Salaries
Average salaries in Canada for mid-to upper-level administrative staff range from $30,000 to $45,000 and up, according to the 2005 OfficeTeam Salary Guide. Employers are paying more for specialty skills such as desktop publishing and database management.

Career Paths
Companies are creating a multitude of career paths for persons in administrative professions. Administrative assistants have moved into training, supervision, desktop publishing, information management and research. They are involved with equipment purchase and maintenance, customer service, project management and supervision of outside vendors.

Changing Roles
The number one skill sought by employers when hiring administrative professionals is computer expertise. Administrative assistants should master word processing, spreadsheet, database, graphics and desktop publishing. With more managers keying their own correspondence and more files being stored electronically, the nature of secretarial work is changing drastically. Managers are doing more clerical work; administrative assistants and secretaries are doing more professional work.

Job Satisfaction
Most administrative professionals want to remain in their field and advance into higher support positions or become office managers. They say they are finally receiving recognition for what they do. They are becoming members of the management team.

The Future of the Profession
With businesses operating in a global economy, administrative professionals will have opportunities to interact via e-mail, audio- and video-conferencing, and even face-to-face with customers and associates from around the world. The winners will be those professionals who master technology, effectively use their interpersonal and communication skills, who have the ability to track and organize and be creative in solving problems, and most importantly, who have the willingness to learn and grow, and accept challenges. For these administrative professionals, there is a world of opportunity waiting for them!


Glossary of Job Descriptions for Administrative Professionals

Administrative

• Junior Administrative Assistant
  Performs a variety of Internet research functions and uses word processing, spreadsheet and presentation software. Duties also include fielding telephone calls, filing and data entry. May assist with overflow work from administrative and executive assistants. Fills in for the office receptionist as needed.
  
  
• Administrative Assistant
  Performs administrative and office support activities for multiple supervisors. Duties may include fielding telephone calls, receiving and directing visitors, word processing, filing, and faxing. Extensive software skills are required, as well as Internet research abilities. Requires strong communication skills. Staff in this category may also have the title of department assistant, coordinator or associate.
  
  
• Senior Administrative Assistant
  Duties include those described for administrative assistant position above, but require stronger work experience within each function. Supports senior-level managers and may supervise other support staff. A premium is paid for specific industry or market experience. Advanced computer skills with the ability to train others in system usage is preferred.
  
  
• Executive Assistant
  Performs administrative duties for executive management. Responsibilities may include screening calls, making travel and meeting arrangements, preparing reports and financial data, training and supervising other support staff, and customer relations. Requires strong computer and Internet research skills. Also calls for flexibility, excellent interpersonal skills, project coordination experience, and the ability to work well with all levels of internal management and staff, as well as outside clients and vendors.
  
  

• Senior Executive Assistant
  Duties include those described for executive assistant, but require more work experience within each function. Supports the most senior executives, particularly in large corporations. May supervise other administrative staff. Possesses advanced computer skills along with the ability to train others on systems usage. A premium is paid for specific industry expertise.
  
  
• Human Resources Assistant
  Responsibilities may include screening telephone calls and scheduling interviews, researching the Internet to locate potential job candidates, resume scanning, assisting with planning and compiling materials for new employee orientation meetings, and maintaining employee database records. Strong computer skills required, as well as sensitivity to confidential matters.
  
  
• Medical Secretary
  Performs administrative duties in a doctor’s office, clinic, hospital, medical office or in a health-related industry, such as insurance. Familiarity with medical terminology, claims management and filing procedures is often required. Strong grammar and spelling abilities are essential. Duties may include word processing, data entry, reception and database management, as well as interaction with vendors and patients. Sensitivity to confidential matters is required.
  
  
• Medical Transcriptionist
  Medical transcriptionists are specialists in medical language and healthcare documentation who transcribe dictation of physicians and other healthcare professionals. These reports eventually become a part of the patient’s permanent file. Medical transcriptionists transcribe a variety of medical reports about emergency room visits, diagnostic imaging studies, operations, chart reviews and final summaries. To accurately transcribe dictated reports into a format that is clear and comprehensible for the reader, the medical transcriptionist must understand the language of medicine, anatomy and physiology, diagnostic procedures and treatment.
  
  

• Legal Secretary
  Responsible for assisting in legal and paralegal organizations or in the legal department of a business. Individuals must be proficient with a wide range of in-depth computer skills, including Microsoft Office and need familiarity with legal terminology, formatting and handling of legal documents, including legal memoranda, letters, and pleadings, maintain records and files. Research skills are an asset. Strong grammar and spelling abilities are essential. Sensitivity to confidential matters is required. Emphasis is placed on professionalism, communication and customer service.
  
  
• Bookkeeper, Accounting Assistant
  The field of accounting today is full of job opportunities that combine financial record keeping and the use of computers to calculate and record data. Duties generally include recording receipts and disbursements and preparing reports. An accounting assistant maintains accounting records, reconciles bank statements, posts details of business transactions, and prepares vouchers, invoices, and other records. Accounting is an important function in every office. Note: Many small businesses have part-time bookkeepers and it is useful to have staff that can assist with some bookkeeping functions such as preparing deposits, taking payments, and generating cheques when the bookkeeper is not available.
  
  
• Payroll Administrator
  Maintains client and employee records while ensuring the payroll data is collected, verified and forwarded in accordance with client specifications. These individuals are responsible for the full payroll cycle including remittances to the government, entering changes into the computerized payroll system, and responding to employee inquiries or concerns. Certification by the Canadian Payroll Association is generally a requirement.
  
  
• Sales Assistant
  Duties include those described for an administrative assistant. Supports a sales department exclusively. May assist regional sales staff based in remote locations. Additional responsibilities may include processing expense reports, coordinating the submission of proposals, planning meetings, tracking sales progress, troubleshooting minor technical problems, maintaining department database records, and serving as a liaison between traveling sales representatives and staff based in the home office. Strong computer and organizational skills are required.
  
  
• Marketing Assistant
  Duties include those described for administrative assistant. Supports a marketing department exclusively. May assist both full-time employees and consultant or freelance staff (who may be on-or off-site). Additional duties include assisting with trade show and event planning, creating or updating presentation software files, tracking budgets and expenses, and communicating with external creative service providers.
  
  
  

• Office Manager
  Coordinates various office support services, including purchasing and facilities management. Requires strong communication skills with vendors and some accounting knowledge. May include supervision of office administrative staff.
  
  
• Senior Office Manager
  Responsibilities include those described for office manager but with more extensive experience and management skills. Duties may include selecting office vendors and supervising purchasing processes, directing mailroom and maintenance staff, and coordinating regular building safety checks and ergonomics training for staff. Solid communication and staff management skills are required, as well as some accounting knowledge.

Switchboard/Receptionist

• Switchboard Operator
  Places, receives and routes a high volume of calls through an electronic switchboard. Supplies information to callers, relays messages and announces visitors.
  
  
• Receptionist
  Greets visitors, handles incoming calls and performs general administrative duties. May also assist other administrative staff with over-flow work, including word processing, data entry and Internet research tasks.
  
  
• Front Desk Coordinator
  Manages the company's lobby area. Greets and directs all visitors, including vendors, clients, job candidates and customers. Ensures completion of paperwork, sign-in and security procedures. Handles special administrative projects, as well as overflow work from department and executive assistants. Depending on the size of firm, may also answer incoming phone calls. A highly professional demeanor is required.

Office Support

• Mail Assistant
  Sorts and distributes incoming and outgoing mail. Operates manual and electronic mailing equipment. Position usually found in larger companies.
  
  
• Office Assistant
  Performs general clerical tasks. Operates basic office equipment. Sorts and routes incoming materials. May require computer and data entry skills.
  
  

• Senior Office Assistant
  Researches data, proofreads documents and completes general office work. Operates basic office equipment and organizes projects for office assistants. Requires a high level of initiative.

Customer Service

• Customer Service Representative
  Handles customer questions and concerns. Performs data entry and uses software programs. May also require research skills to troubleshoot customer problems. Excellent communication abilities are essential. May work in a call center environment.
  
  
• Senior Customer Service Representative
  Duties include those described for customer service representative but with stronger work experience in each function. Additional duties may include proactive communication with customers and clients (via telephone, e-mail or regular mail) ,managing database records, drafting status reports on customer service issues, and supervising staff.