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How to hire an office manager/administrative assistant

Office manager/administrative assistant hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring office managers/administrative assistant in the United States:

  • There are currently 680,666 office managers/administrative assistant in the US, as well as 74,168 job openings.
  • Office managers/administrative assistant are in the highest demand in Boston, MA, with 4 current job openings.
  • The median cost to hire an office manager/administrative assistant is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
  • On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new office manager/administrative assistant to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire an office manager/administrative assistant, step by step

To hire an office manager/administrative assistant, you should clearly understand the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, and allocate a budget for the position. You will also need to post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire an office manager/administrative assistant:

Here's a step-by-step office manager/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 an office manager/administrative assistant job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new office manager/administrative assistant
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an office manager/administrative assistant do?

An office manager, also known as an administrative ssistant, is responsible for overseeing the workflow in an office or department. An office manager's duties mostly revolve around performing clerical tasks, such as organizing and maintaining accurate schedules and documentation, obtaining office supplies and equipment, arranging meetings and appointments, preparing reports and evaluations, and handling calls and other forms of correspondence. Furthermore, an office manager serves as the contact person for different departments. Therefore it is crucial to maintain an active line of communication and coordination at all times.

Learn more about the specifics of what an office manager/administrative assistant does
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    Before you post your office manager/administrative assistant job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find an office manager/administrative assistant for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

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

    Hiring the perfect office manager/administrative assistant also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

    The following list breaks down different types of office managers/administrative assistant and their corresponding salaries.

    Type of Office Manager/Administrative AssistantDescriptionHourly rate
    Office Manager/Administrative AssistantSecretaries and administrative assistants perform clerical and administrative duties. They organize files, prepare documents, schedule appointments, and support other staff.$12-26
    Office And Operations ManagerOffice and Operations managers are tenured or experienced employees with a strong office administration and business operations background. They oversee office operations and ensure that the administrative team is working well... Show more$18-38
    Accountant And Office ManagerAn accountant/office manager is responsible for monitoring the organization's accounting records and financial reports, analyzing statistical information, and managing payroll processes. Accountant/office managers must have excellent knowledge of accounting disciplines and principles to perform accounting duties and train accounting staff of the accounting operations, overseeing account receivables, conducting bank reconciliations, and responding to the staff's inquiries and concerns... Show more$16-35
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Customer Service
    • Data Entry
    • Financial Statements
    • Travel Arrangements
    • Purchase Orders
    • Office Equipment
    • Scheduling Appointments
    • PowerPoint
    • Office Operations
    • Expense Reports
    • QuickBooks
    • Office Management
    • Front Desk
    • Human Resources
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Manage detailed administrative records using POS retail software.
    • Scan and file all documents into EMR and paper chart.
    • Coordinate yearly CPR training with local fire department for post office employees.
    • Scan all labs retrieve from various insurance portals, and medical records into the EMR.
    • Compile payroll information within deadlines.
    • Compile expense reporting and payroll for manufacturing facility staff.
    More office manager/administrative assistant duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your office manager/administrative assistant job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. An office manager/administrative assistant salary can vary based on several factors:
    • Location. For example, office managers/administrative assistant' average salary in arkansas is 42% less than in oregon.
    • Seniority. Entry-level office managers/administrative assistant earn 51% less than senior-level office managers/administrative assistant.
    • Certifications. An office manager/administrative assistant with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
    • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in an office manager/administrative assistant's salary.

    Average office manager/administrative assistant salary

    $39,071yearly

    $18.78 hourly rate

    Entry-level office manager/administrative assistant salary
    $27,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 5, 2025

    Average office manager/administrative assistant salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1California$51,525$25
    2Massachusetts$48,032$23
    3Washington$47,945$23
    4New York$45,768$22
    5Minnesota$43,767$21
    6District of Columbia$41,395$20
    7Nebraska$40,200$19
    8Texas$39,777$19
    9Colorado$39,563$19
    10Illinois$38,809$19
    11Nevada$38,267$18
    12Wisconsin$38,139$18
    13Pennsylvania$37,071$18
    14Missouri$34,790$17
    15North Carolina$33,894$16
    16Virginia$33,792$16
    17Ohio$33,559$16
    18Florida$32,914$16

    Average office manager/administrative assistant salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1Revance Therapeutics$55,429$26.65
    2Beacon Hill Staffing Group$49,568$23.83
    3Logistics Management Institute$46,267$22.244
    4Oxnard Union High School District$45,789$22.01
    5Crocs$44,864$21.57
    6DRT Strategies$43,174$20.76
    7ISO New England$42,372$20.37
    8Future$42,160$20.27
    9Eurofins$40,459$19.454
    10Psg$38,524$18.5227
    11Compass SLS and ILS$37,923$18.236
    12Du-Co Ceramics$37,192$17.88
    13Kelly Services$36,820$17.7036
    14PDS Tech$36,742$17.66
    15Robert Half$36,020$17.32463
    16i3 Verticals$35,676$17.15
    17Nease Co$35,567$17.10
    18WernerCo$35,494$17.06
    19Randstad North America, Inc.$34,894$16.7815
    20Gannett$32,309$15.53
  4. Writing an office manager/administrative assistant job description

    A job description for an office manager/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 an office manager/administrative assistant job description:

    Office manager/administrative assistant job description example

    1. Process accounts payable and receivable including: enter and verify bills, invoices, and purchase orders, ensuring compliance with financial guidelines established by ownership.

    a. Process payments, deposits, and post into system

    b. Reconcile checking, savings, customer and vendor accounts

    c. Set up and maintain financial records in paper and cloud-based file system

    d. Make journal entries into accounting system

    2. Process payroll/timecards and make sure that all staff are correctly returning timecards and other reports

    3. Maintain confidentiality regarding organization’s financial and personnel information

    4. Provide direct administrative support as needed, including scheduling appointments, meetings, and events, maintaining filing system, handling incoming/outgoing mail, and keeping all employee records updated

    5. Prepare monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements for review by ownership and third party accountant.

    6. Continue an efficient office by maintaining the appearance of common areas, organizing procedures, methodical scheduling, managing filing systems, and keeping watch over supplies and equipment

    7. Continuously improve systems and processes

    Office Administration

    1. Sage Accounting experience preferred but general accounting software experience is mandatory

    2. Payroll processing experience

    3. Proficient use of

    a. Microsoft Office Suite of products including Word (including the use of tables), Excel, and Outlook;

    b. Adobe Pro including converting other types of documents into .pdf, compiling .pdf documents; paginating and searching .pdf documents

    c. Cloud-based computing solutions

    d. Effective communication skills (orally and in writing) in English

    4. Strong organizational skills.

    5. Consistently maintains a professional demeanor, appearance, and work environment.

    6. Strong time-management, people skills, flexibility, and ability to multitask.

    7. Optimistic outlook and engaging personality

    Education and Experience

    Required:

    1. An associate’s degree or two years college coursework.

    2. Or Two to five years of progressive experience and responsibility in a bookkeeping and administration position

    3. Advanced computer skills and experience with online platforms

    4. Proficient in Microsoft Office, with aptitude to learn new software and systems.

    Preferred:

    1. A bachelor’s degree in accounting or other business field.

    2. Previous success in office management

    3. Experience developing internal systems

    4. Ability to handle confidential information

    5. Understanding or the ability to utilize the Spanish language.

    Supervisor Responsibility

    This position has no direct supervisory responsibilities.

    Work Environment

    Work is regularly performed in an office environment but is located in a rural area.

    Physical Demands

    While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk, hear, and see. The employee is frequently required to sit and stand; walk; use hands to type; reach and lift minimal weight (Less than 30 lbs.)

    Position Type/Expected Hours of Work

    This will be a full-time position from $37,500 + 401K per year based on experience

    Travel

    No travel is expected for this position.

    Other Duties

    Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice

  5. Post your job

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

    To successfully recruit office managers/administrative assistant, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up 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 manager/administrative assistant

    Once you've selected the best office manager/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.

    You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

    To prepare for the new office manager/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 an office manager/administrative assistant?

There are different types of costs for hiring office managers/administrative assistant. One-time cost per hire for the recruitment process. Ongoing costs include employee salary, training, onboarding, benefits, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to consider all of these costs when evaluating hiring a new office manager/administrative assistant employee.

Office managers/administrative assistant earn a median yearly salary is $39,071 a year in the US. However, if you're looking to find office managers/administrative assistant for hire on a contract or per-project basis, hourly rates typically range between $12 and $26.

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