Careers > Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants

Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants

$65.98K Median Salary 42.1K Job Openings (Annual Projection) -18.7% Job Growth

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About This Career

Provide high-level administrative support by conducting research, preparing statistical reports, and handling information requests, as well as performing routine administrative functions such as preparing correspondence, receiving visitors, arranging conference calls, and scheduling meetings. May also train and supervise lower-level clerical staff.

Reported Job Titles

Administrative Aide, Administrative Assistant, Administrative Associate, Administrative Coordinator, Administrative Secretary, Administrative Specialist, Executive Administrative Assistant, Executive Assistant, Executive Secretary, Office Assistant

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Skills You'll Need

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Abilities

Oral Comprehension

Oral Expression

Speech Recognition

Written Comprehension

Written Expression

Near Vision

Speech Clarity

Information Ordering

Problem Sensitivity

Category Flexibility

Deductive Reasoning

Perceptual Speed

Flexibility of Closure

Fluency of Ideas

Inductive Reasoning

Originality

Selective Attention

Knowledge

Administrative

English Language

Customer and Personal Service

Computers and Electronics

Administration and Management

Skills

Active Listening

Reading Comprehension

Speaking

Service Orientation

Writing

Coordination

Critical Thinking

Social Perceptiveness

Time Management

Active Learning

Judgment and Decision Making

Monitoring

Negotiation

Technology Skills

Enterprise resource planning ERP software

Web page creation and editing software

Graphics or photo imaging software

Video conferencing software

Word processing software

Data base user interface and query software

Cloud-based data access and sharing software

Accounting software

Network conferencing software

Office suite software

Human resources software

Analytical or scientific software

Presentation software

Project management software

Medical software

Electronic mail software

Document management software

Desktop communications software

Desktop publishing software

Time accounting software

Calendar and scheduling software

Spreadsheet software

Customer relationship management CRM software

Procurement software

Operating system software

Financial analysis software

Data base reporting software

Internet browser software

Inventory management software

Process mapping and design software

Information retrieval or search software

Mobile messaging service software

Tools

Photocopiers

Scanners

Typewriters

Notebook computers

Digital cameras

Personal digital assistant PDAs or organizers

Liquid crystal display projector

Dictation machines

Portable data input terminals

Special purpose telephones

Pocket calculator

Laser fax machine

Pagers

Desktop calculator

Desktop computers

Personal computers

Abilities

Oral Comprehension: The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression: The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Speech Recognition: The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Written Comprehension: The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Written Expression: The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Near Vision: The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Speech Clarity: The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Information Ordering: The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Problem Sensitivity: The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
Category Flexibility: The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
Deductive Reasoning: The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Perceptual Speed: The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
Flexibility of Closure: The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
Fluency of Ideas: The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
Inductive Reasoning: The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Originality: The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
Selective Attention: The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.

Knowledge

Administrative: Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
English Language: Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Customer and Personal Service: Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Computers and Electronics: Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Administration and Management: Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Skills

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Time Management: Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Active Learning: Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Negotiation: Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.

Technology Skills

Enterprise resource planning ERP software: Oracle JD Edwards EnterpriseOne; Oracle PeopleSoft; Oracle PeopleSoft Financials; SAP software
Web page creation and editing software: Facebook; Google Sites; LinkedIn; Social media sites
Graphics or photo imaging software: SmugMug Flickr
Video conferencing software: Teleconferencing software
Word processing software: 3M Post-it App; Evernote; Google Docs; Microsoft Word
Data base user interface and query software: Blackboard software; Database software; Microsoft Access; Yardi software
Cloud-based data access and sharing software: Dropbox; Google Drive; Microsoft SharePoint
Accounting software: Billing software; Bookkeeping software; Intuit QuickBooks; Sage 50 Accounting
Network conferencing software: LogMeIn GoToWebinar
Office suite software: Microsoft Office software
Human resources software: ADP Workforce Now
Analytical or scientific software: Statistical analysis software; TapRooT
Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint
Project management software: Mavenlink; Microsoft Project
Medical software: Henry Schein Dentrix; Medical condition coding software; Medical procedure coding software; MEDITECH software
Electronic mail software: IBM Notes; Microsoft Exchange; Microsoft Outlook
Document management software: Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat; Filing system software; Records management software; Transcription system software
Desktop communications software: Edmodo
Desktop publishing software: Adobe Systems Adobe InDesign; Microsoft Publisher
Time accounting software: Timekeeping software
Calendar and scheduling software: Appointment scheduling software
Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel
Customer relationship management CRM software: Blackbaud The Raiser's Edge; Microsoft Dynamics; Salesforce.com Salesforce CRM
Procurement software: Purchasing software
Operating system software: Microsoft Windows
Financial analysis software: Delphi Technology
Data base reporting software: SAP BusinessObjects Crystal Reports
Internet browser software: Web browser software
Inventory management software: Assisi Software Assisi Inventory
Process mapping and design software: Microsoft Visio
Information retrieval or search software: LexisNexis
Mobile messaging service software: Intrado SchoolMessenger