As an administrative assistant, you take on more responsibilities and must be able to multitask to suit the needs of an office. Though their tasks are similar to that of an administrative assistant, executive assistants support higher-level staff rather than simple admin support. They handle an office’s administrative activities in almost every sector of the economy, including schools, government, and private corporations. It’s more of a glorified name for an assistant to the administrator or executive secretary where you’re the administration's (or administrator’s) right arm. Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive form the largest subcategory of secretaries and administrative assistants. They might answer phones and support customers, organize files, prepare documents, and schedule appointments. However, the tasks they perform vary depending on the company they work for. When you start to narrow down the available opportunities, especially between related professions, it can become easier to make comparisons. Secretary vs. Executive Assistant vs. A CEO wrote: the difference between a Secretary and a fully-functioning Executive Assistant is that a secretary has a series of tasks they perform and the routine of them becomes easier and easier so they almost don’t have to add much value. Earlier there was only secretary and with the passage of time came administrative assistants. 04/26/2014 12:09 pm ET Updated Jun 26, 2014 Not long ago I stopped by the office of a local school administrator. Administrative Assistants and Secretaries: Secretaries and administrative assistants perform a variety of administrative and clerical duties. Administrative Assistant vs. Secretary: Administrative assistant and secretary are those persons who assist the top officials of a company or an institution. Administrative Coordinator Salary According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), first-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers, such as office coordinators and managers, earn an average annual salary of $60,130 , as of May 2019. A: An entry-level administrative assistant’s job is to help manage an office and assist the operations of secretaries, office clerks, and receptionists. Executive assistants provide administrative support to executives, directors, and other higher level personnel. We talked a few minutes -- you know, small talk -- and then I asked if she had a card. In most cases, a two-year degree puts the CEO’s mind at ease. Office Administration Vs Office Assistant When looking for the best career path, it would be an understatement to say that you have plenty of options available to you. A Secretary vs An Executive Assistant. A secretary is a person whose job is strictly clerical. She was not in her office, but her new secretary -- on the job four days -- was. Some companies use the terms "secretaries" and "administrative assistants" interchangeably. I was an Administrative Assistant for 13 years. And less than 15 percent of administrative staff still go by the title secretary: Most are called administrative assistants, executive assistants, office managers, or office supervisors. However, many administrative assistant job descriptions do list an Associate’s degree as a must-have. Administrative Assistant: The Career Paths Both Executive Assistants and Administrative Assistants enjoy flexible career paths. At times, a high school diploma is enough. Technically, administrative assistants don’t have to have a specific kind of education, training, or certification. Both positions provide plenty of room for ambitious workers to create their own opportunities and blaze career paths based on goals and interests. 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