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Admin assistant
Office administrator, clerical assistant, administrative assistant
Admin assistants write letters, emails and reports, maintain data records and filing systems and provide support for meetings.
Average salary (a year)
£21000.0
Starter
£28000.0
Experienced
Typical hours (a week)
37.0 to 40.0 hours
a week
Work Hours
between 8am and 6pm
Mon to Fri
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You can get into this job through:a college course; an apprenticeship; working towards this role; applying directly
College
You could do a college course, which would teach you some of the skills and knowledge you need in this job.
Courses include
business and administration, International Computer Driving Licence (ICDL) Certificate in IT User Skills (previously ECDL), word processing, T Level in Management and Administration
business and administration, International Computer Driving Licence (ICDL) Certificate in IT User Skills (previously ECDL), word processing, T Level in Management and Administration
Entry requirements
Entry requirements for these courses vary.
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths for a T Level
More Information
equivalent entry requirements|https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels
funding advice|https://www.gov.uk/further-education-courses/financial-help
guide to T Levels|https://www.tlevels.gov.uk/
search for courses|/find-a-course
Apprenticeship
You could apply to do a Business Administrator Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship.
This takes between 1 and 2 years to complete and combines on-the-job training with classroom learning.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
More Information
equivalent entry requirements|https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels
guide to apprenticeships|https://www.gov.uk/apprenticeships-guide
Work
You might be able to start as an admin assistant on a temporary contract through a recruitment agency. This can often lead into a permanent job. Qualifications or experience in office work will be helpful.
Employers will give you training on the job, covering their data entry systems.
Volunteering
You could volunteer with a charity in an office based role to get some experience and skills that are useful for administration work.
You can find volunteering opportunities through The National Council for Voluntary Organisations and Do IT.
Direct Application
You can apply directly to become an admin assistant.
Employers may look for GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent qualifications, including English and maths. Word processing and spreadsheet skills will be useful, along with good customer service skills.
More Information
Career Tips
Time management and the ability to prioritise tasks is really important in administration. This could be tested at interview. For example, you might be given some tasks to complete and asked to arrange them in order of importance.
Skills and knowledge
You'll need:
Administration skills
To be thorough and pay attention to detail
The ability to work well with others
To be flexible and open to change
Excellent verbal communication skills
The ability to work on your own
Customer service skills
The ability to organise your time and workload
Digital Skills Level
to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently
Day to day tasks
In this role you could
handle enquiries on the phone, by email and on social media, type up letters, reports and other business documents, update and maintain computer records, follow data protection guidelines when handling information, keep track of stock, order office supplies and send out invoices, set up meetings and take notes during them, make travel arrangements for staff
handle enquiries on the phone, by email and on social media, type up letters, reports and other business documents, update and maintain computer records, follow data protection guidelines when handling information, keep track of stock, order office supplies and send out invoices, set up meetings and take notes during them, make travel arrangements for staff
We've identified this as a potential green job
For an admin assistant to be a green job, you could
set up a virtual meeting to avoid unnecessary travel, order office supplies made from recycled materials, recycle or donate used electronic equipment and devices
set up a virtual meeting to avoid unnecessary travel, order office supplies made from recycled materials, recycle or donate used electronic equipment and devices
Working environment
You could work in an office or remotely.
With experience, you could progress from admin assistant to supervisor or office manager. You could also move into other departments, like payroll, accounting or IT.
With further training, you could specialise in an area like legal, financial or medical administration, work in information management, or become a personal or executive assistant.
Job profile data provided by The National Careers Service.
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