Job Opportunities for Office Administrators

Campus is the new alternative to online community college that provides a 100% live and online Associate of Arts in Business Administration degree program. Our comprehensive, career-focused business program equips students from across the U.S. with a solid foundation in core business principles to set them up for success no matter what their next step is. Read on to explore the world of business and how starting with a business degree might be your next best move.

One of the biggest questions that college students are asked is some variation of, where will you find a job?

For business and office administrators, the answer is refreshingly straightforward. Everywhere.

Across all fields and all types of businesses, it is hard to find an office that does not employ or could not benefit from having an office administrator.

Office administrators are generally considered the backbone of the office. They arrange daily affairs, direct calls from clients and suppliers, and manage appointments, correspondence, and files. They are the first person employees come to with their needs, and the first person that visitors see when they arrive at the office.

Although office administrators are generally concentrated in schools, hospitals, government agencies, law firms, and medical facilities, there can be a need from them in virtually any industry. Some administrators act instead as virtual assistants and work from a home office.

Career Outlook for Office Administrators

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of administrative assistants is expected to grow 12% from 2010 to 2020, adding 492,900 jobs to the market.* However, each industry may have a different level of growth for these positions.

For example, the need for administrative assistants in the medical field is expected to grow 41%. On the other hand, the increase in demand in the legal field is expected to grow 4% as the legal field is more stable as an industry, so growth overall is slower.

Because many of the responsibilities of office administrators aren’t easily automated (communicating information to clients and coworkers, interacting with leads, etc.), there is still a strong demand for the position despite advances in technology.

Roles of an Office Administrator

Administrative assistants wear many hats in an office.

They organize the affairs of an office through mail processing, office equipment ordering, and records management. They provide customer service for visitors and callers, providing them with information or directing them to the proper departments. They are also involved in a variety of support roles for the people who work in the office, often taking responsibility for event planning, travel booking, appointment scheduling, and more.

In smaller offices, they may have an even greater variety of duties, taking on overflow work from other team members in research, editing, report writing, etc.

Administrative Assistant Training

Employers choose job candidates that demonstrate a variety of technical and interpersonal skills. While specific duties will vary from company to company, administrative assistant training and experience can give applicants a more competitive edge.

Office administration degree programs provide thorough training in Microsoft Office, other software and computer applications (such as QuickBooks), and efficient methods for filing and record keeping. A more in-depth program will also teach core concepts related to business management, marketing, finance/accounting, human resources, and business law.

To find out more about how a career in business administration can expand your career options, contact an Admissions Counselor at Campus.