How to hire an office assistant

How to hire an office assistant, step by step

Here's a step-by-step office assistant hiring guide:

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

What does an office assistant do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the office assistant you need to hire. Certain office assistant roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   An office assistant's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, office 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.

   The following list breaks down different types of office assistants and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Office Assistant	Description	Hourly rate
   Office Assistant	General office clerks perform a variety of clerical tasks, including answering telephones, typing documents, and filing records.	$11-19
   Office Secretary	An office secretary is responsible for performing administrative and clerical duties to ensure the smooth flow of operations and prevent delays with project deliverables. Office secretaries also welcome guests, respond to their inquiries and concerns, and direct them to the appropriate department or personnel for their appointments... Show more	$12-20
   Office Administrator	Office administrators are employees who ensure that the office is running in tip-top shape. They manage the administrative needs of the office... Show more	$13-23

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Data Entry
   • Patients
   • Customer Service
   • Telephone Calls
   • Scheduling Appointments
   • Front Desk
   • Office Equipment
   • Payroll
   • Word Processing
   • PowerPoint
   • Clerical Support
   • Administrative Tasks
   • Patient Appointments
   • HR

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage filing, photocopying, collating, and faxing public and seal case documents.
   • Manage CI s SharePoint pages and serve as CI s subject matter expert on SharePoint working groups.
   • Manage operational FedEx relationship through order fulfillment, shipment tracking, and communication with parties involve in shipment transaction.
   • Compile payroll records, detect and reconcile discrepancies, accurately report outcomes using QuickBooks.
   • Maintain office services by organizing office operations and procedures, preparing payroll, controlling correspondences, and designing filing systems.
   • File client paperwork upholding HIPAA standards.

   More office assistant duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, office assistants' average salary in new mexico is 45% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level office assistants 41% less than senior-level office assistants.
   • Certifications. An office 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 an office assistant's salary.

   Average office assistant salary

   $15.15hourly

   $31,517 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level office assistant salary

   $24,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 20, 2025

   Average office assistant salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	District of Columbia	$40,227	$19
   2	California	$38,307	$18
   3	Massachusetts	$36,422	$18
   4	Connecticut	$36,150	$17
   5	Hawaii	$34,503	$17
   6	New York	$33,934	$16
   7	Washington	$33,297	$16
   8	Minnesota	$32,811	$16
   9	Oregon	$32,496	$16
   10	Pennsylvania	$32,198	$15
   11	Colorado	$31,878	$15
   12	Maryland	$31,402	$15
   13	Arizona	$31,176	$15
   14	Wisconsin	$30,690	$15
   15	Maine	$30,575	$15
   16	Michigan	$30,225	$15
   17	Nevada	$30,095	$14
   18	Ohio	$30,079	$14
   19	Illinois	$30,029	$14
   20	Texas	$29,090	$14

   Average office assistant salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Analysis Group	$65,001	$31.25
   2	Argonne National Laboratory	$58,963	$28.35
   3	Gensler	$47,434	$22.80
   4	University of Massachusetts Boston	$47,211	$22.70	3
   5	Boston Public Schools	$45,785	$22.01	2
   6	University of California-Berkeley	$44,985	$21.63	1
   7	State of Connecticut	$43,511	$20.92	31
   8	Skagit County	$43,124	$20.73
   9	Stantec	$42,985	$20.67	12
   10	Earthjustice	$42,489	$20.43
   11	Booz Allen Hamilton	$42,462	$20.41	3
   12	Iowa Department of Transportation	$42,447	$20.41
   13	Clark County	$42,421	$20.39	4
   14	Deloitte	$42,283	$20.33	4
   15	UC Santa Barbara	$42,252	$20.31
   16	Stanford University	$42,022	$20.20	19
   17	T.Y. Lin International	$41,981	$20.18	2
   18	State College of Florida	$41,913	$20.15	3
   19	University of California	$41,607	$20.00	27
   20	Cardinal Financial	$41,432	$19.92

4. Writing an office assistant job description

   A good office assistant job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of an office assistant job description:

   Office assistant job description example

   Are you an experienced administrator and communicator? If so, consider becoming U-Haul's newest Office Clerk! In this role you will help to act as the glue of your center, assisting the Senior Office Clerk in supporting personnel. In exchange U-Haul offers opportunities for advancement and an excellent suite of benefits.
   U-Haul offers Office Clerks:
   Career stability Opportunities for advancement Health insurance & Prescription plans if eligible Paid holidays, vacation, and sick days if eligible Life insurance MetLaw Legal program MetLife auto and home insurance Discounts on Apple products, Dell computers, cell phone plans, hotels, and more 401k and Employee Stock Ownership Plan 24-hour physician available for kids Dental & Vision Plans Subsidized gym/fitness membership if eligible Business and travel insurance YouMatter EAP LifeLock Identity Theft Protection Critical Illness/Group Accident Insurance
   
   Office Clerk Primary Responsibilities:
   Work under the direction of the Senior Office clerk Assist with payroll, time off requests, and onboarding Assist with purchase orders and invoices Act as first point of contact for HR matters
   
   Office Clerk Minimum Qualifications:
   Excellent computer skills (especially Microsoft Office) Experience in basic bookkeeping and tracking of financial transactions
   
   AMERCO and its family of companies, including U-Haul, have strived to create a culture of health and wellness. As of February 1, 2020, and consistent with applicable state law, no AMERCO or U-Haul company will hire individuals in states where it may lawfully decline to hire individuals who use nicotine products. By continuing with this application, you are indicating that, if hired, you consent to nicotine screening in the future. This policy will not apply to team members hired before February 1, 2020.
   
   U-Haul is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants for employment will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, physical or mental disability, veteran status, or any other basis protected by applicable federal, provincial, state or local law. Individual accommodations are available on requests for applicants taking part in all aspects of the selection process. Information obtained during this process will only be shared on a need to know basis.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right office 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 office assistant job on Zippia to find and recruit office assistant candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with office assistant candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to 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 office assistant

   Once you've selected the best office 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 office 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 an office assistant?