Current job title: Administrative
Assistant
Industry: Education
Department: Finance & Operations
Years worked in this industry: 7
Years worked in this department: 5
Special training or attributes needed or helpful to
get job in this industry (or specific department): No
specific education or training was required, but I had an Associates
Degree and a relative operations background that I think helped me land
the position.
Number of
managers and/or staff supported: One directly, provide second
hand support to five directors who report to my boss.
Typical work hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30
p.m. – includes a one-hour lunch break.
Weekends or overtime hours: Not
typically, but if I choose to do so, the extra time worked is not
compensated for due to the terms of my employment contract.
General salary range
(Note: This is a general figure or range provided by survey respondent and may
NOT be an exact salary in order to
give survey respondent some privacy. Also you must take into account that
the number of years worked in industry/department may contribute to this
salary as well as criteria such as level of position and person reports
to, required hours and geographical location.): approx. $44,000
Benefits (direct or indirect): Health,
dental, and vision benefits are currently at no charge to me and my
spouse; however the benefits package will change and then I will need to pay for a portion of the benefits. We do get two weeks of sick
leave per year, and four weeks of combined vacation and annual leave days,
which are all paid for.
Lingo you might hear in this industry:
Where I work is called an ISD = Intermediate School District. We serve
LEA’s (public school districts) in our county and we report to the State’s
Department of Education.
A typical day on the job: Every day is
very different. I handle many aspects from arranging meetings, to acting
as a liaison between my boss and external and internal contacts, to many
forms of project management, and numerous routine administrative
functions.
Positive things about being an administrative
professional in this industry: It is a relaxed position,
relatively no stress, even though I support the second in command, who has
a very stressful job. The hours and time off cannot be beat!
Negative things about being an administrative
professional in this industry: The dress code. I do not like
wearing suits. The benefits being changed to actually adjust our
compensation where we are making less than we were before. We essentially
do not get any raises. We get cost of living, which equates to about 1.5%
a year as our annual increases.
Type of workspace/office:
Cubicle.
Primary responsibilities as an administrative
professional in this position: Calendaring, organization,
project work, maintaining various spreadsheets, and most importantly – all
other duties as assigned (which makes up most of my day).
Top thing(s) incumbent admin would require of job
applicants seeking to be her/his position replacement: A
strong work ethic, organization, and the ability to work through multiple
tasks efficiently and thoroughly.
Office machines or equipment operated regularly:
Computer, copier, fax, phone, etc.
Technology (hard) skills used regularly:
Computer – Excel, Word, Outlook and Internet navigation.
Critical soft skills: Communication –
it is essential to build relationships with different levels of the
organization and be able to partner with others outside of the
organization to get the information you need to do your job.
Pace of this position: Average
Geographical region: Northeast U.S.
Karen Porter, The Administrative Professional Job Performance and Career Success Coach™