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My mother, who has worked in this field for over 30 years,
has always said, "Secretaries make the world go round."
While the terminology has changed and secretaries are now
called administrative assistants, my mother is right. Administrative
assistants are so valuable in the workplace that they even
merit their own holiday in April to celebrate everything they
do for their employers.
Administrative assistants essentially run offices. They file
paperwork, answer phone calls, make appointments, schedule
conferences, coordinate travel arrangements, write letters
and emails, and plan meetings. That being said, could a well-organized
and experienced individual find work in this field without
taking administrative assistant courses? It's possible, but
without some sort of post-secondary education, you're most
likely to end up in a receptionist position instead of working
directly with executives.
Administrative assistants are expected to be technologically
savvy and adapt quickly to new equipment and software. In
my mother's long career as an administrative assistant, she
has made the switch from a manual typewriter to an electric,
and from an electric typewriter to a computer. She has gone
from using a hand-cranked Xerox machine to a color copier
that collates, staples, and binds. She has incorporated fax
machines and cell phones into her everyday office routine.
And she does it all without batting an eye. Earning an administrative
assistant degree will teach you not only how to use to the
latest in office technology, but also how to anticipate advances
and thrive in an age of technological change.
An administrative assistant program will also sharpen your
communication skills. Administrative assistants are often
the first point of contact for an office, so you must know
how to deal politely and professionally with the public while
screening calls, setting appointments, and answering questions.
Also, every email, memo, and letter you send has to be formatted
according to industry standards and contain no grammatical
errors.
Besides working in office buildings, administrative assistants
are also employed as school secretaries, legal secretaries,
and medical office assistants. If you know ahead of time that
you want to work in a law office, you can choose a specialized
administrative assistant degree program to learn the legal
terminology and processes you'll need to work in this field.
Administrative assistants in medical offices and hospitals
also receive specialized training in career colleges.
Earning an administrative assistant associate degree or diploma
from an accredited career college is a great way to get your
foot in the door. For example, Everest College has campus
locations all over the United States and offers several different
associate degrees tailored to students who want to become
administrative assistants to business executives, work in
law offices, or serve in the medical field.
There are many career colleges that offer administrative
assistant courses to choose from. To see these and others,
visit the administrative
assistant colleges directory today.
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