what is an administrative assistant?
As an administrative assistant, you use your skills to ensure seamless business operations in an office setting. Your business acumen helps you understand the purpose and background of the company you work for, which is essential for running the office smoothly. You perform various tasks to free up departmental managers for other responsibilities. It is important to be conversant with office procedures, systems, equipment and software packages. You manage the managers' calendars and prepare the schedules as instructed.
In the past, the role of an administrative assistant was to perform repetitive office tasks, like typing and filing. With technological advancements, the role has evolved. Automation promotes efficiency and productivity in completing administrative tasks. Nowadays, the job description of an administrative assistant has expanded to include project management and support work. Hence, your role involves preparing budgets for new projects, planning workers' schedules, and writing reports on behalf of the managers. Knowledge of information technology (IT) helps you leverage the benefits of technology and simplify your tasks.
As an administrative assistant, you welcome visitors and help them find their appointments. You answer customer queries and resolve conflicts to ensure they receive the best customer service.
Would working as an administrative assistant suit your organisational and computer skills? Then read on to find out what competencies and qualifications you need to thrive in an administrative assistant role.
view jobsaverage administrative assistant salary
According to the Economic Research Institute, the average earnings of an administrative assistant in Greece is €21,500 per year. This translates to an average hourly rate of approximately €10. Your compensation package fluctuates based on your experience and the complexity of your duties. The lowest salary of an administrative assistant in Greece is approximately €15,500 annually. When you have years of experience and additional academic qualifications, you are likely to take home a salary of €25,500 yearly.
what factors affect the salary of an administrative assistant?
Most employers focus on your skills and competencies as opposed to educational qualifications. Hence, having years of administrative experience improves your earning potential due to the additional skills you have. The highest level of education for administrative assistants is a bachelor's degree, and your compensation package increases as you improve your qualifications.
The industry you work for also influences your earnings due to the complexity of the tasks. For instance, working as a legal administrative assistant requires knowledge of the legal field, while working in healthcare facilities requires a background in managing medical records. With the complexity of your duties, you are likely to take home a higher salary.
types of administrative assistants
Administrative assistants vary based on the industry they work in and their area of specialisation. Some of the types of administrative assistants include:
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health administrative assistants
As a health administrative assistant, you perform administrative tasks in office settings at healthcare facilities. Your job includes maintaining patient records, directing patients to appointments, and replenishing office supplies. You also provide patients' medical records to doctors and work with other office workers.
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legal administrative assistants
Some administrative assistants work in law firms to manage office operations. Your job involves data entry tasks and filing documents. You assist lawyers with retrieving case files and maintaining client records. To excel in the role, you should be conversant with legal terminology and collaborate with other administrative assistants to complete office tasks on time.
working as an administrative assistant
Working as an administrative assistant involves juggling multiple tasks. Some are routine, but others could change daily depending on the work environment. Let's explore administrative assistants' specific duties, working environments and schedules.
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what does an administrative assistant do?
While your duties differ depending on your employer, some of your standard tasks include:
- Supervising other administrative staff: as an administration assistant, you work closely with the manager and your primary role is to ensure data entry tasks are performed effectively. You create work schedules and delegate duties to your co-workers. You provide clear instructions for completing each task to avoid mistakes and ensure smooth business operations.
- Coordinating meetings and events: whenever managers want to speak to employees, the administrative assistant sets up a meeting. You also coordinate events, like training workshops or conferences, and organise the logistics associated with the events. That means you schedule appointments and arrange travel itineraries for the attendees.
- Preparing project reports: as an administrative assistant, you plan office projects and oversee their progress. Your job is to keep track of ongoing projects and measure performance. You also create reports to present to the managers.
- Performing clerical tasks: you perform some clerical tasks, like typing memos, writing letters and filing documents. You also manage all forms of correspondence in the office environment. That means you answer phone calls, receive parcels and reply to emails. Industry-related data entry work, such as collecting data from surveys, also falls within your clerical workload.
- Conducting research: as an administrative assistant, you conduct industry-specific research to assist managers and other administrators in making decisions. You also prepare the research findings for presentations during conferences or meetings. That includes organising important files and drafting supporting documents. Sometimes, your duties involve data analysis.
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work environment of an administrative assistant
As an administrative assistant, you work in various settings, including corporate offices, government agencies, hospitals and educational institutions. Most of your work is sedentary since you spend hours working in an office environment. Sometimes, you lift or move heavy files or parcels around the office. The role doesn't involve travelling since you oversee operations in an office setting. However, you can work remotely to supervise administrative tasks.
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who are your colleagues?
Depending on the industry you work in, you collaborate with various professionals. In an office setting, you work alongside receptionists, office managers and executive assistants. You also interact with departmental heads, such as operations managers, HR managers and marketing managers. Other professionals you may work with include lawyers, nurses and doctors.
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administrative assistant work schedule
Administrative assistants have a typical 40-hour workweek. You work office hours and are expected to complete special projects and meet deadlines. Full-time or part-time roles are also available. Full-time workers complete 8-hour workdays, while part-time administrative assistants work three to five hours, usually a couple of times a week. You can also find flexible working arrangements, like job-sharing or work-from-home opportunities.
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career opportunities as an administrative assistant
Administrative assistants advance their careers by pursuing higher qualifications. With the skills you gain working as an administrative assistant, you have multiple opportunities for career growth. You can progress to a senior administrator, executive assistant or office manager role. Some administrative assistants in legal careers become paralegals.
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advantages of finding a job as an administrative assistant through randstad
Working with Randstad offers you a range of benefits.
- always a contact person you can fall back on and ask for help from
- a range of jobs in your area
administrative assistant skills and education
You don't require educational qualifications to get an entry-level position as an administrative assistant. However, the following qualifications improve your salary expectations and career prospects:
- Education: while you can become an administrative assistant after completing compulsory Gymnasio (lower secondary school) or Lykeio (vocational upper secondary school) education, consider pursuing additional training. If you are interested in higher education, pursue a bachelor’s degree in business administration or business management, which takes four years. The degree courses are available in higher education institutes.
- Work experience: you require experience in administrative roles to excel as an administrative assistant. You can gain experience through entry-level roles. Consider taking short courses to improve your knowledge of using office management systems and project management software.
competencies and characteristics of administrative assistants
Some of the skills that an administrative assistant requires include:
- Delegation: your job involves assigning tasks and delegating responsibilities to other administrative staff.
- Communication skills: you are an important contact person in the organisation, so you should be courteous to visitors and respond to queries. Proper communication also improves transparency when you share your expectations with other employees.
- Organisation skills: you juggle multiple tasks and need organisational skills to keep your work schedule in order. Having good organisational skills helps you prioritise tasks and complete them in a time-efficient manner.
- Teamwork skills: you require teamwork skills to collaborate on administrative projects and develop new processes. Teamwork skills involve practising empathy and being a good listener to incorporate other people's opinions.
- Multitasking skills: you manage numerous tasks simultaneously as an administration officer. For instance, you respond to phone calls and emails promptly. You also oversee projects and meet with customers or visitors. The ability to handle multiple tasks is a huge asset.
- Computer skills: as an administrative assistant, being familiar with office management systems is crucial. Your proficiency in using Microsoft Office applications and other business software improves your career prospects.
FAQs
Here, you will find the answers to the most frequently asked questions about the profession of an administrative assistant.
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what are the duties of an administrative assistant?
Your role as an administrative assistant is to organise, manage and keep the office running. You are responsible for clerical and organisational tasks, like scheduling appointments, drafting correspondence and organising office files.
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what is the salary of an administrative assistant in Greece?
As an administrative assistant, you earn an average salary of €21,500 per year, and your average hourly rate is €10. At an entry-level position, you start with a salary of €15,500 annually, but with experience, your earnings increase to over €25,500 per year.
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what are admin skills?
As an administrative assistant, you require administrative skills to run the office efficiently and increase office productivity. Common admin skills include communication, organisational and project management skills. You also require time management skills to juggle multiple tasks and keep up with deadlines.
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what is the difference between a secretary and an administrative assistant?
As a secretary, you perform data entry tasks in the company. Some typical tasks of a secretary include writing reports and preparing minutes for meetings. Compared to secretaries, administrative assistants have extra leadership roles. For instance, in addition to providing administrative support, you assign duties and responsibilities to other office workers.
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what is the next level after administrative assistant?
Working as an administrative assistant is a promising career with various opportunities for career growth. Most administrative assistants move up the corporate ladder and become executive assistants or office managers. With additional experience and educational qualifications, you can move to senior-level managerial positions.
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how do I find a job as an administrative assistant?
Finding a job near you as an administrative assistant is easy. Search our job offers. Have you found what you're looking for? Then submit your application using the ‘Apply’ button top right on the page. No jobs available right now? Then log in or register an account to send us your resume and we'll pass it on to a recruiter who will contact you if an opportunity opens up for you.
