What Does an Office Aide Do?

Also called an office assistant, an office aide is someone whose responsibility focuses on secretarial and administrative tasks in health practices, schools, businesses, or any other institution. Office aides help with logistical and clerical needs like copying files, curating schedules, and answering phones. They manage and organize files, receive and direct visitors, create presentations, and answer emails. The skills they need include computer and email use, filing documents, answering multiline phone systems, and typing.

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Office Aide Responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real office aide resumes representing typical tasks they are likely to perform in their roles.

Manage operational FedEx relationship through order fulfillment, shipment tracking, and communication with parties involve in shipment transaction.
Handle bulk mailings for annual donations, alumni & target donors.
Elaborate letters, PowerPoint presentations.
Create PowerPoint presentations used for school development.
Administer executive responsibilities to assist the office manager with administrative task and operating QuickBooks.
Ensure sensitive information pertaining to veterans are kept secure.

Office Aide Job Description

Between the years 2018 and 2028, office aide jobs are expected to undergo a growth rate described as "decline" at -4%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. So if the thought "should I become an office aide?" Has crossed your mind, maybe you should take the growth rate into account. In addition, the number of office aide opportunities that are projected to become available by 2028 is -110,600.

On average, the office aide annual salary is $29,255 per year, which translates to $14.06 an hour. Generally speaking, office aides earn anywhere from $22,000 to $37,000 a year, which means that the top-earning office aides make $12,000 more than the ones at the lower end of the spectrum.

It's hard work to become an office aide, but even the most dedicated employees consider switching careers from time to time. Whether you're interested in a more challenging position or just looking for a fresh start, we've compiled extensive information on becoming an administrative office specialist, office support specialist, front office specialist, and student office worker.

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12 Office Aide Resume Examples

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Vincent Stephens Office Aide Contact Information Chicago, IL (280) 555-2271 vstephens@example.com Skills Child Care Office Procedures Administrative Tasks Taking Messages Scheduling Appointments RAN Front Office General Public Telephone Calls Office Tasks Employment History Office Aide 2018 - Present University of Illinois at Chicago Chicago, IL Trained and developed new cashiers/customer service/office employees. answer a multi-line phone customer service cash handling nightly deposits credit applications financing contracts Processed the documentation of meetings between Development Officers and potential donors in the database, including the handling of confidential materials. Answered the telephone -Appointment Setting -Worked with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Desktop Publishing -Client relations Supervised two Word Processing Secretaries and conducted performance reviews and merit increases. Clerical Worker 2011 - 2018 University of Illinois at Chicago Chicago, IL Reserve meeting space and catering for clients Answer telephones Customer service representative Daily typing Maintain files and client information Make travel arrangements for executives. Provide front-desk representation, clerical support, and customer service for Allstate Insurance. Baby Sitter 2006 - 2011 Boys & Girls Club Chicago, IL Communicate effectively with the children and their parents, as well as with other child care workers. Monitored the children doing their daily activities. Assist with daily activities,answer phone,monitor kids and maintain work area. Home Child Care - Danbury, CT Provided home day care and babysitting at clients home. Education Associate's Degree Education 2004 - 2006 Illinois State University Normal, IL


Alan Torres Office Aide Contact Info Los Angeles, CA (330) 555-8478 atorres@example.com Skills Bank DepositsData EntryChild CareDatabaseOffice SuppliesDaily ActivitiesPersonnel FilesBabysitNutritious MealsHomework Assignments Employment History Office Aide 2011 - Present Farmers Insurance Los Angeles, CA Operated multi-line phone system, administrative support person for insurance Adjusters, computer file retrieval/transmission, telephone communication with agents. Transcribed reports Logged, filed and retrieved Insurance Reports Typed purchase orders, expense reports, recorded and distributed petty cash. Managed customer problems and customer service. Provided exceptional quality customer service interactions. Updated database and reports as needed. Answer high volume of telephone calls. Office Aide 2006 - 2011 Best Buy San Bernardino, CA Reconstructed the company filing system and manage highly confidential documents. Complete and gather necessary paperwork and documents required for the sale of a vehicle. Prepare reports, invoices, financial statements, letters, case histories, or medical records. Baby Sitter 2005 - 2006 San Bernardino County Fire San Bernardino, CA Provided quality daycare in my home for ages infant to three. Provided on-site child care services for between two to five children at a time. Plan and organize activities Provide excellent child care Promote children's emotional development, encouraging understanding of others and self-actualization. observe and monitor play activities instruct children on personal habits, eating, resting and potty habits. Provided child care three days a week. Education Some College Courses Psychology 2005 - 2005 California State University - San Bernardino San Bernardino, CA


Daniel Bell Office Aide Fairfax, VA (890) 555-0203 dbell@example.com Experience Office Aide2012 - Present Laboratory For Physical Sci•Fairfax, VA Maintain and update filing, inventory, mailing, and database systems, either manually or using a computer. Worked under the assistant to the Athletic Director and other staff members of the athletic department. Answered front office phones and scheduled appointments Scanned insurance information Instructed employees on use of computer programs * Helping out around the office * Use of computer and filing paperwork Office Worker2011 - 2012 Laboratory For Physical Sci•Fairfax, VA Fostered connections with constituents from conducting telephone calls about local problems. Created and maintained database for recruitment. Greet customers at the cashier window, answering customers' questions and providing information on procedures or policies. Research Internship2010 - 2011 Laboratory For Physical Sci•Fairfax, VA Utilized a wide variety of microbiology lab equipment to conduct DNA research on multiple sclerosis. Projected an image of professionalism in communication, appearance and conduct. Coordinated communication between correspondents, editors, and layout staff Fabricate Nanoparticles for Drug Delivery Tissue Culture techniques Perform analytical techniques such as reactions, filtrations, distillations, extractions, chromatography, crystallizations, and material transfers. Skills Focus GroupsInternetMedical RecordsTelephone CallsPayrollCommunicationGLPBusiness OfficeScheduling AppointmentsFile Papers Education Bachelor's Degree Biology2007 - 2010 George Mason University•Fairfax, VA

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Office Aide Skills and Personality Traits

We calculated that 16% of Office Aides are proficient in Data Entry, Phone Calls, and Telephone Calls. They’re also known for soft skills such as Customer-service skills, Detail oriented, and Organizational skills.

We break down the percentage of Office Aides that have these skills listed on their resume here:

Data Entry, 16%
Performed heavy volume computerized data entry of customers' payment information New York,
Phone Calls, 15%
Answered and forwarded incoming phone calls Facilitated constituents in solving personal & professional matters Performed clerical duties, including Xerox and faxing
Telephone Calls, 8%
Answered emails and telephone calls, responding to inquiries and requests and forwarding to appropriate departments.
Customer Service, 6%
Provided outstanding customer service, exceeding member expectations through patience and professionalism.
Front Desk, 5%
Supervised the front desk at a residence hall, had the challenge to know who lived there and who did not.
Database Systems, 5%
Maintained and updated filing, inventory/database systems, manually or using a computer.

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Some of the skills we found on office aide resumes included "data entry," "phone calls," and "telephone calls." We have detailed the most important office aide responsibilities below.

Arguably the most important personality trait for an office aide to have happens to be customer-service skills. An example from a resume said this about the skill, "general office clerks often provide general information to company staff, customers, or the public" Additionally, other resumes have pointed out that office aides can use customer-service skills to "performed data entry, entering customer information into computerized database using the qwerty keyboard. "

Another trait important for fulfilling office aide duties is detail oriented. According to a office aide resume, "general office clerks perform many clerical tasks that require attention to detail, such as preparing bills." Here's an example of how office aides are able to utilize detail oriented: "answer phone calls, filing papers, making copies, customer service oriented"

Organizational skills is also an important skill for office aides to have. This example of how office aides use this skill comes from a office aide resume, "general office clerks file and retrieve records" Read this excerpt from a resume to understand how vital it is to their everyday roles and responsibilities, "enhanced data entry skills developed daily and monthly billing/accounting cultivated organizational skills trained new supervisors on customer service and billing skills"

See the full list of office aide skills.

Before becoming an office aide, 45.0% earned their bachelor's degree. When it comes down to graduating with a master's degree, 3.6% office aides went for the extra education. If you're wanting to pursue this career, it may be possible to be successful with a high school degree. In fact, some office aides have a college degree. But about one out of every five office aides didn't attend college at all.

Those office aides who do attend college, typically earn either business degrees or psychology degrees. Less commonly earned degrees for office aides include general studies degrees or criminal justice degrees.

Once you're ready to become an office aide, you should explore the companies that typically hire office aides. According to office aide resumes that we searched through, office aides are hired the most by The Salvation Army, Community Solutions, and FHI 360. Currently, The Salvation Army has 6 office aide job openings, while there are 2 at Community Solutions and 2 at FHI 360.

But if you're interested in companies where you might earn a high salary, office aides tend to earn the biggest salaries at Community Solutions, City of Richmond, and Paramus Public Schools. Take Community Solutions for example. The median office aide salary is $33,654. At City of Richmond, office aides earn an average of $31,841, while the average at Paramus Public Schools is $30,584. You should take into consideration how difficult it might be to secure a job with one of these companies.

View more details on office aide salaries across the United States.

The three companies that hire the most prestigious office aides are:

The Salvation Army6 Office Aides Jobs
Professional2 Office Aides Jobs
FHI 3602 Office Aides Jobs

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What Administrative Office Specialists Do

An administrative office specialist helps offices to run efficiently and smoothly by performing clerical support tasks. Their responsibilities often include preparing and processing documents, arranging meetings and appointments, monitoring the budgets and expenditures, answering calls and correspondence, handling the inventory and procurement of office supplies, and developing strategies to optimize office operations. They may also address issues and concerns, resolving them promptly and professionally. Furthermore, as an administrative office specialist, it is essential to coordinate staff, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.

In this section, we take a look at the annual salaries of other professions. Take administrative office specialist for example. On average, the administrative office specialists annual salary is $5,922 higher than what office aides make on average every year.

While their salaries may differ, one common ground between office aides and administrative office specialists are a few of the skills required in each craft. In both careers, employees bring forth skills like data entry, phone calls, and telephone calls.

There are some key differences in responsibilities as well. For example, an office aide responsibilities require skills like "database systems," "scheduling appointments," "clerical tasks," and "office machines." Meanwhile a typical administrative office specialist has skills in areas such as "payroll," "hr," "travel arrangements," and "provides administrative support." This difference in skills reveals how truly different these two careers really are.

Administrative office specialists tend to make the most money in the technology industry by averaging a salary of $36,820. In contrast, office aides make the biggest average salary of $30,366 in the health care industry.

Administrative office specialists tend to reach similar levels of education than office aides. In fact, administrative office specialists are 1.7% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.0% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.

What Are The Duties Of an Office Support Specialist?

An office support specialist is in charge of performing clerical tasks to help offices maintain a smooth workflow. Among their responsibilities include preparing and processing documents, answering calls and correspondence, disseminating and organizing files, monitoring the inventory of office supplies, and processing procurement requests should there be any. They may also assist staff with projects and programs, greet visitors, and coordinate with different company departments. Furthermore, an office support specialist must enforce the company's policies and regulations.

Now we're going to look at the office support specialist profession. On average, office support specialists earn a $7,294 higher salary than office aides a year.

While the salary may be different for these job positions, there is one similarity and that's a few of the skills needed to perform certain duties. We used info from lots of resumes to find that both office aides and office support specialists are known to have skills such as "data entry," "phone calls," and "telephone calls. "

In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences that are worth noting. For example, office aide responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "scheduling appointments," "financial aid," "clerical tasks," and "office tasks." Meanwhile, a office support specialist might be skilled in areas such as "provides administrative support," "human resources," "office procedures," and "payroll." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.

Office support specialists may earn a higher salary than office aides, but office support specialists earn the most pay in the finance industry with an average salary of $41,711. On the other side of things, office aides receive higher paychecks in the health care industry where they earn an average of $30,366.

In general, office support specialists study at similar levels of education than office aides. They're 1.3% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.0% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

How a Front Office Specialist Compares

A front office specialist performs varied duties and administrative tasks for an organization. These include maintaining the cleanliness of the front desk, greeting and welcoming guests and visitors, and answering questions and managing complaints. Other duties include answering telephone calls, receiving packages and letters, and checking, sorting, and forwarding emails. As front office specialist, you are expected to maintain updated files and records, prepare various types of written materials, and research a wide range of topics as requested.

The third profession we take a look at is front office specialist. On an average scale, these workers bring in higher salaries than office aides. In fact, they make a $2,452 higher salary per year.

By looking over several office aides and front office specialists resumes, we found that both roles utilize similar skills, such as "data entry," "phone calls," and "telephone calls." But beyond that the careers look very different.

As mentioned, these two careers differ between other skills that are required for performing the work exceedingly well. For example, gathering from office aides resumes, they are more likely to have skills like "database systems," "scheduling appointments," "financial aid," and "clerical tasks." But a front office specialist might have skills like "patients," "medical terminology," "check-in," and "patient care."

Front office specialists are known to earn similar educational levels when compared to office aides. Additionally, they're 1.4% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.3% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Description Of a Student Office Worker

The fourth career we look at typically earns lower pay than office aides. On average, student office workers earn a difference of $2,600 lower per year.

According to resumes from both office aides and student office workers, some of the skills necessary to complete the responsibilities of each role are similar. These skills include "data entry," "phone calls," and "telephone calls. "

Even though a few skill sets overlap, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, an office aide might have more use for skills like "database systems," "clerical tasks," "run errands," and "clerical support." Meanwhile, some student office workers might include skills like "facebook," "database," "alumni," and "office programs" on their resume.

The average resume of student office workers showed that they earn similar levels of education to office aides. So much so that the likelihood of them earning a Master's Degree is 1.6% more. Additionally, they're more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree by 0.3%.

Updated October 2, 2020