SOUTH AFRICA · SALARY IN RANDS

Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive

What the work involves, the skills employers want, and how to get started in South Africa.

  • Administrative Assistant (Admin Assistant)
  • Administrative Clerk
  • Administrative Secretary (Admin Secretary)
  • Administrative Specialist (Admin Specialist)
  • Administrative Support Assistant (ASA)
  • Administrative Technician
  • Department Secretary
  • Office Assistant

What is a secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive?

Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive are vital support professionals who perform a variety of tasks to help smooth the operations of organizations. Their roles involve managing schedules, organizing files, preparing documents, and facilitating communication among team members and with clients. They are responsible for performing clerical duties such as answering phones, greeting visitors, and managing incoming and outgoing correspondence. Additionally, they often assist in planning and coordinating meetings, events, and project activities, ensuring that everything runs efficiently and effectively. These professionals are skilled in using office software and technology to enhance productivity and organization, making them essential to the success of any workplace. Their work may span across various industries, including corporate offices, educational institutions, and non-profit organizations, adapting their skills to meet the specific needs of their employer.

What the work actually is

  • Answer telephones and give information to callers, take messages, or transfer calls to appropriate individuals.
  • Greet visitors or callers and handle their inquiries or direct them to the appropriate persons according to their needs.
  • Create, maintain, and enter information into databases.
  • Use computers for various applications, such as database management or word processing.
  • Operate office equipment, such as fax machines, copiers, or phone systems and arrange for repairs when equipment malfunctions.

Skills employers expect

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.
  • Speaking Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Reading Comprehension Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
  • Writing Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
  • Service Orientation Actively looking for ways to help people.

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.
  • 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).

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.
  • Computers and Electronics Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
  • 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.
  • 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.
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How people get into it

Education of new hires

High school diploma or equivalent
or: GED, High School Equivalency Certificate
Associate's degree
Bachelor's degree

A normal week

  • Working with Computers
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
  • Getting Information
  • Performing Administrative Activities
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships

Tools used on the job

Technology

Tools

  • Photocopiers Photocopying equipment
  • Scanners Data input scanners
  • Notebook computers Laptop computers
  • Personal digital assistant PDAs or organizers Personal digital assistants PDA
  • Special purpose telephones Multi-line telephone systems

Who it suits

Conventional

Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.

Enterprising

Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.

Social

Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.

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Questions people ask

How much does a secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive earn in South Africa?

Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive salaries in South Africa vary by experience, province and employer.

What is a secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive?

Answer telephones and give information to callers, take messages, or transfer calls to appropriate individuals, Greet visitors or callers and handle their inquiries or direct them to the appropriate persons according to their needs and Create, maintain, and enter information into databases.

How do I know if this career fits me?

Take the free Assessify career assessment. It matches your answers to careers and shows the South African salary next to each one.