administrative assistant

Some of the tasks of an administrative assistant:

• managing company documentation: You manage the company's documentation. You create, edit, and file documents from various departments and complete administrative procedures on time.
• completing clerical and secretarial work: You perform clerical and secretarial duties like handling telephone calls, drafting letters, and distributing mail to various departments. You also schedule meetings and appointments, organize business trips, and manage diaries for senior employees.
• bookkeeping tasks: You record sales and purchase invoices, prepare financial statements, and ensure accurate accounting records. You also manage the company's petty cash accounts.
• human resource duties: You assist with onboarding and filing the paperwork for new employees. You update company records to simplify the payroll process.
• coordinating office logistics: An administrative assistant is responsible for coordinating various office logistics, such as stocking essential supplies, inspecting equipment, and organizing the workplace. This includes reaching out to vendors, managing office equipment maintenance, and overseeing the general tidiness of the office space.
• facilitating communication: Acting as a communication hub, you relay information between different departments. This involves responding to emails, answering phone calls, and maintaining effective communication channels within the organization.
• event planning and coordination: Administrative assistants often take on the role of planning and coordinating company events, such as conferences, seminars, or team-building activities. This includes arranging venues, catering, and accommodations. Along with that, administrative assistants may have to manage invitations and RSVPs.

The responsibilities of an administrative assistant cover many administrative and organizational tasks.

As an administrative assistant, you generally work in an office setting. Your position may occasionally require travel, specifically to attend work-related functions and conferences the company hosts, so you need to keep in touch with a travel agent. Sometimes, you might travel to manage an event and help managers stay organized.

A wide range of businesses employ administrative assistants including hospitals, schools, private enterprises, and government agencies. They rarely telecommute and are typically expected to fulfill their duties in the office. Your office will be near that of managers or executives. Often, you share office space with other secretarial staff. Some companies have remote working opportunities for virtual assistants.

Depending on your employer, your colleagues may include receptionists, typists, secretaries, and personal assistants. You might also work close to administrators, office managers, and other specialists, including project managers, sales executives, and finance analysts.

Depending on the size and structure of the organization, your interactions might extend to IT specialists, marketing professionals, and legal advisors. This network of colleagues enhances your role as an administrative assistant. You will have varied perspectives that contribute to the overall success of the team and the organization.

The typical work schedule of an administrative assistant is 9 AM to 5 PM on weekdays. You're often expected to be present during the normal operating hours of the business to meet customers' needs and fulfill managerial requests. Most administrative assistant positions are full-time. Small companies often have part-time positions, especially if there's less work to handle. The average position requires working 35 to 40 hours each week.

Certain administrative assistant roles come with the benefit of flexible work hours. With that, individuals can tailor their schedules to better suit personal needs or commitments. This flexibility enhances work-life balance and job satisfaction. Generally, companies understand the importance of maintaining a healthy work environment and do not impose overtime requirements on administrative assistants during weekends or nights unless there are specific project deadlines or exceptional circumstances. This approach to work scheduling contributes to administrative professionals' overall well-being and productivity.

As an administrative assistant, the potential for specialization spans several industries, such as information technology, accounting, or payroll. These areas allow you to hone industry-specific skills and knowledge. Additionally, you can transition into specialized roles, such as legal administrative assistant or executive assistant, with more training. In those roles, some of your responsibilities may include managing legal documentation or supporting high-level executives.

Beyond these roles, some administrative assistants seek supervisory positions, which can turn into office manager or administrator careers. Pursuing management courses may open doors to even greater career advancement. They enable you to step into managerial roles where strategic decision-making and leadership are integral to your responsibilities. This adaptability and upward mobility showcase the dynamic nature of the administrative assistant role. Even networking enhances your skills and broadens your career horizons. If you select this career, you have plenty of opportunities for professional growth and career diversification.

Working through Randstad offers you a range of benefits:

• being paid weekly
• flexibility
• always a contact person you can fall back on and ask for help from
• many training opportunities
• a range of jobs in your area

Want a permanent contract? But you wonder why it would be interesting for you to work with a staffing company?  A temporary job as an administrative assistant is often a stepping stone to an attractive permanent job. Every year, thousands of people earn a permanent contract with great employers thanks to a temporary job found through Randstad. What's more, many companies recruit their permanent employees through Randstad too!

Administrative assistants can advance to executive assistant, office manager, or administrative services manager. Some may transition into human resources or industry-specific roles, like a paralegal in a law firm.

Administrative assistants should know how to use Microsoft Office Suite, Google Workspace, project management software such as Asana or Trello, and communication tools like Slack or Zoom. Also, they will want to be familiar with printers, scanners, and multi-line telephone systems.

An administrative assistant must possess three key skills: outstanding organizational abilities, strong communication skills, and proficiency in office software and technology. Along with that, attention to detail, multitasking abilities, and adaptability are other characteristics needed to be successful in this role.

Administrative assistants have decision-making responsibilities, work on projects, and complete clerical tasks. Secretaries usually work under administrative assistants and focus mainly on clerical duties.

You can qualify as an administrative assistant by completing a diploma or certificate course in business administration. On-the-job training opportunities are also another way to enter into this role.

Applying for a administrative assistant job is easy: create a Randstad profile and search our administrative assistant jobs for vacancies in your area. Then simply send us your CV. If you do not have a resume, no worries. Just check out our resume builder. This state of the art tool will help you to create your own resume. Need help with your application? Check out all our job-hunting tips!