Are you looking for an entry-level position with high-level career possibilities? Starting your career as an administrative assistant may be the answer you’re looking for.

Let’s get one thing straight, though. These are not simple secretarial or clerical jobs anymore. Because many of the mundane, repetitive tasks once assigned to support staff are automated now, administrative assistants are free (and expected) to take on more creative, strategic responsibilities. You’ll have the ability to build new skills that will propel your career in exciting directions.

The role also gives you the chance to learn the nuts and bolts of an industry and build a professional network. You’ll interact with a range of people — from company leaders to supply chain vendors — and see first-hand how decisions are made, problems are solved, and deals are brokered.

Need more persuading? Here are six more reasons why you may want to consider becoming an administrative assistant.

1. Administrative work is interesting and challenging

The typical day of an administrative professional is rarely dull. You’ll likely engage in a wide variety of activities, deal with different personalities and manage changing priorities.

In fact, administrative assistants are taking on a far broader range of responsibilities than they used to. These days, you may find yourself:

• Managing budgets
• Making purchasing decisions
• Planning company events, including webinars and other virtual meetings
• Preparing PowerPoint presentations for managers and other team members
• Helping colleagues get up to speed with new software and technology
• Managing communications with vendors, clients and employees
• Managing social media accounts
• Assisting in hiring and recruitment 
• Handling accounting, payroll and HR functions

2. Administrative assistant candidates are in demand

In this candidate-friendly job market, many employers are struggling to find talented administrative professionals. More than half (62%) of senior managers polled for Robert Half’s most recent Salary Guide plan to hire more administrative and customer support workers in the coming year. Not only that, but 76% are happy to hire entry-level workers and train them in the skills they need. So, if you’re a quick learner with the drive to succeed, working as an administrative assistant is a good job, and you could find yourself rising quickly through the ranks.

How much does an administrative assistant make? Use the Salary Calculator to discover location-specific salary ranges and national comparisons.

3. You can work pretty much anywhere

No matter where you live (or want to live), employers are likely looking for promising administrative assistants. Wherever there are offices of a certain size, talented administration professionals are in demand.

Although not all, many companies have administrative roles that allow you to work remotely. You’ll find a variety of remote, contract and contract-to-hire administrative assistant roles up for grabs on our jobs board. Flexible work arrangements are here to stay, so if the 9-to-5 doesn’t suit your work style, there are other options available.

4. You can get your foot into the door of almost any industry

Just as administrative work exists in virtually every geography, it also cuts across nearly every industry. If, for example, you want to work in the advertising or legal industry, you can begin with an entry-level administrative assistant position while building up your resume and learning the business.

Once in the door, you can observe the industry up close, start to build your professional network, and find out if it offers the kind of career track you want to follow.

5. It can provide a lot of job satisfaction

Administrative assistants find their work satisfying for many reasons, from the variety of the tasks they perform to the satisfaction that comes from helping colleagues do their own jobs better.

Support staff roles can be very rewarding because of their increasing responsibilities. Employers appreciate professionals who can multitask while paying attention to detail and those who are able to demonstrate grace under pressure.

6. There is upward mobility

Administrative assistants with organizational and leadership skills can choose career paths that lead to high-level or managerial positions. Here are just a few examples:

• Senior executive assistant. Working with the most senior managers can be a fast-paced and rewarding career.
• Facilities manager. In this role, you’ll oversee teams of administrators, with responsibilities ranging from operations workflow to planning office moves. 
• Senior data entry specialist. Even in the age of automation, the ability to input high volumes of data with speed and accuracy is a valuable administrative skill. At the senior level, data entry specialists need those skills along with the ability to supervise others.
• Medical coding manager. Healthcare is a very hot industry, and if you have experience in coding used by medical practices, hospitals and insurance companies, your specialized skills could help you earn an attractive salary.

As you can see, the administrative assistant role isn’t just a fulfilling job in its own right — it can be a steppingstone to well-paid and high-profile positions.

Looking to place your foot on the first step of the ladder? We can help!