Administrative Assistant
Administrative assistants keep offices running by managing schedules, documents, communications and routine tasks for a team or an executive.
What does a administrative assistant do?
Administrative assistants handle the organizing work that lets everyone else get their jobs done. They manage calendars, prepare documents, answer phones and email, order supplies and keep records. Executive assistants support senior leaders more closely, while specialized roles exist in legal and medical offices. Years of office experience, discretion and reliability count for a great deal here.
Typical responsibilities
- Schedule meetings and manage calendars
- Prepare letters, reports and presentations
- Answer phones and screen email
- Organize paper and electronic files
- Arrange travel and process expense reports
- Order supplies and coordinate with vendors
Skills and qualifications
Useful skills
- Organization and follow-through
- Word processing, spreadsheets and email
- Calendar and video-meeting tools
- Discretion with confidential information
- Clear written and spoken communication
- Juggling several priorities at once
Common qualifications
- A high school diploma or equivalent is common; some employers prefer college coursework
- Experience with common office software such as Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook or Google Docs
- Legal and medical roles may require knowledge of specialized terms and procedures
- Executive assistant roles usually expect several years of experience
Working conditions
- Where the work happens
- Offices in nearly every industry, including schools, hospitals, law firms, government agencies and businesses. Some roles are hybrid, with part of the week at home.
- Physical demands
- Mostly seated computer and phone work, with occasional lifting of files or supplies.
- Remote work
- Sometimes available, depending on the employer. Remote administrative jobs
- Part-time work
- Sometimes available, depending on the employer. Part-time administrative jobs
- Pay
- Pay varies by employer and location, and we don't estimate it. Current listings that state pay show it on each job. For national figures, see the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (opens in a new tab).
How to get started
- Write down the office tasks you have already done, even if your title was different, such as scheduling, reports or managing a budget.
- Refresh your software skills with free tutorials for Word, Excel, Google Docs and video-meeting tools.
- Target industries you know well; a former nurse may fit a medical office, a former paralegal a law firm.
- Consider temporary staffing agencies, which can place you in short assignments that sometimes become permanent.
- Prepare a resume that shows recent tools and results rather than a long list of duties.
Experience that transfers
- Office management: You have already coordinated people, supplies, vendors and schedules.
- Teaching or school administration: Planning, record-keeping and handling many requests at once are daily habits.
- Military administration: Precise documentation, procedures and support for leadership carry over well.
- Bookkeeping: Accuracy, invoices and expense tracking are often part of the role.
Frequently asked questions
Are part-time administrative jobs available?
Some are. Small businesses, schools, nonprofits, churches and medical offices sometimes hire part-time or temporary help. Staffing agencies also place people in short-term assignments. Use the part-time filter on job searches and consider contacting local organizations you already know, since smaller employers may not advertise widely.
I learned office software years ago. Do I need to retrain?
You may only need a refresher. Most offices now use email, shared calendars, cloud documents and video meetings. Free tutorials cover the basics of Google Docs, Microsoft Word and Zoom. Practice by creating a sample document and scheduling a test meeting, then list the specific tools you use on your resume.
Will employers think I'm overqualified if I had a bigger title before?
Some may. Address it directly: explain why this role fits what you want now, such as steadier hours or less travel, and show you are comfortable taking direction. Tailor your resume to the job rather than leading with past titles that do not match.