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Administrative Support Duties and Responsibilities

The type of organization an administrative support works for will determine the exact roles and responsibilities they take on. Based on job listings we analyzed, an administrative support’s duties typically involve:

Answer Phone Calls and Emails Administrative support workers are often the point of contact for customers, clients, or external companies, so they deal with phone calls and any correspondence that comes in to the business, from emails and letters to faxes and memos.

Produce Reports Alongside regular administrative duties, administrative support workers also monitor and record office work flow and prepare reports for management.

Organize Appointments A key part of this role is organizing meetings and conferences, arranging travel, and managing and coordinating schedules with senior staff members to ensure that there are no clashes with appointments.

Maintain Expenditure Reports Administrative support employees keep a note of any company expenses and submit or reconcile expense reports on a regular basis. These are then used at the end of the financial year for producing tax assessments.

Order Office Supplies Administrative support workers monitor office stock, such as stationary and computer equipment, and place orders when quantities are getting low or if new equipment or software is required.

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Administrative Support Education and Training

The minimum requirement to become an administrative support employee is typically an associate’s degree, although many employers prefer applicants to hold a bachelor’s degree in business administration or a similar field. Candidates for this role need to have evidence of strong typing, spreadsheet, and database skills, while some industry-specific roles may also require administrative support to learn terminology related to that field. Much of the training for this role is received on the job from more experienced colleagues.

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Administrative Support Salary and Outlook

The median annual salary for administrative support workers is $35,000. Administrative support employees in the 10th percentile earn around $25,000 a year, while the highest paid earn over $49,000 annually. Bonus structures and profit-sharing schemes can amount to $4,000 and $2,000, respectively. Salary doesn’t change much with experience for this role, but many employers offer dental plans and medical insurance as part of their benefits package. The Bureau of Labour Statistics expects growth for this sector to decline by 5 percent through 2026.

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Helpful Resources

We’ve collected some of the best resources to help you develop your career as an administrative support employee:

Essential Skills for Administrative Support Professionals – companies rely on administrative support to ensure smooth business operations, which requires an extraordinary range of skills. This book covers each of those skills, from handling telephone calls and communication methods to software and coordinating meetings

Procedures & Theory for Administrative Professionals – this book equips readers with the skills to handle any workplace challenge. From activities and instructions to building communication skills and human relations, it’s a useful reference for anyone working in the administrative sector

American Society of Administrative Professionals – the ASAP group on LinkedIn has over 20,000 members and provides access to useful articles, columns, and industry news that focuses on business skills and career development

Office Dynamics International Blog – Office Dynamics International fills its blog with useful posts not just on skills for the workplace, such as grammar and certifications, but also on how to balance life and work effectively