Administrative Assistant

How To Become an administrative assistant

1 Develop typing, word processing and office software skills while you are in high school. In addition, make certain you are skilled at spelling, writing, grammar and verbal communication. You will use those skills on a daily basis in this career.

2 Consider getting an A.A. degree in a community college or going to a business school for a certificate after high school. You can get a low-paying, entry-level clerical position as a new high school graduate, but it will not necessarily lead to an administrative assistant position in the future. You'll compete with better-educated individuals when you apply for a promotion.

3 Decide if you want to make this a long-term career. If so, pick a specialty that interests you, such as law or medicine. At the very least, earn a certificate in the field so that you can impress potential employers with your knowledge.

4 Interview counselors at several temporary agencies and ask about free office software training for individuals who agree to sign on with them. You need to become proficient with word processing, spreadsheet and computer graphics programs for general employment as an administrative assistant.

5 Seek out companies that have the room and the inclination to promote their administrative assistants. These are usually medium or larger-sized firms.