI, and ISO. Our rapid growth has been recognized by INC500, the Washington Business Journal, and Washington Technology magazine.

    OBXtek is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, gender identity, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation or any other classification protected by federal, state or local law.

  5. Post your job

    There are various strategies that you can use to find the right clerical/administrative assistant for your business:

    • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
    • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
    • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your clerical/administrative assistant job on Zippia to find and recruit clerical/administrative assistant candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    Recruiting clerical/administrative assistants requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

    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 clerical/administrative assistant

    Once you've selected the best clerical/administrative assistant candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

    It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

    To prepare for the new clerical/administrative assistant first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

  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 a clerical/administrative assistant?

Hiring a clerical/administrative assistant comes with both the one-time cost per hire and ongoing costs. The cost of recruiting clerical/administrative assistants involves promoting the job and spending time conducting interviews. Ongoing costs include employee salary, training, benefits, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to consider the cost of clerical/administrative assistant recruiting as well the ongoing costs of maintaining the new employee.

The median annual salary for clerical/administrative assistants is $30,983 in the US. However, the cost of clerical/administrative assistant hiring can vary a lot depending on location. Additionally, hiring a clerical/administrative assistant for contract work or on a per-project basis typically costs between $11 and $18 an hour.

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