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Dear Community,

Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.

If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.

Thank you.

Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.

questions for Administrative Assistants

mind if I ask you a few questions? I also posted this on my local board.

what's the best/favorite part of your job?

the worst?

did you have admin assistant experience prior to getting hired as one?

what experience do you think would be helpful in landing an admin assistant job?

what is a typical day like for you?

do you mind sharing a ballpark of what you make? (I know this will vary)

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Re: questions for Administrative Assistants

  • If you google the phrase "being an administrative assistant" you will find a ton of websites that provide answers to your questions. There are also professional organizations such as this one http://www.iaap-hq.org/

     

  • what's the best/favorite part of your job?

    It's easy!  Seriously... sometimes it is too easy.  It is really about attitude too - if you show up ready to help people, and get all of your work done, it is a blast!  If you show up ready to update your FB and answer your texts and work is getting in the way of your personal life... it is not fun.

    the worst?

    You are going to have to deal with stupid people.  That is what AA's are paid for.  To answer the same questions, every day, several times a day, for the same people who either forgot your answer or didn't like your answer.  There's a lot of repetition.  But again... if you can answer questions with a smile, you will be set!

    did you have admin assistant experience prior to getting hired as one?

    Not at all.  

    what experience do you think would be helpful in landing an admin assistant job?

    If you have prior experience as an AA, put it on your resume.  If you don't, list any previous experience in which you worked with customer assistance, or record keeping.  I worked as a Certified Framer at Michaels (arts and crafts store)... so I had to keep track of customer's paperwork, ring up their orders on the computer, and provide customer service while we figured out exactly what they were looking for.  All good stuff!  They want to see that you are personable, and organized.  (Another tip: highlight your typing skills!  Can you use a 10-key/number keypad?  How many WPM can you type?)

    what is a typical day like for you?

    I'll arrive at work, turn on my computer, sift through the emails I received overnight, check my voice-messages, and eyeball my workload for the day.  Then I'll answer all of my emails/vm's in the order they were received (because everyone's questions are important, and I do not give anyone priority unless my manager tells me to), then get to my new work for the day.  Depending on my workload, I may answer emails/phonecalls as they come in, or I may let them pile up for an hour or two and then do them all in a block when I take a break from what I'm working on.  Honestly though, unless you are being micro-managed or you have 17 projects stacked up on your desk, you will probably have some down-time.  I use mine to read, check my email, check my bank acct, and Nest (hehe), but I try not to use the computer too much, because they monitor that kind of thing.

    do you mind sharing a ballpark of what you make? (I know this will vary)

    I'm making about 32k before taxes... bringing home about 27k yearly *chokes on taxes*  I don't know what it is hourly anymore.  When I was hired on, the starting "salary" for my position was 28k (before taxes), and I have been here about 2.5 yrs, so I have seen 2 raises come through.  (It's not really salary, because I am non-exempt, so I have to work 5 8's, there is no wiggle-room.)

    image
  • There are so many different types of AA positions that your questions are hard to answer.

    For me

    Best: it's a different job every day. 

    Worst: some of the people

    Yes, I had experience prior to this position

    There is not typical day for me. I can come in thinking I will be working on one thing and everything will shift.

    $65,000

  • imageaimkins:

    what's the best/favorite part of your job?

    That every day is different. 

    the worst?

    Dealing with stupid/lazy people who will do anything to get out of doing their work.

    did you have admin assistant experience prior to getting hired as one?

    Yes.

    what experience do you think would be helpful in landing an admin assistant job?

    Anything that has to do with paperwork and knowing how to keep a papertrail.  As much software experience as possible, however I mainly use Word, Excel and Access.  Obviously I use software that is specific to my industry, but those in particular are a must.

    what is a typical day like for you?

    Just like PP said, there is no typical day. First thing in the morning, I too check my email and voicemail, and from there, who knows what will happen. 

    do you mind sharing a ballpark of what you make? (I know this will vary)

    $42,000 a year, and my employer pays 100% of my health insurance, life insurance and Accident coverage. (I know...completely unheard of in this day and age!)  Those amounts are not factored into my annual wages above.

  • you guys are all pretty lucky. im making UNDER 17,000. its quite depressing actually, especially considering i have my bachelors degree! im hoping for either a raise or a new job to come through very soon!
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