What Does an Office Assistant Do?

Office Assistant Job Description

Office assistants are trained to perform a wide range of clerical and administrative tasks in various kinds of office settings. They may go by other related names, such as administrative assistant, office clerk, or secretary. In general, their role is to support other staff members in the office and take care of the different tasks necessary to allow the office to run efficiently. Although specific duties vary by the kind of office they work in and the needs of that specific day, office assistants may be required to perform job duties such as:

• Answering and transferring phone calls
• Sorting mail
• Scheduling appointments
• Sending faxes
• Writing reports, memos, and other documents
• Performing data entry
• Processing bills
• Editing paperwork
• Organizing files
• Updating files

Necessary Administrative Skills

Office assistants generally need to be detail-oriented and well organized as they manage an array of office tasks and office documents. These professionals also need to have good interpersonal skills to communicate with others in the office, as well as customer service skills, if they regularly interact with the public. It is also helpful for office assistants to use critical-thinking and decision-making skills while working independently. Some employers may value assistants with high-quality writing and/or computer skills.

Other Requirements

Most office assistants only need a high school diploma or its equivalent to begin working in the field. However, some advanced positions may require so many years of work experience and/or special training.

Although it is not usually required, there are a number of online certificate and degree programs available in office management for office assistants interested in advancing to managerial positions. There are also other degree programs available in specific administrative fields, such as bachelor's degree programs in medical office administration.

Administrative Assistant Salary

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that the median annual salary for secretaries and administrative assistants was $38,880 in 2018. The BLS also reported that the median annual salary for general office clerks during the same year was $32,730.

PayScale.com, reported that the median salary specifically for an office assistant was $33,966, as of September 2019. PayScale.com noted that this salary could vary greatly based on factors like employer, skills, and location.

Office Assistant Job Outlook

The BLS reported a decline in the job outlook of both secretaries and administrative assistants and general office clerks. For the period from 2018 to 2028, the BLS stated that secretaries and administrative assistants would have a job outlook of -7%, while general office clerks would have a job outlook of -4%. These negative job outlooks could be attributed to the increasing use of technology. The BLS did note that job outlook is also dependent on the industry, as secretaries and administrative assistants in the medical field had a positive outlook of 16% for the same decade.

Office Assistant Jobs

Office assistants generally work full-time in an office setting, but these offices can be found in numerous industries. For example, there are legal secretaries who work for lawyers and specialize in legal tasks and documentation, as well as medical secretaries who manage medical documents and prepare reports for doctors.

There are also varying levels of administrative assistants. Executive secretaries or executive administrative assistants are often charged with more complex tasks and may work for top executives in their organization.