Job Description for a Contract Administrative Assistant

Contract administrative assistants are needed by various professionals.

Professionals often have a lot of work to do and much of their work can only be performed by them due to certifications and degrees that are required to perform certain tasks. Other tasks can be performed by administrative assistants. Those administrative assistants who work on a contract basis are not employees but instead work a specific amount of time as per the terms of the contract.

Function

The contract administrative assistant performs data entry tasks. This assistant is also responsible for managing reports and generating reports out of data that the assistant works with. These assistants are also responsible for handling legal matters such as making sure that the organization is complying to all legal regulations and communicating with paralegals working for the company that the administrative assistant works for. These assistants perform other administrative duties such as answering the phone and setting up appointments for other staff members. Contract administrative assistants can also have more specialized duties. For instance, medical administrative assistants have to transfer doctor dictation into a written form.

Conditions

Contract administrative assistants usually work in clean and comfortable office environments. Many administrative assistants work part-time during peak hours. They often have to sit for long periods of time, which is not good for their health. When using computers over a long period of time, they can be subjected to eye strain, back ache and carpal tunnel syndrome.

Skills

Usually, administrative assistants only need a high school diploma. Some contract administrative assistants need a bachelor’s degree, though the discipline needed varies from position to position. They also often need previous experience in the industry that they will be working in. These assistants must be proficient with computer applications such as word processors and spreadsheets. They must be detail-oriented, since they must accurately enter data. Analytical and problem solving skills are sometimes needed since these administrative assistants often communicate with customers who have problems that they must resolve. Interpersonal skills are needed for correspondence that the administrative assistant has with others.

Outlook

The need for administrative assistants is expected to grow by 11 percent between 2008 and 2018, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Growth will be the greatest in the medical field where administrative assistants will be needed to assist healthcare professionals in treating an increasing number of elderly patients.

Earnings

The median annual earnings for administrative assistants in 2008 were $40,030. The highest 10 percent earned more than $62,070, while the lowest 10 percent earned less than $27,030.

References

• Bureau of Labor Statistics: Administrative Assistants