The minimum requirements for a first level administrative assistant include forty courses in office administration from a technical or vocational college, or a bachelor’s degree in office administration or a related field. Experience is essential for obtaining a job at this level, and the internship work required for a diploma or degree is not sufficient. At least two years of experience working in an administrative capacity, either in a private or business office, is necessary. If you have a master’s degree in the required administrative field, you are deemed to have already met the education and experience requirements.
In addition to the education and experience required for this level of administrative assistant, you should be very knowledgeable about the operation of a central office. This means you must know and understand the principles of management and be able to apply them in different settings. You should have excellent interpersonal skills to enable you to deal effectively and appropriately with other staff members and the senior administration. Above all, you should possess good problem-solving and decision-making skills.
In order to advance to the second level of administrative assistant, it is expected, first of all, that you have already met the requirements of the first level. You will need to have three or more years of experience working in a level 1 position and to have had good work performance evaluations in that capacity. Coordination of projects and management services are two of the responsibilities that you may have to perform in the senior position in addition to advising the administration on matters related to management. During the time you spend in the level 1 position, you can take additional courses in areas that are specific to the company you work with. This will qualify you as a specialist in a certain area and help you to gain promotion to the higher level position.
