Administrative assistants
Career Overview
Administrative assistants support managers and employers by performing a wide variety of administrative duties.
Job Titles
Duties
In general, administrative assistants:
- Answer telephone calls, mail and email
- Route messages
- Greet visitors and direct them to the appropriate person or department
- Prepare, type, edit and proofread letters, invoices, presentations, spreadsheets, brochures, publications and reports
- Manage their manager or employer’s calendar, including scheduling and confirming meetings
- Arrange travel schedules and make reservations
- Book meetings and conference rooms
- Solve and keep track of issues with facilities, office equipment and assets
- Order and maintain office supplies
- Set up and maintain paper and electronic filing systems
- Set up office procedures and improvements
- Update administrative policies and procedures manuals
- Prepare agendas and record minutes of meetings
- Manage action items from meetings by following up with the appropriate area
In addition, they may:
- Compile data, statistics and other information
- Supervise and train staff in office procedures and software
- Organize conferences
- Do data entry
- Update websites
- Monitor and post to social media channels
- Transcribe information from machine dictation
Earnings
Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.
Work Environment
# Workers Employed
28,265% Employed Full Time
49%Administrative assistants work in a variety of industries in the public and private sectors. Although they generally work Monday to Friday, most administrative assistants have smartphones with access to email and may be required to be available on call. This group mostly works in an office environment, but there are some hybrid (combination in-person and remote) positions as well.
Some administrative assistants work with placement agencies—often called “temp agencies” (meaning temporary employment agencies)—doing short-term jobs in private businesses and government offices.
Administrative assistants spend most of their time on computers which can put stress on the neck, back, shoulders and eyes. Equipment designed for office work may be required—headsets, for example—for those who spend a lot of time on the telephone.
Career Pathways
With experience and further education, administrative assistants may progress to other administrative positions. These include senior or executive administrative assistant, clerical supervisor, business manager, project manager or office manager.
Related Careers
Occupational Interests
It’s important to understand what kinds of occupations align with your interests.
For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.
Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:
Education, Training and Skills
At a minimum, employers usually ask for at least two years of work experience and a high school diploma.
Designation as a Canadian Certified Administrative Professional (CCAP) may be an advantage.
Depending on the industry and specific role, it may also be an advantage to have a working knowledge of finance, marketing or communications. Experience in project management or coordination may also be an asset.
Education programs in B.C.
Top Skills
Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.
Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.
See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!
Talking to others to share information effectively.
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Understanding how new information could be used to solve current and future problems in making decisions.
Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Labour Market Statistics
Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.
Employment
Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.
Employment
28,265Employment by Region
| Region | Employment | % Employment of this Occupation |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 900 | 3.2% |
| Kootenay | 800 | 2.8% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 17,800 | 63.0% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 565 | 2.0% |
| Northeast | 500 | 1.8% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 3,060 | 10.8% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 4,635 | 16.4% |
Labour Market Outlook
The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.
Forecasted Job Openings (2024-2034)
13,410Forecasted Job Openings
Forecasted Employment Growth Rate
Composition of Job Openings
Job Openings by Region (2024-2034)
| Region | Job Openings | Avg. Annual Employment Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 330 | 0.1% |
| Kootenay | 360 | 0.5% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 8,680 | 1.6% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 130 | 0.2% |
| Northeast | 230 | 0.9% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 1,560 | 1.1% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 2,120 | 1.1% |
Industry Highlights
Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.
Forecasted Job Openings by Industry
| Industry | Job Openings (2024-2034) |
|---|---|
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 2,130 |
| Educational Services | 2,120 |
| Professional, Scientific and Technical Services | 1,770 |
| Finance, Insurance and Real Estate | 1,440 |
| Public Administration | 1,350 |
Insights from Industry
Advances in software technology are changing the way this job is done. This means administrative assistants have a more complex support role than in the past.
Administrative assistant duties may include developing spreadsheets, drafting letters and other correspondence, maintaining databases, updating websites and creating presentation materials. Some administrative assistants take an active role in monitoring and posting to corporate social media channels. As a result, people with a wide range of computer skills are in higher demand. Many positions also require some experience in project management or co-ordination.
Resources
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Association of Administrative Professionalswww.canadianadmin.ca
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Association of Administrative Professionals – Certificationcanadianadmin.ca/certification/overview/
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International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP)www.iaap-hq.org