Administrative Assistant Salary

The greatest office manager that is indispensable to an organization will obtain the maximum administrative assistant salary with the optimal education, training and skill set. This is a real and obtainable goal for those wanting to advance their career while feeling both competent and capable as an office management specialist. The ability to work efficiently, quietly and with complete assurance in the office environment while making the executives one works for look like they are at the top of their game is the ultimate goal. An assistant that keeps the administrative staff happy, the office running smoothly, and an optimal level of quality services and results is doing his or her job well and is on the way to higher status within the organization. Strategic planning, a good education and a toolbox of skills within the specific type of administrative environment that one selects are the vital keys to success.

Become Familiar With Your Specific Field of Choice

A wise planner for successful administration assistant salary attainment will first learn the specific requirements of their job description. If one selects the corporate environment, this area will include the following: banking, computer based services, lending instruction, insurance and other tertiary type organizations. To succeed in this field, one must be educated in these fields of service and their office maintenance needs. An office manager in the medical administration field or engineering must learn these particular academic areas of endeavor while also learning the specific office management skill set that accompanies their successful work environments. The technical terminology, research activities and written structure of information, daily office and clinical environment requirements, supplies, contacts and associations and planning for all work-related events. The salary of an administrative assistant in diverse environments range from $10 an hour to $90,000 a year with stock options and full benefits; therefore, one must examine the area of the country, cost of living expenses and possibilities of promotion. The salaries from New York to California range from $45,000 to $65,000 on average and this is not a great range for most large cities. The currently strained economy makes administrative assistant positions unstable. But it seems that larger corporations pay higher salaries and offer more when the educational level and skill set is highly professional and experienced. Remember that constant flux means there are opportunities to be researched and prepared for at all times and it requires vigilance and preparation to locate and fulfill these positions.

The Importance of a Degree in Your Career Progression

Next, one must develop a strong list for earning a degree as a stepping-stone to the administrative assistant career. Since administrative assistants function as executive assistants, office managers and accountants, they must be highly skilled with exceptional personal communication skills. Therefore, the best of the best are selected according to their skills, education, training and experience. There are five reasons why education and experience requirements are essential:

1. Bachelor degree programs can offer programs that teach liberal arts, accounting, keyboarding, databases and basic office procedures necessary for interpersonal relations and office skills
2. Bachelor level administrative support offers core courses in writing, communications, skillful time utilization, efficient resource management and maximizing collaborative communication
3. Acquiring superior background skills and ability in computer-related operations and analysis
4. Core subject degrees like political science can lead to a position with a law firm and a social work degree can lead to a position with a major health care corporation
5. Many employers prefer hiring candidates who possess a bachelor’s degree and executive assistant certification as well.

It is important that one looks at the big picture of overall earnings for administrative assistants. The time, energy and resources invested will net a quality administrative assistant salary. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports salaries for executive assistants around $50,000, with the 10th percentile earning $38,952 and the 90th percentile earning $62,142. In 2009, the Bureau also reported that executive assistants earned on average $42,340 a year while general secretaries earned an average salary of $29,990. A good education can make all the difference in your future.