What You Need to Know About Secretary or Administrative Assistant Occupation Description : Perform routine clerical and administrative functions such as drafting correspondence, scheduling appointments, organizing and maintaining paper and electronic files, or providing information to callers. Life As a Secretary or Administrative Assistant: What Do They Do? Greet visitors or callers and handle their inquiries or direct them to the appropriate persons according to their needs. Open, read, route, and distribute incoming mail or other materials and answer routine letters. Use computers for various applications, such as database management or word processing. Arrange conference, meeting, or travel reservations for office personnel. Coordinate conferences, meetings, or special events, such as luncheons or graduation ceremonies. Qualities of a Secretary or Administrative Assistant Secretaries and Administrative Assistants state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work: Active Listening : Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times. Speaking : Talking to others to convey information effectively. Reading Comprehension : Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents. Writing : Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience. Service Orientation : Actively looking for ways to help people. Time Management : Managing one’s own time and the time of others. Types of Secretary or Administrative Assistant Jobs Office Secretary Administrative Support Specialist School Secretary Secretary or Administrative Assistant Salary The salary for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants ranges between about $23,060 and $56,010 a year. Secretaries and Administrative Assistants who work in District of Columbia, Massachusetts, or Connecticut , make the highest salaries. Tools&Technologies Used by Secretaries and Administrative Assistants Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Secretaries and Administrative Assistants: Microsoft Excel Microsoft Word Microsoft Office Microsoft PowerPoint Microsoft Outlook Microsoft Access SAP Microsoft Windows Microsoft Project Spreadsheet software Microsoft SharePoint Microsoft Visio Microsoft Dynamics SAS J-18808-Ljbffr