By Zippia Expert - Jan. 22, 2022
To get an administrative assistant job with no experience, a person should get applicable education and certifications. Entry-level administrative assistants should have at least a high school diploma or its equivalent. However, many positions prefer a minimum of an associate's degree in a business, communications, or similar program.
People seeking to be an administrative assistant without a degree can instead seek to complete technical courses that provide the hard skills they need for administrative assistant positions, including business writing, documentation, filing and organization, data processing, and bookkeeping.
Fortunately, a person can become an administrative assistant within two years because much of the training is taught on the job. Many administrative assistants learn the specific methods and technology related to their role while on the job. This training may be part of the onboarding process with a company and lasts a few weeks to a month.
However, an administrative assistant can speed up the process by seeking out professional certifications. Certifications enable professionals to prove their qualifications to current and future employers.
Administrative assistants can earn certifications to gain more theoretical knowledge of their responsibilities, test their professional skills, and further advance their careers. These are two of the most common certifications for this profession: Certified Administrative Professional and Microsoft Office Specialist.
Admin is one of those jobs that everyone assumes they can do but actually don’t know anything about it i.e. what it entails. In truth, it is a progressive career where you can work your way up the ladder as you gain more qualifications and experience.
Yet, is it possible to get into this career niche without any prior experience in the field? In this article, we shall explore this mysterious job and discover what it takes to become an administrative assistant.
What is
an admin job?
Administrative assistants are an essential part of the business as not only are they deeply involved in its daily operations; they also know all the nitty gritty details of the business e.g. what is happening, current projects, meetings, etc. This is because they are in control of piecing together management schedules; handling phone calls and emails (on the behalf of managers); planning events and managing logistics.
How to break into admin
Breaking into admin is easier than you think, as positions range from basic entry level posts all the way to project management and operations.
To get started though, especially if you’ve got no experience – you need to complete the following steps:
- Enrol onto an online business course – if you haven’t the time to attend college, then you may want to take advantage of online business courses. These are ideal as they allow you to learn in your spare time and can be tailored to fit around your existing commitments;
- Typing proficiency and bookkeeping – these additional courses are a bonus all employers love to see on CVs, as the ability to type quickly, handle data and use Sage and Xero, will be a part of your daily tasks. Bookkeeping in particular can help you to land a decent starting position. NOTE: most jobs will expect you to be able to type 60 words per minute with 100% accuracy (the average is 39-40 words per minute);
- Word and Excel – if you don’t already know your way around a computer, then you’ll need to get knowledgeable on how to use Microsoft Office, especially Word and Excel;
- Get any type of experience – some experience – even if it isn’t in the role you want – is better than having no work experience at all. We recommend getting a part time job to help boost your CV and give you somewhere to showcase your skills and qualities;
- List ALL of your skills – when writing your CV, don’t be afraid to list both your soft skills and hard skills as these will prove that you are capable of doing more than one thing;
- Network in your chosen sector – it is amazing how much networking can help to increase your job opportunities. This is because it gets you in front of connections who could potentially help you to get a job in the future. Just be sure to network within your chosen field, as well as create an up to date profile on LinkedIn (so prospective employers can find out more about you).
As you can see, it isn’t possible to jump straight into an admin role, however, it is entirely possible to get your foot in the door whilst you’re building up your skill set.
To learn more about our online business, bookkeeping and proficiency courses, visit our website today.