If I am changing careers from education to administrative assistant, should I take classes?
Asked by funkyfree4
It appears that having a Master's in Education means nothing when trying to apply for entry level administrative assistant jobs. Am I going to have to take some office/clerical classes for this position just so I can have something on my resume that is applicable to the position?

Best Answer:
An admin assistant will need an entirely different skill set. Depending on the company it might just be a receptionist job. Others will be expected to be experts in Word and other programs. Try talking to a temp agency and see what they are looking for.

There are no particular classes on office work. All you need is knowledge on how to work on a computer and common applications like Microsoft Word, Excel, etc as well as also knowing how to type well. If you actually don't know how to use specific computer programs, you could take classes to learn about Excel more or Access, non-degree courses like that. The fact that you have a masters already looks good. So you should have no problem finding administrative work. I have specific advice on job searching that will be useful to you: http://www.hireme101.com/jobsearch.html. I also have an example resume of an administrative assistant that would greatly help you: http://www.hireme101.com/resumesample.html.
Answered by Hire Me 101

Admin Ass't is basically a secretary. Pay is abysmal and jobs are scarce. Even specialists like a Legal Secretary now supports 3 - 5 attorneys. One-on-one is gone, which means there are 1/3 as many jobs. Opportunities for advancement are poor, at best, although many paralegals start as Legal Secretaries. You need a whole new skill set: accurate keyboarding and knowledge of the entire MS Office Suite. Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook. It is good to be proficient in WordPerfect - some places still use it. You also need to be able to file, manage office supplies & purchasing, some basic bookkeeping/financial records is de rigeur. At the very least you will have to track expense reports, department spending, maybe even the bosses' checkbooks. Some places Admins make $8/hour! If you can get $15, you're doing better than average these days. High-cost areas may go to $20, but that won't pay rent on a basic 1 BR apt, so you'll have to rent a room, maybe a studio. Some places want Admins with college, but someone with a masters they will be quite skeptical of.
Answered by ibu guru

before you make the switch to admin asst, I would look harder in the education field. if you are willing to relocate or be flexible, you will find a position, keep the faith!
Answered by HJ Bear