Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive
In the Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive occupation, workers perform routine administrative functions such as drafting correspondence, scheduling appointments, organizing and maintaining paper and electronic files, or providing information to callers. O*NET rates it as some preparation, which usually means a few months to a year of learning on the job. It leans on speaking, active listening, and reading comprehension. Expect to answer telephones and give information to callers, take messages, or transfer calls to appropriate individuals. With a code of CES, this is mostly a job for people drawn to orderly work with data, records and clear procedures. Enterprising interests also help, rated 4.2 out of 7. People who want orderly work with data, records and clear procedures usually fit better here than those who need creative work with room for original expression.
What they do
Perform routine administrative functions such as drafting correspondence, scheduling appointments, organizing and maintaining paper and electronic files, or providing information to callers.
Main tasks
- 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.
- Create, maintain, and enter information into databases.
- Use computers for various applications, such as database management or word processing.
- Operate office equipment, such as fax machines, copiers, or phone systems and arrange for repairs when equipment malfunctions.
- Set up and manage paper or electronic filing systems, recording information, updating paperwork, or maintaining documents, such as attendance records, correspondence, or other material.
Skills
- Speaking
- Active Listening
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
- Time Management
- Service Orientation
Who this career fits
May suit you if
- You like clear rules and getting the details right.
- You like taking the lead and making the call.
- You want to start work after a short stretch of training.
- You are comfortable relying on speaking and active listening.
May not suit you if
- You get restless with routine, records and exact procedures.
- You need creative expression to be a big part of your day. Artistic rates 1.0 out of 7 here.
- You want a career built on years of advanced study.
Interest profile
O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code CES takes the three highest, and Conventional comes first here.
Preparation
Some preparation. Most people start with a high school diploma, then learn from experienced coworkers over a few months to a year.
Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED). This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.
Also called
- Administrative Assistant (Admin Assistant)
- Administrative Clerk
- Administrative Secretary (Admin Secretary)
- Administrative Specialist (Admin Specialist)
- Administrative Support Assistant (ASA)
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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.