Today, the role of office assistants is as vast as they business world they keep running smoothly. Often, the most valuable and knowledgeable employee about the inner workings of many successful small businesses is the head office assistant. Many jobs that used to be done by managers are now done by office assistants. The required computer skills of an office assistant are quite high. Those with the proper training and experience can expect to find the best positions and higher pay. Courses in a degree or certification program for office assistants might include computer software training in word processing, databases, and spreadsheet software programs. Courses might also include basic accounting, writing skills, internet communications, document production, and much more.
Great Job Expectations for Office Assistants
The role of a professional, friendly, and well-trained office assistant is invaluable to just about any business. The job outlook for office assistants in excellent. Between now and 2018, the field is expected to grow by at least 11 percent, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. Those who have the proper training, skills, and experience can do well in this field. Areas that will experience the most growth in this career field include the medical, legal, and social assistance fields.
Excellent Salary Potential for Office Assistants
Well trained office assistants can make good salaries. The median salary for office assistants in 2008 was a little over $29,000 annually. Those in the highest 10 percent earned more than $43,000 annually. Those working for local governments had a median salary of around $32,000 annually. Those who worked for medical offices had a median salary of around $30,000, and those employed by colleges and public schools had salaries around $31,000 annually. Legal secretaries had median salaries between $30,000 and $50,000 annually, according the Occupational Outlook Handbook.
Many schools and colleges offer great certification and degree programs in office assisting. Schools often offer 2 year, associates degree programs in this field, as well as excellent online programs in office assisting.Many Educational Programs Available in Office Assisting Field
Do you love organization? Are you great at multi-tasking and keeping people all working smoothly together? Do you have excellent communication and customer service skills? Then a future career as an office assistant might be just up your alley. The career field of an office assistant, secretary, or administrative assistant has changed dynamically over the last decade. However, the majority of tasks involved in this career still include managing, clerical, administrative, and detail oriented tasks of an office and company. Office assistants have many responsibilities including answering phones, making travel plans and arrangements, document creation, some simple accounting, website updates, file maintenance, project management, correspondence, and much more.
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