Administrative assistants help a company or organization run. They perform clerical and administrative tasks. Typical duties include taking phone calls, sending correspondence, scheduling appointments, and managing documents.
Administrative assistants work in offices. Sometimes they work in remote locations. They provide support to management teams.
Are you looking for a job with similar responsibilities? Many jobs offer similar tasks and benefits. These are some of the other jobs you might want to consider.
1. Assistant Manager
Assistant managers and administrative assistants do many of the same tasks. For example, both manage schedules and maintain inventory. One of the duties of managers is that they supervise and test other employees.
If you want to work as an assistant manager, you need to prove strong leadership. You also need great communication skills. Computer skills, like Microsoft Office, are also helpful.
You’ll need a high school diploma to work in an office as an assistant manager. The average annual salary for an assistant manager is $67,840.
2. Legal Secretary
If you like working in an office but want to move into a legal environment, a job as a legal secretary may be a good choice. Both jobs have similar skill sets and tasks. The difference is that legal secretaries perform clerical work in a legal office.
You’ll work with legal documents, prepare legal papers, and send emails. You may also help the rest of the team with legal research. You should have strong research and typing skills to work in this role.
To work in this role, you need a high school diploma. You also need on-the-job training. You should also know legal terms and processes.
The median annual salary for a legal secretary is $47,710.
3. Receptionist
Receptionists do some of the same duties as admin assistants. They also work in similar work environments. Receptionists work in office buildings, medical clinics, hotels, salons, spas, and other locations.
The receptionist answers phone calls and greets visitors. Often, receptionists plan meetings and schedules for others. For this reason, receptionists should have strong social and communication skills.
You also need strong phone and computer skills. Receptionists work in most fields. You need a high school diploma followed by on-the-job training to get this job.
The median pay for a receptionist is about $29,950 per year.
4. Office Manager
Do you love people? Are you a natural leader? If you love working in an office, you’ll enjoy working as an office manager.
You’ll write memos and draft letters. Your duties may include managing other staff members. This means you may oversee admin assistants.
You may assign tasks to others in the office. To succeed in this job, you should be independent and a strong communicator. You should also have strong computer skills.
You also need strong management skills. To work in this position, you need a high school diploma. You should also have several years of experience working in an office.
Office managers work in a variety of different industries. Office managers have an average salary of $50,219.
5. Accounting Clerk
Even if you don’t have accounting experience, you can work as an accounting clerk. Account clerks work in offices like administrative assistants do. One difference is that they work with bookkeepers and accountants.
As an accounting clerk, you will organize mail, document expenses, and process invoices. Some accounting clerks travel to different offices, and some even do remote work. If you want to work as an accounting clerk, you should build strong math skills.
You should also focus on accurate data entry and typing skills. To get an entry-level job in this field, you should take accounting courses at a community college. This will help you understand the financial documents.
The median pay for an accounting clerk is about $45,560 per year.
6. Paralegal
If you have a legal background, working as a paralegal could be a good choice. As a paralegal, you may work for a law firm, the government, or a major company. You’ll work in an office with other legal professionals.
Paralegals may specialize in specific types of law, like criminal law or estate law. Paralegals support lawyers, often by helping with research, reports, phone calls, and correspondence. It is helpful to have a basic understanding of the law if you want to work in a legal setting.
This career could be ideal for somebody who is an organized and natural researcher. Strong computer skills are helpful too. Paralegals need an associate’s degree or certificate to work in the field.
Office experience will be useful. The median pay for a paralegal is $56,230 per year.
7. Human Resources Administrator
Human resources administrators manage daily tasks in an HR office. Much like administrative assistants, these professionals work in an office. They manage tasks to support others in the office.
The difference is that working as an HR administrator requires more education. HR administrators are often the point of contact for the HR department. HR administrators keep records, take care of office communications, and assist recruiters.
They also review company policies and input data. This job is great for people who love organizational psychology. It’s also a good option for anybody who loves working with people.
This role is ideal for somebody who worked as an administrative assistant in the past. It’s also a good choice if you have a bachelor’s degree in human resources or psychology. HR administrators have an average base salary of $50,977.
8. Virtual Assistant
Virtual assistants and administrative assistants perform similar tasks. Virtual assistants work from home or a remote office. Virtual assistants make phone calls, schedule appointments, and manage vendor appointments.
They may also provide basic customer service. You could find yourself scheduling travel for your employer, as well. A good virtual assistant will have strong communication and problem-solving skills.
Other helpful skills include data entry, social media marketing, and customer service. Virtual assistants do not need specific experience or education. Each individual employer may have desired qualifications.
Virtual assistants who work full-time can expect to make $43,965 each year.
9. Personal Assistant
Personal assistants perform tasks that support another professional. Some personal assistants work in offices like administrative assistants. Others work in residential settings or remote offices.
Personal assistants complete errands, schedule appointments, manage communications and plan travel. In some cases, personal assistants help manage a home. Every personal assistant works in a different capacity.
Some personal assistants might do things like clean the house and cook food. Others might manage health appointments and perform data entry. Personal assistants don’t need formal education, but some office experience is helpful.
A good personal assistant will have strong communication and listening skills. Personal assistants make about $41,385 per year.
10. Office Administrator
Office administrators work in similar environments to administrative assistants. They may complete similar tasks. Office administrators manage vendors, handle communication, and coordinate office activities.
They also maintain office supplies and supervise administrative staff. In fact, many office administrators once worked as administrative assistants. These workers should have great communication skills.
They should also be familiar with office management procedures. A bachelor’s degree is beneficial. Not every position requires it.
On average, office administrators make about $43,745 each year.
11. Data Entry Clerk
Data entry clerks work in an office environment like administrative assistants. Some data entry clerks work from home. Data entry clerks spend a lot of time transferring data from one medium to another.
For instance, clerks may transfer data from a piece of paper to a computer database. In some cases, the clerk types written statements. Data entry clerks create spreadsheets with this data.
This is why accuracy is so important. A good data entry clerk will also be a fast but accurate typist. A high school degree is all that’s needed to work in this role.
Typing experience will also be helpful. Data entry clerks earn about $38,115 each year.
12. Medical Secretary
As a medical secretary, you will perform many tasks that administrative assistants do. The key difference is that you will be doing them in a medical setting, like a hospital or clinic. For instance, you will schedule appointments, submit billing information, and write reports.
You will also send and receive office communication. You may greet visitors and answer phone calls as well. Medical secretaries have computer experience.
They also have strong communication and customer service skills. You should also consider taking courses to learn medical terminology. This will help you communicate with patients.
While you won’t need a college degree for this role, some office experience will be useful. The median pay for medical secretaries is about $42,523.
13. Payroll Clerk
If you loved your job as an administrative assistant, you might also enjoy working as a payroll clerk. These clerks work in a variety of offices. They collect employee timesheets, track payroll data, calculate wages, and prepare paychecks.
A good payroll clerk is great at math and can verify timesheet information. To work as a payroll clerk, you should have a high school diploma as well as office experience. In this field, you should have a degree in accounting.
The median annual wage for a payroll clerk is about $47,610.
14. Certified Medical Coder
Medical coders work in offices and rely on computers, much like administrative assistants. As a medical coder, you’ll work in an office with other medical professionals. You’ll analyze medical records and ensure that you input accurate codes.
Coders review patients’ charts to verify their coding. Your goal is to log all information about a patient’s visit, from the tests to the treatments. This helps communicate the patient’s services to an insurance company.
This job requires a strong understanding of medical terminology and anatomy. You should also be a good typer with accurate data entry skills. While you don’t need a college degree for this job, you may need a coding certificate.
On average, medical coders make about $54,797 each year.
15. Human Resources Coordinator
Human resources coordinators perform administrative duties for other employees. They usually work in a human resources department. HR coordinators perform many of the same tasks as administrative assistants.
They usually have more responsibilities. HR coordinators maintain records, complete payroll processing tasks, and assist with HR inquiries. They also schedule meetings and coordinate appointments.
Good HR professionals are detail-oriented with strong interpersonal and communication skills. HR coordinators also have excellent decision-making skills. If you want to work in this role, you should have a bachelor’s degree.
The average salary for a human resources coordinator is $50,579 per year.
16. Event Planner
Many event planners work in offices like administrative assistants. They also work in the field. Event planners often work in the hospitality industry.
They organize live meetings and events. They take care of all aspects of planning, including transportation, meals, and accommodations. A good event planner will have great communication skills.
You must be able to listen to the needs and expectations of clients. Additionally, planners should be well-organized. In this career field, your experience will get you further than education.
Event planners make an average of about $57,901 per year. This number can fluctuate depending on the types of events involved.
17. Marketing Coordinator
Marketing coordinators work in offices. They have a similar work environment to an administrative assistant. Marketing coordinators work in advertising offices.
They often develop strategies for building brand awareness. They work with marketing managers, often managing documents, reports, and results. Marketing coordinators build relationships with the sales teams.
This helps to build communication between the two departments. The coordinators should have strong computer skills and great communication skills. Marketing coordinators often give presentations, something not required of administrative assistants.
You should have a bachelor’s degree in marketing if you’d like to pursue a career in this field. On average, marketing coordinators make between $52,261 and $68,234 each year.
18. Staff Assistant
A staff assistant provides support to those in other roles. They operate much like an administrative assistant. Staff assistants may work for one staff member or a group of staff members.
In this role, you will schedule meetings, write documents, and set up travel. You may also manage appointments. Good staff assistants have proactive attitudes, strong problem-solving abilities, and great computer skills.
A high school diploma is all you need for this role. You should also consider getting a certificate or bachelor’s degree. Subjects like administration, human resources, and office management are good places to start.
Office experience is also helpful. The salary range for a staff assistant is $36,746 to $74,268.
19. Editorial Assistant
Do you love the literary world? Do you love working in an office? An editorial assistant is a good fit.
In this role, you’ll pitch stories, research stories, and write articles. You may proofread texts and read over new manuscripts. You’ll get experience in the publishing industry.
In this field, you also need strong writing, interpersonal, and organizational skills. You should also love to read. You will read, write, and edit a lot in this role.
If you have a bachelor’s degree in journalism, English, or communication, this is a great field to work in. As an editorial assistant, you can expect to make about $38,756 per year.