Administrative Assistants

(NOC 1241)

in All Business, Finance, and Administration

Administrative assistants do a variety of administrative duties to support managerial and professional employers. They work throughout the private and public sectors.

Job Outlook

Good

Read more

  • Estimate Moderate growth employment change, 2021-2023
  • Estimate 605 openings due to growth and retirements, 2021-2023
  • Estimate High rate of unemployment in 2022

Compared to: All Business, Finance, and Administration

  • Estimate 3555 employment change, 2021-2023
  • Estimate 9370 openings due to growth and retirements, 2021-2023
  • Estimate rate of unemployment not available for these occupation.

This large occupation is found across all industries, so replacement of staff generates a lot of positions even though technology has lessened the need for many clerical tasks. Competition is strong for more attractive positions, such as those offering higher pay and more job security. Jobseekers may find that holding a post-secondary certificate is now a requirement for many openings. Many employers have a preference for applicants with experience in a broader range of tasks, such as bookkeeping or the management of social media accounts, so applicants with backgrounds in these areas may have more success securing employment. Applicants with less developed skills and experience will likely face competition, even for lower-paying, entry-level jobs.

Hourly Pay

$14.50

Minimum

$22.00

Median

$29.55

Maximum

Annual Pay

$8,517

Minimum

$34,236

Median

$52,509

Maximum

Compared to: All Business, Finance, and Administration

Hourly Pay

$15.00

Minimum

$23.00

Median

$38.50

Maximum

Annual Pay

$6,754

Minimum

$36,515

Median

$70,271

Maximum

About the job

Nature of work

Administrative assistants do a variety of administrative duties to support managerial and professional employers. They work throughout the private and public sectors.

Job duties

Administrative assistants:

  • Prepare, key in, edit and proofread correspondence, invoices, presentations, brochures, publications, reports and related material from machine dictation and handwritten copy.
  • Open and distribute incoming regular and electronic mail and other material and coordinate the flow of information internally and with other departments and organizations.
  • Schedule and confirm appointments and meetings of employer.
  • Order office supplies and maintain inventory.
  • Answer telephone and electronic questions and relay telephone calls and messages.
  • Set up and maintain manual and computerized information filing systems.
  • Determine and create office procedures.
  • Greet visitors, learn their nature of business, and direct visitors to employer or appropriate person.
  • Record and prepare minutes of meetings.
  • Arrange travel schedules and make reservations.
  • May compile data, statistics and other information to support research activities.
  • May supervise and train office staff in procedures and in use of current software.
  • May organize conferences.

Sample job titles

  • administrative assistant
  • executive secretary (except legal and medical)
  • office administrative assistant
  • personal secretary
  • school secretary
  • secretary (except legal and medical)
  • secretary-clerk
  • taxation service secretary
  • technical secretary

Skills

  • You need excellent grammar and communication skills. Accurate and fast typing speed is essential. You should have a working knowledge of computers, word processing software, and general office equipment. Interpersonal skills and the ability to work with others are important.

Job requirements

  • High school is usually required.
  • A one- or two-year college or other program for administrative assistants or secretaries or clerical experience is required.

Other considerations

  • Computer use has drastically changed this occupation in recent years as many executives and professionals create their own documents and use e-mail as a primary mode of written communication. This has reduced the type of work traditionally done by secretaries. Some secretarial positions are being converted to office manager positions and more specialized clerical roles. It is increasingly common for secretaries to support teams rather than individuals. Working in these jobs may cause back and neck strain due to sitting for long periods of time, as well as eye strain from computer screens.

By the numbers

Quick look

5,965

employed in 2016

77.6%

employed full-time

4.4%

self employed

97.2%
Icons/female Created with Sketch.
2.8%
Icons/male Created with Sketch.
49.9

median age

Compared to: All Business, Finance, and Administration

63,775

employed in 2016

78.4%

employed full-time

6.6%

self employed

73.4%
Icons/female Created with Sketch.
26.6%
Icons/male Created with Sketch.
47.9

median age

Where will I likely work?

48.4%

Halifax

$38,174 median annual income
14.8%

North Shore

$31,167 median annual income
13.1%

Annapolis Valley

$33,492 median annual income
12.4%

Southern

$27,977 median annual income
11.2%

Cape Breton

$33,220 median annual income

Compared to: All NS Occupations

47.0%

Halifax

15.6%

North Shore

12.9%

Annapolis Valley

12.7%

Cape Breton

11.8%

Southern

Top Industries of Employment

22.8%

Educational services

19.7%

Public administration

7.5%

Professional, scientific and technical services

6.8%

Other services (except public administration)

6.4%

Finance and insurance

What is the age of Employment?

30.0%

45-54

26.0%

55-64

19.0%

35-44

14.0%

25-34

7.0%

65+

4.0%

15-24

Compared to: All Business, Finance, and Administration

26.3%

45-54

22.6%

55-64

19.4%

35-44

16.7%

25-34

7.5%

65+

Top levels of education

48.7%

College Diploma

$35,038 median annual income
21.1%

High school

$33,259 median annual income
15.4%

Bachelor

$33,219 median annual income
6.5%

Trade Certification

$27,938 median annual income
3.3%

Less than high school

$28,576 median annual income

Compared to: All Business, Finance, and Administration

33.8%

College Diploma

$36,304 median annual income
23.8%

High school

$32,903 median annual income
22.8%

Bachelor

$41,755 median annual income
5.8%

Trade Certification

$34,807 median annual income
4.9%

Less than high school

$23,174 median annual income

Education & training

Administrative Assistant and Secretarial Science

College, Trades, or University Program

These programs prepare students for the duties of administrative assistants and/or secretaries and stenographers. They include courses in business communications, principles of business law, word processing and data entry, office machines operation and maintenance, office procedures, public relations, secretarial accounting, filing systems and records management, and report preparation.

Institutions providing this program

CBBC Career College Inc. - Sydney Campus

Sydney, NS

Eastern College - Halifax

Halifax, NS

Academy of Learning Career College - Halifax

Halifax, NS

Island Career Academy

Sydney, NS

Centre for Distance Education

Sydney, NS

Universite Sainte-Anne

Pointe-de-l'Église, NS

Nova Scotia Community College

Various, NS

CBBC Career College Inc. - Dartmouth Campus

Dartmouth, NS

High School Diploma or Equivalent

High School Program

Adults without a high school diploma can contact the Nova Scotia School for Adult Learning (NSSAL) for tuition-free programming across the province. NSSAL oversees adult education programs in Nova Scotia. NSSAL partners with the Nova Scotia Community College, Adult High Schools, Université Sainte-Anne, and community-based learning organizations to deliver programs. NSSAL offers clear, accessible pathways from adult basic education to a high school credential or GED.

Institutions providing this program

Universite Sainte-Anne

Pointe-de-l'Église, NS

Nova Scotia Community College

Various, NS

Adult High Schools

Various, NS

Community Learning Organizations

Various, NS

Employment requirements & contacts

No regulating bodies were found under this occupation profile

Contacts

Association of Administrative Professionals
Halifax, NS

Additional resources

There are no additional resources for this occupation.