Definition of an Administrative Assistant

Administrative Assistants are multi-faceted assistants to teams, managers and executives. They are responsible for assisting their immediate manager or group for a variety of tasks.

Definition

Tasks include creating reports, spreadsheets and databases. Administrative assistants are also responsible for travel arrangements, monitoring department budgets, office equipment maintenance and research.

History

Administrative assistants have a long history. The book of Ezekiel speaks of the king's secretary (Ezekiel 9:2). Such secretaries were akin to personal assistants. Today, administrative assistants (formerly known as secretaries) continue to play an important role in businesses.

Types

There are 13 types of administrative assistants according to the International Association for Administrative Professionals, iaap-hq.org. Different types of assistants include executive assistants, sales assistants, marketing assistants and project managers.

Title Change

As of 2000, secretaries became administrative assistants. The title change honors administrative assistants and their oft-changing responsibilities.

Potential

The opportunities for administrative assistants continue to evolve. Managers often now perform jobs once strictly held for administrative assistants, such as word processing and data entry. Administrative assistants with bachelor degrees will become more in demand as technology continues to evolve.

Resources

• International Association for Administrative Professionals