Administrative Assistant Schools

Schools by State
for Executive Secretaries And Administrative Assistants:

AK AL AR AZ CA CO CT DC DE FL GA HI IA ID IL IN KS KY LA MA MB MD ME MI MN MO MS MT NC ND NE NH NJ NM NV NY OH OK ON OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VA WA WI WV WY

Career Highlights for
Executive Secretaries And Administrative Assistants

Training generally required for this career includes: Work experience in a related occupation.

Relevant Job Titles

(Supplied by experts and industry contributors for this career category)

• Administrative Aide
• Administrative and Technical Specialist
• Administrative Assistant
• Administrative Associate
• Administrative Coordinator
• Administrative Liaison
• Administrative Office Assistant
• Administrative Office Specialist
• Administrative Officer
• Administrative Secretary
• Administrative Services Assistant
• Administrative Specialist
• Administrative Supervisor
• Administrative Support Specialist
• Clerical Specialist
• Community Youth Secretary
• Confidential Secretary
• Corporate Secretary
• Court Analyst
• Executive Administrative Assistant
• Executive Administrator
• Executive Assistant
• Executive Associate
• Executive Secretary
• Executive Staff Assistant
• Executive, Secretarial, Managerial, or Official Duties Assistant
• Financial Secretary
• Front Office Secretary
• Human Resources Administrative Assistant
• Management Assistant
• Office Administrator
• Office Assistant
• Office Automation Secretary (OA Secretary)
• Office Manager
• Personal Assistant
• Personal Secretary
• Program Support Assistant
• Program Support Specialist
• Protocol Officer
• Secretarial or Administrative Duties Administrative Assistant
• Secretarial or Administrative Duties Clerical Administrative Assistant
• Secretary
• Secretary to the Vice President
• Staff Assistant
• Trust Manager Assistant
• Unit Secretary

Information Sources

BrainTrack's information on colleges and careers is drawn from many sources, including government databases, BrainTrack's own research, and results from original data analysis algorithms.

Executive Secretary or Administrative Assistant Job Description

Career tips, salaries, and lists of schools.

An executive secretary (also called an administrative assistant) fills the demanding role of providing administrative support to organizational leaders in companies, government agencies, legal offices, schools and hospitals. Their responsibilities are more information management-oriented than clerical, and require a high degree of organization, detail management and professionalism. Required tasks often include:

• supervising other administrative staff
• planning and scheduling high-level meetings
• arranging travel, catering and agendas
• managing executive calendars
• screening and distributing important memos
• managing paper and electronic file systems
• researching via the Internet and other channels
• creating and setting up presentations
• answering phones and emails
• faxing, copying, scanning and transcribing
• solving minor software or computer problems
• publishing reports, memos, correspondence, newsletters, etc.
• gathering information from other departments and generating complex reports
• assisting in HR-related tasks such as policy writing
• attending meetings and recording minutes

Executive secretaries and administrative assistants primarily work for larger organizations in any industry. Some have additional training, specializing in legal or medical support.

Executive Secretary or Administrative Assistant Degrees and Executive Secretary or Administrative Assistant Schools

Many community colleges, vocational schools, state colleges and universities offer associates degrees in office administration.

Executive Secretary or Administrative Assistant Classes

Coursework in office administration usually combines classroom and lab practice. Areas of study often include:

• computer and software skills
• organization and filing systems
• researching and reporting
• operating office machines
• typing and dictation
• human resources and ethics

Online Executive Secretary or Administrative Assistant Classes and Programs

Online courses and degree programs in office administration are plentiful. When evaluating online programs, look for those accredited by the Accreditation Commission of the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC).

Executive Secretary or Administrative Assistant Requirements

Most employers prefer to hire executive secretaries and administrative assistants who have a college degree, especially if it is in the field or industry in which they will be working. For additional career advantage, candidates can pursue certification through professional organizations such as the International Association of Administrative Professionals or for specific software applications such as Microsoft Office Specialist.

How to Evaluate Executive Secretary or Administrative Assistant Schools

Consider the following when comparing office administration degree programs:

• Career goals - Will the prospective student be specializing in particular field, such as technology, finance, legal or medical? Choosing schools that offer classes in these areas too will allow for convenient additional training.
• Class size and experiential learning - Are classes or labs crowded? Does the school have a well-developed internship and job placement assistance program? Are there plenty of interesting opportunities?
• Tuition and financial assistance - Does the school provide resources to help students take advantage of scholarships, loans and grants?
• Graduate success - How many students successfully complete the program each year? What is the program's track record for placing graduates in jobs?

Listed below are some of the careers in the US with the most job openings and/or fastest growth, according to US government statistics and BrainTrack's own analysis. BrainTrack's profiles for these careers overview responsibilities, degrees, areas of study, career requirements, online study options, and how to evaluate relevant schools. Each profile also lists relevant US schools including those in each state.

Engineering and Technology

• Application Software Engineers
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• Computer Support Specialists
• Database Administrators
• Network Administrators
• Network Analysts
• Systems Analysts
• Systems Software Engineers

Healthcare

• Cardiovascular Technician Training
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• Home Health Aides
• LPN Nursing Classes and Programs
• Medical Assistant Schools
• Medical Lab Technician Schools
• Medical Lab Technologist Schools
• Medical Secretary Schools
• Nursing Aide Schools
• Pharmacy Aide Schools
• Pharmacy Technician Schools
• Physical Therapy Schools
• Radiation Therapists
• Radiologic Technicians
• Registered Nurse (RN) Programs
• Respiratory Therapist Schools
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Education

• Elementary School Teaching Degree
• Middle School Teaching Degree
• Secondary School Teaching Degree
• Teacher Assistant Training

Community and Social Services

• Human Service Assistants

Business

• Accounting and Auditor Degrees
• Bookkeeping and Accounting Degrees
• Public Relations Specialist

Management

• Advertising Manager
• Engineering Manager
• General Manager
• Marketing Manager
• Management Analyst / Management Consultant

Office Support

• Administrative Assistants / Executive Secretaries
• Office Manager / Administrative Services Manager
• Secretaries
• Supervisors of Office Workers

Sales

• Sales Manager

Legal

• Correctional Officers and Jailers
• Lawyers
• Legal Secretaries
• Paralegals and Legal Assistants
• Police Officers

Design

• Fashion Designers
• Interior Designers
• Graphic Designers

Arts And Entertainment

• Photography Schools

Culinary

• Chef Training
• Restaurant Cooks
• Food Service Managers

Personal Care And Service

• Hairdresser and Cosmetologist Training

Mechanic

• Automotive Mechanics
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Massage and Physical Therapy

• Massage Therapist Schools