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Career Research Paper

James Michael Aiken II

Mrs. Kimberly Nunnery

Business Information Management

10 November 2016
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James M. Aiken II

Mrs. Nunnery

Business Information Management

10 November 2016

Administrative Assistants

Introduction

It would interest me to pursue a career as an administrative assistant because I would gain

crucial experience in an office environment. Furthermore, working as an assistant would refine

my work ethic and management skills, which are qualities that would greatly benefit me for the

rest of my life.

Nature of the Work

The majority of administrative assistants work in facilities such as schools, hospitals,

governments, and legal or medical offices. Moreover, most assistants work full time.

Administrative assistants conduct clerical tasks, such as organizing files, preparing documents,

scheduling appointments, etc. These duties are essential to keep a company organized and for a

company to operate at maximum efficiency.

Job Outlook of Career with Statistics

In 2014, the number of employed administrative assistants totaled 3, 976, 800. In 2024,

the projected number of employed assistants is 4, 095, 600, which is a growth of three percent.

However, some organizations plan on using technology to substitute some activities and duties

that assistants perform, as a method of reducing costs. As a result of this, the employment of

legal assistants is expected to decline by six percent over the next eight years.
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Earning Potential/Benefits

The median annual income for administrative assistants this last year was $36, 500. The

bottom 10 percent of assistants earned less than $22, 390, while the upper 10 percent earned

more than $60, 640. In descending order, the median wages of several types of assistants in 2015

were as follows: Executive administrative assistants ($53, 370), Legal assistants ($43, 200),

Administrative assistants except legal, medical, and executive ($33, 910), and Medical assistants

($33, 040).

Training/Education Needed

All administrative assistants must have a high school diploma, and some prior knowledge

of software applications. For beginners, training is a short process which lasts for a few weeks.

However, training for medical and legal assistants is a much longer procedure, which usually

lasts for several months, to learn important terminology and practices.

Resolution

While administrative assistants perform fairly basic tasks, these tasks have a great impact

on the well-being of a company. Continuously, assistants work around the clock to ensure that all

information is sorted neatly and in the correct place. The job of being an administrative assistant

is one of discipline, and it teaches vital skills that can be used in the workplace and in everyday

life.
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Works Cited

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2016-

17 Edition, Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, on the Internet at

http://www.bls.gov/ooh/office-and-administrative-support/secretaries-and-administrative-

assistants.htm (visited November 10, 2016)

Texas Workforce Commission. Texas Reality Check. (2012): On the Internet at

www.texasrealitycheck.com (visited October 25, 2016)