Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive
Perform routine administrative functions such as drafting correspondence, scheduling appointments, organizing and maintaining paper and electronic files, or providing information to callers.
Also known as: Administrative Assistant (Admin Assistant), Administrative Associate, Administrative Clerk, Administrative Coordinator, Administrative Liaison, Administrative Resources Associate, Administrative Secretary (Admin Secretary), Administrative Specialist (Admin Specialist), ...
Annual Salary
Median annual wage (May 2024)
Job Outlook
Projected growth, 2024–2034 (Declining)
What You'd Do
- Answer telephones and give information to callers, take messages, or transfer calls to appropriate individuals.
- Greet visitors or callers and handle their inquiries or direct them to the appropriate persons according to their needs.
- Locate and attach appropriate files to incoming correspondence requiring replies.
- Open, read, route, and distribute incoming mail or other materials and answer routine letters.
- Complete forms in accordance with company procedures.
- Make copies of correspondence or other printed material.
- Review work done by others to check for correct spelling and grammar, ensure that company format policies are followed, and recommend revisions.
- Learn to operate new office technologies as they are developed and implemented.
- Maintain scheduling and event calendars.
- Schedule and confirm appointments for clients, customers, or supervisors.
- Order and dispense supplies.
- Conduct searches to find needed information, using such sources as the Internet.
- Operate electronic mail systems and coordinate the flow of information, internally or with other organizations.
- Use computers for various applications, such as database management or word processing.
- Create, maintain, and enter information into databases.
- Set up and manage paper or electronic filing systems, recording information, updating paperwork, or maintaining documents, such as attendance records, correspondence, or other material.
- Operate office equipment, such as fax machines, copiers, or phone systems and arrange for repairs when equipment malfunctions.
- Compose, type, and distribute meeting notes, routine correspondence, or reports, such as presentations or expense, statistical, or monthly reports.
- Train and assist staff with computer usage.
- Prepare conference or event materials, such as flyers or invitations.
Top Skills
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Knowledge Areas
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Education Level Distribution
Percentage of workers in this occupation by education level
Technology & Tools
Software and tools commonly used in this role
In-Demand Technologies
Work Styles
Personality traits and work styles important for this career
Key Abilities
Cognitive, physical, and sensory abilities important for this role
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Work Activities
General types of job behaviors occurring on this job
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Work Environment
Physical and social factors that influence the nature of work
Related Careers
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Salary data: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024. Outlook data: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034.
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.2 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license.