Administrative Assistants/Office Managers

Today's administrative assistants, a position largely held by women (97 percent), may be the most important support position in the business world. This worker often serves as “office wife,” confidante, guard dog, and facilitator in addition to performing routine office tasks. Christopher W. Felt, author of What Men Don't Tell Women About Business: Opening Up[Page 24]the Heavily Guarded Alpha Male Playbook, contends that the administrative assistant to the alpha male, which he defines as “the great white shark of the ocean of business,” is the most powerful woman in a company because she knows more about the boss than anyone else in that environment. If she is loyal and efficient, she will keep his secrets and prevent his mistakes from becoming known to others. The power that an administrative assistant has may vary greatly according to the size of a company and length of an individual's service. From the time women entered the business world, administrative assistants were known as secretaries; the women's movement led to a re-examination of women's roles and to a newly awakened recognition of the contributions of support staff to a company's success. Thus, secretaries became known as administrative assistants.

In 2008, there were 4.2 million jobs in the United States for secretaries and administrative assistants. Some 90 percent of those jobs were in the service industries. The United States Labor Department has predicted that between 2008 and 2018, the number of administrative assistants will increase by 11 percent. The median annual wage of these workers, excluding administrative assistants in legal, medical and executive positions who earn higher wages, was $29,050 in 2008. Workers at the higher end of the scale earned as much as $43,240, while employees at the lower end of the scale averaged $18,440.

Unlike the administrative assistant who tends to work closely with a single boss, the office manager is generally responsible for a group of support people. She is likely to work closely with management, performing such tasks as hiring and firing staff, preparing payrolls and maintaining financial records. Average salaries range from $27,676 for office managers with less than a year's experience to $54,914 for managers with more than 20 years experience. There is a high turnover rate among office managers, the result of firings, job hopping, and retirements. Office managers often become scapegoats when problems arise within companies, and they may take the blame if their employers make major mistakes. In the 21st century, many office managers are required to have college degrees, and potential employers look for individuals who have taken courses in organizational behavior, psychology, sociology, finance, and English. Accounting capabilities may be essential for office managers in small companies. A large number of office managers use their positions as a stepping stone to careers as bookkeepers, bank assistants, or purchasing agents.

Qualifications for administrative assistants tend to be less stringent than those for office managers. In the past, typing and shorthand were the chief qualifications. No longer. Today's modern office requires what the U.S. Labor Department calls “extensive knowledge of computer software applications.” Job applicants must know a variety of programs including word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation design as well as have the ability to prepare reports and newsletters. Knowledge of basic computer skills is a given. Training may be achieved in high school, vocational and trade schools, or through employer-subsidized classes, community colleges and even over the Internet. Many administrative assistants now have college degrees related to a specific field.

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