Administrative Assistant Job Description: All Key Roles & Duties

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Administrative Assistants are often the unsung heroes of organized and efficient office environments.

Not only do you have to understand operational processes, but you also have responsibilities for helping everyone get along. From fielding questions from staff members and internal stakeholders to clients and business partners, your communication skills have to be off the chart! All of that says nothing about your tech skills, bookkeeping acumen, and problem-solving abilities.

It can be hard to incorporate everything you know how to do into a resume to land an interview. You have to get keywords and phrases from an administrative assistant job description.

By reviewing administrative assistant job description examples, you will be able to identify the technical and soft skills, credentials, and work experience that matter most to employers in your target field.

How to read an administrative assistant job description

Each part of the administrative assistant job description will give you a different set of details. Some companies will use a template, and some will write their administrative job description from scratch, but, for the most part, you can bet on the job descriptions having these sections:

A title: This will likely be the title you'll hold within their organization. It can simply state “Administrative Assistant” or “Executive Administrative Assistant” or be more complex like “HS&E Administrative Assistant.”
An introduction: This is usually a paragraph that talks a bit about the company and what its plans are for the future.
Job summary: While you won't always see a job summary, it would be a short blurb about the position and key responsibilities. Pay attention to job summaries because the duties listed here will be the most important things the company is looking for.
Job responsibilities: A bulleted list of things the company needs its next Administrative Assistant to do every day.
Qualifications: Here is where you'll find out how much education they want you to have and a list of critical soft skills. Don't overlook the importance of these soft skills, as they can be THE THING that helps you land an interview.
Working conditions: While many administrative assistant job descriptions will end with the qualifications section, some will include details about whether the role is full-time or part-time, plus other details about what to expect at the company.
Call to action: Usually just a simple line that tells you how to apply, either on the company's website or by emailing your resume to a person.

It's important to note that these sections may or may not be labeled. Let's take a look at an administrative assistant job description.

Administrative assistant job description:

Administrative assistant duties and responsibilities include providing administrative support to ensure efficient operation of the office. Supports managers and employees through a variety of tasks related to organization and communication. Administrative assistants are responsible for confidential and time sensitive material. Familiar with a variety of the field's concepts, practices, and procedures.

Ability to effectively communicate via phone and email, ensuring that all Administrative Assistant duties are completed accurately and delivered with high quality and in a timely manner. May direct and lead the work of others. Rely on experience and judgment to plan and accomplish goals, and a wide degree of creativity and latitude is expected. Typically reports to a manager or head of a unit/department.

Administrative assistant responsibilities:

Answer and direct phone calls
Organize and schedule appointments and meetings
Maintain contact lists
Produce and distribute correspondence memos, letters, faxes, and forms
Assist in the preparation of regularly scheduled reports
Develop and maintain a filing system
Order office supplies
Book travel arrangements
Submit and reconcile expense reports
Provide general support to visitors
Provide information by answering questions and requests
Take dictation
Research and create presentations
Generate reports
Handle multiple projects
Prepare and monitor invoices
Develop administrative staff by providing information, educational opportunities, and experiential growth opportunities
Ensure operation of equipment by completing preventive maintenance requirements, calling for repairs, maintaining equipment inventories, evaluating new equipment and techniques
Maintain supplies inventory by checking stock to determine inventory level; anticipating needed supplies; placing and expediting orders for supplies; verifying receipt of supplies
Maintain professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops, reviewing professional publications, establishing personal networks, participating in professional societies
Contribute to team effort by accomplishing related results as needed
Carry out administrative duties such as filing, typing, copying, binding, scanning, etc.
Organize travel arrangements for senior managers
Write letters and emails on behalf of other office staff
Book conference calls, rooms, taxis, couriers, hotels, etc.
Cover the reception desk when required
Maintain computer and manual filing systems
Handle sensitive information in a confidential manner
Take accurate minutes of meetings
Coordinate office procedures
Reply to email, telephone, or face-to-face inquiries
Develop and update administrative systems to make them more efficient
Resolve administrative problems
Receive, sort, and distribute the mail
Answer telephone calls and pass them on
Manage staff appointments
Oversee and supervise the work of junior staff
Maintain up-to-date employee holiday records
Coordinate repairs to office equipment
Greet and assist visitors to the office
Photocopy and print out documents on behalf of other colleagues
Provide polite and professional communication
Implement clerical duties and administrative processes
Conduct data entry
Confirm restaurant reservations for senior staff

A well-crafted resume skills section highlighting your relevant skills for an administrative assistant position will help your resume beat the applicant tracking system (ATS), which is the first step to getting your application noticed. Use the administrative assistant's top skills and proficiencies below to help you effectively write your resume.

Administrative assistant qualifications:

Proven admin or assistant experience
Knowledge of office management systems and procedures
Excellent time management skills and ability to multitask and prioritize work
Attention to detail and problem-solving skills
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Strong organizational and planning skills
Proficient in MS Office
At least 7 years of experience in the field or in a related area
High school diploma or equivalent; college degree preferred

Administrative assistant skills & proficiencies:

Reporting Skills
Administrative Writing Skills
Proficiency in Microsoft Office
Analysis
Professionalism
Problem-Solving
Supply Management
Inventory Control
Verbal Communication
Office Administration Procedures
Typing
Attention to Detail
Accuracy
Multitask
Telephone Skills
Teamwork
Discretion and Judgment
Patience
Resourcefulness
Anticipates Needs
Emotional Intelligence
Flexibility
Editing and Proofreading
Microsoft Office Skills
Typing Skills

Tailor your resume

As you go through the administrative assistant job description, be sure to take note of how the company has written the skills and keywords. You'll want to use this exact language on your resume to help get past the ATS. On top of that, once you get past the ATS, the hiring manager will want to see that you've paid attention to what they need. So, by tailoring – or customizing – your resume to the specific job, you'll increase your chances of winning an interview.

Resume case study

Not sure how to incorporate all of this into your resume? See how we helped this executive assistant revamp her resume. By formatting the resume to include a strong qualifications summary at the beginning that highlights the skills called for in the job description, this admin assistant professional will stand out to hiring managers from the beginning.

Job descriptions are your friend

Applying for a new job doesn't have to be a chore. If you leverage the details in the administrative assistant job description to collect skills and keywords to write your resume, you'll win the day.

Want to double-check that you have all the right Administrative Assistant skills and keywords in your resume? Upload it for a free review from a resume-writing expert.