How to Become an Office Assistant: Role, Skills, Education, and Career Path

‘The Devil Wears Prada’ only when lovely office assistants like Andrea and Emily work in full swing! Take upon the role of an office assistant and be a professional superhero. You might not be saving lives, but you will definitely be saving your workplace from chaos, confusion, and mayhem. If keeping things organised, meeting deadlines, or handling ten different tasks simultaneously gives you a pump, we are happy to announce that you might be the perfect fit for the role of a job assistant. You probably multitask your coffee runs while attending a phone call or arranging an invite while completing a report at the same time. Now, if that isn’t a superpower, then what else?

Imagine a workplace where everyone is rushing, but nobody is meeting the deadlines, or the place is ringing up with phone calls, the inbox is full, and meetings are lined up infinitely. And there comes you, the professional multitasking magician who handles each task with fitness and manages the chaos in the most organised manner. It is actually the office assistants who bring systematic order to the madness at the workplace.

So, if you are aspiring to become an Office Assistant, here’s the complete guide for it.

What is the Role of an Office Assistant?

An office assistant plays a vital role in maintaining day-to-day operations within an organisation or a firm. As an office assistant, you are to handle various duties like keeping and maintaining records, responding to calls and emails, arranging visits, organising events and meetings, etc. An office assistant has to multitask each day and, thus, always needs to be on their toes, making sure that all duties are carried out efficiently.

You must have strong communication skills to communicate with other employees easily. However, the specific role of an office assistant depends upon the industry and the size of an organisation. There are greater chances of higher salary prospects with years of experience in the job profile of an office assistant. You technical industries pay hefty amounts to office assistants.

Skills Required to be an Office Assistant

The job role of an office assistant is not as easy as it seems. The office assistant has to perform his duties to achieve maximum efficiency and professionalism. A few of the skills that you require as an office assistant at the workplace are mentioned below:

• Multitasking: As an office assistant, you should be able to juggle between different tasks easily and complete each of them.

• Good communication Skills: As an office assistant, your work shall include delegating tasks to other people at an organisation. You should have good communication skills so that the messages are loud and clear between the two parties.

• Maintenance and Organisational Skills: You need to be highly organised and should be able to maintain a good report of every task that is assigned to you if you work as an office assistant.

• Coordination Skills: Working as an office assistant means that you are required to arrange events, reach out to different teams regarding the work progress, keep records, fill and maintain diaries, etc.

• Quick-Paced: Besides being a multitasker, you need to be on your toes so that you can keep up with the pace at your workplace.

• Tech-Savvy: Since most of the work is done using software these days, one needs to be tech-savvy and familiar with different software or technologies being used at a workplace.

Related: Skills You Gain from an Online BBA Programme

Educational Qualification Required to Become an Office Assistant

So, what different degrees can you pursue if you wish to be a job assistant in an organisation? Is a bachelor’s degree enough, or do you need to pursue a master ‘s-level programme as well? Let’s find the answers to these questions here.

• If you’re looking to become an office assistant, an undergraduate or postgraduate programme related to business administration, communications, or marketing would be beneficial.

• If you have the skill set that is generally required to take on the role of a job assistant, you can be hired for the role as well.

• No, an undergraduate degree is more than sufficient. However, if you want to diversify your skills, you can pursue a master’s degree. It gives you an academic edge, often deepens your skill set, and helps you develop your overall personality.

• Besides an undergraduate or a postgraduate degree, you can also go for short-term diploma courses. The ones designed for personal development or fields related to communication, business administration, etc. are the best-suited ones.

• You can opt for a computer course to enhance your technical proficiency.

Also Read: Pocket Guide to BBA Course: Duration, Fee, and Syllabus

Job Prospects

The role of an office assistant is so diverse that one can work in different industries and level up their pay scales with years of experience. Though sectors and types of work duties may differ, a highly developed skill set and professionalism are required for an office assistant in any workplace. These are some of the industries in which you can work as an office assistant:

• Healthcare Industry

• Educational Industry

• Banking Industry

• IT Industry

• Scientific Fields

• Finance Industry

• Operations

• Tourism and Hospitality

Related: Computer Operator Career Guide: Job Outlook and Growth Opportunities

Average Annual Salary of an Office Assistant

The annual salary for an office assistant varies across industries. The salary increases with years of experience, and one can work in high-level administrative positions. According to AmbitionBox, the annual salary range for an office assistant in India ranges between ₹ 0.2 lakhs to ₹ 4.3 lakhs. The average annual salary is around ₹ 2.4 LPA.

Below is the average salary range for office assistants based on years of experience.

• Entry-Level Position: INR 0.2-1.8 LPA

• Mid-Level Position: INR 1.8-5 LPA

• Executive Level Position: INR 5-8 LPA

Winding Up

If you are passionate about managing various tasks, from minor to significant and are a multitasker, the role of an office assistant could be the perfect fit for you. You can pursue a business or management degree that helps you land the job role of an office assistant. An office assistant has diverse roles, so your work will never feel boring or stagnant. Also, the pay scale for a job assistant across various industries is highly lucrative and increases exponentially after a few years of experience. Go for an office assistant job role and enjoy your work with several professional perks!

FAQ’s

Q.1 What skills does an office assistant need?

An office assistant should possess strong communication, multitasking, organizational, and recordkeeping skills.

Q.2 What is the average annual salary of an office assistant in India?

The salary of an office assistant depends upon the industry and the person’s level of experience. However, according to AmbitionBox, the average annual salary is around ₹ 2.4 lakhs.

Q.3 Does an office assistant need any specific educational qualifications?

To become an office assistant, one needs no specific education qualification. However, candidates with communications or business administration degrees and software proficiency are preferred.

Q.4 Why does an office assistant need to have good communication skills?

An office assistant often needs to communicate with different teams within an organisation. As an office assistant, you may also interact with different visitors or clients and handle their enquiries. In all these cases, good communication skills are highly needed.