The Different Levels of an Administrative Career

Are you considering an administrative career or looking for a change in work? Perhaps you’re just interested in learning more about the various administration positions available nowadays.

While administrative work can be general, there are different levels. Nevertheless, each tier is crucial. Administrative tasks can often be the backbone of a company. Without them, operations may suffer. Continue reading to learn more about the varying levels of an administrative career and if this type of work could be right for you!

Understanding Administrative Work

Generally speaking, administrative professionals play a critical role in managing and supporting the smooth operation of an office or organization. Part of why administrative work is so broad is because maintaining an office can require different things depending on the type of office, the industry, and employer requirements. Some administrative tasks that may be expected when maintaining an office are:

Answering and transferring phone calls or taking messages
Sending emails to clients, forwarding information to appropriate departments, and sending out interoffice communications
Customer services tasks, such as explaining services or handling complaints
Taking minutes in a meeting
Coordinating office events and maintaining executive or office calendars
Scheduling appointments for clients, supervisors, or other executives
Onboarding new hires
Bookkeeping tasks and record management
Managing the inventory of office supplies
Completing office tasks pertaining to filing, copying, mail distribution, and data entry

An administrative professional may be responsible for more than these tasks on a given day. However, responsibilities vary depending on the position and needs of the company.

Administrative work often encompasses a number of different jobs. Those job titles include administrative assistant, office manager, executive assistant, or chief of staff. But position titles and job responsibilities vary at each level, which depends on skills, qualifications, and years of experience.

Are you a hiring manager or a business owner looking to hire an administrative assistant? Let us help you find them.

Is Education Required for an Administrative Career?

Not all jobs require higher education. Of course, advanced degrees are often required for many specific roles, as education programs teach people important skills necessary to be successful in a position. But in many ways, the world is slowly moving toward a focus on skills-based hiring as opposed to focusing on degrees.

With administrative work, hands-on learning is key. While an associate’s or bachelor’s degree or professional certification may be beneficial, it isn’t always necessary. Additionally, many soft skills learned throughout high school or past working experiences can transfer well to a new administrative role.

To be successful in your administrative career, you’ll require the following skills:

Excellent verbal and written communication
Organization and time management skills
Attention to detail
Creative problem-solving skills
Computer and typing skills and a working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
Adaptability
Reliability
Customer service
Data entry and clerical skills
Office management and coordination skills
Proactive mindset
Ability to juggle multiple tasks at once
Capable of maintaining a high level of confidentiality and integrity

Additionally, eagerness to learn is one of the most vital skills needed when starting an administrative career. On average, a person can start their administrative profession with a high school diploma or equivalent. The rest comes with experience. In an entry-level role, you’ll learn the necessary competencies to thrive in your work and continue growing from an entry-level to a more executive-level position.

What Kind of Industries Have Administration Jobs?

In truth, all industries need administrative staff to help them function. Whether you’re working for a small, local business or a multinational corporation, both benefit from employing administrative professionals.

Administrative professionals manage an array of diverse responsibilities and ensure that everything runs like a well-oiled machine. Without their diligent efforts, an organization may face challenges in coordinating meetings, maintaining organized schedules, stocking necessary supplies, and ultimately experience negative consequences

The importance of administrative work can allow you to gain experience in almost any industry and grow into many potential career paths. That may include working as an:

Assistant manager
Human resources coordinator
Chief of staff
Operations manager
Project manager
Event planner

The varying levels of administrative work ensure that you won’t feel stagnant in your career. Over time, you’ll become a resource to employees, take on several managerial responsibilities, and ultimately be the go-to person for your company’s office.

Levels of an Administrative Career

Typically when starting your administrative career, you’ll focus on entry-level roles. But if you’re changing careers, transferable skills may allow you to obtain a mid-level position. That’s dependent on many factors, though.

Entry-Level Administrative Positions

Beginning as an entry-level employee, you may start working as a receptionist, administrative or office assistant, data entry clerk, or customer service representative. During this time, you’ll learn the ins and outs of the company, do a little bit of everything, and can quickly begin to grow into a mid-level role.

Mid-Level Administrative Positions

Mid-level administrative positions vary from one company to the next. Typically, these roles focus on managerial tasks. As you gain experience and transition into a mid-level position, your new job title may be office administrator, administrative specialist, or executive assistant. In these roles, you’ll continue doing some of everything, but generally, you’ll focus on more specialized and high-priority tasks that are critical to business operations..

Upper-Level Administrative Positions

High-level administrative jobs entail a high degree of initiative and elite skills. You may become a senior executive assistant, director of administration, chief of staff, or operations director within your company. In these roles, you’ll typically work more with executives and CEOs and have the chance to work hands-on with business endeavors.

Someone starting as a receptionist can imagine themselves at the executive level sooner than they realize. And that is the beauty of the different levels of an administrative career—they provide consistent, untapped potential for growth.

Find Fulfillment in an Administrative Career

Administrative professionals are a vital asset to a company and its leadership team. Through hard work and determination, these employees help companies thrive. If you enjoy working in a role that allows you to support and positively impact a company, or you’re looking for a career that allows for growth, consider an administrative career today!