All about Secritarial, Pa and Admin jobs

Secretaries, PAs and other administrators support the work of managers and professionals in both private and public sector organisations. They take on a wide range of tasks, which may include typing, filing, arranging and minuting meetings, arranging events and travel, diary management, and generally making sure that things happen in the right place, at the right time.

Entry requirements may vary considerably depending on the organisation and the job. Generally, 5 GCSEs and perhaps A Levels are expected by recruiters, although smaller companies in particular may be more flexible. At one end of the scale are junior administrative assistants who may support more senior administrators, as well as other staff. At the other are senior PAs and executive assistants who work for senior managers and directors, and will often carry out much more than administrative work, perhaps writing reports and carrying out research. In some industries (such as publishing), administration is a well-trodden route in to more senior jobs. In these cases, employers usually expect applicants to be graduates, even for junior roles. Some jobs also combine administration with a considerable amount of non-administrative work (especially in the public sector). These jobs are a good route in to more senior work.