Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive

What the job really is

Perform routine administrative functions such as drafting correspondence, scheduling appointments, organizing and maintaining paper and electronic files, or providing information to callers.

At a glance

• Sector: Office & Administrative
• O*NET-SOC code: 43-6014
• O*NET job zone: 2 — some preparation
• Work sample tasks on file: 12
• Tools and technologies listed: 12

What you actually do

Work sample tasks recorded for this occupation:

• 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.
• Operate electronic mail systems and coordinate the flow of information, internally or with other organizations.
• Schedule and confirm appointments for clients, customers, or supervisors.
• Maintain scheduling and event calendars.
• Compose, type, and distribute meeting notes, routine correspondence, or reports, such as presentations or expense, statistical, or monthly reports.
• Complete forms in accordance with company procedures.
• Locate and attach appropriate files to incoming correspondence requiring replies.

Tools and technology

Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Creative Cloud software, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, Apache Cassandra, Apache Hadoop, Apache Hive, Apache Tomcat, Apple macOS, Atlassian Confluence, Atlassian JIRA

What employers expect you to already be comfortable with.

Where this job leads

Related occupations — the usual moves up and sideways:

• Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants
• Office Clerks, General
• Administrative Services Managers
• Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
• Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
• First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers
• Receptionists and Information Clerks
• Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping

Getting in

O*NET assigns this occupation job zone 2 (some preparation). The related occupations above are the realistic routes in and out.

Find openings

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Check this against the source

O*NET OnLine: Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive — the authoritative public-domain profile this page is derived from, including the full task list, reported skills and the wage estimates for your region.

Derived and rewritten from the public-domain O*NET database (U.S. Department of Labor / Employment and Training Administration). Figures are observations, not promises — always confirm salary, licensing and visa requirements with the employer and the relevant authority.