How Do I Become an Office Assistant?
Are you good at organizing, filing, answering phones and interacting with people? If so, a job as an office assistant may be right for you. Office assistants maintain office productivity by assisting office personnel with general clerical tasks. Continue reading for more information on this career. Schools offering Office Management degrees can also be found in these popular choices.
What Does an Office Assistant Do?
An office assistant performs general clerical duties for office personnel. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) groups the job as indistinguishable from administrative assistant, secretary, receptionist or office clerk (www.bls.gov). However, some companies make a subtle distinction and hire office assistants to assist senior administrative staff or to undertake a light clerical load when an experienced administrative assistant may not be necessary.
Your duties as an office assistant may fluctuate with the industry and company. The International Association of Administrative Professionals reports that office assistants do tasks such as filing, copying, faxing, routing phone calls, and sorting and preparing mail (www.iaap-hq.org). You may also type letters and e-mails, run errands, maintain break areas and inventory office supplies. Additional duties may include filling orders, maintaining customer records and inputting data. As you gain more experience, you could coordinate travel for executives, perform basic bookkeeping, create and maintain expense reports, and set appointments and meetings.
What Skills and Education Would I Need?
Most companies simply require a high school diploma, although O*Net Online reports that some do prefer a bachelor's degree (www.onetonline.org). It's important to be able to type, file and have basic computer knowledge. In some offices, you must have your own transportation to run errands. You may also interact with customers and vendors, so you need to dress professionally and have a friendly and patient demeanor.
How Could I Advance?
The BLS notes that the advancement opportunities for an office assistant vary. Some offices will hire you as an assistant and train you for other tasks, such as customer service or sales. Other companies may move you into other administrative titles such as executive assistant, office manager or human resource representative. Some companies may train you for professional positions, provided you acquire more education.
How Do I Apply?
To be an office assistant, you need a resume, and many community colleges and job assistance centers offer resume assistance. After you have a resume, you can apply to newspaper postings or online advertisements for clerical positions. However, many entry-level assistants get their start by registering with a staffing agency or temporary agency.
To continue researching, browse degree options below for course curriculum, prerequisites and financial aid information. Or, learn more about the subject by reading the related articles below:
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