College Crunch

A general office assistant’s duties and responsibilities vary with the type of office in which he or she works. However, common tasks include data entry, filing documents, operating photocopiers, fax machines, and operating other office equipment. A general office assistant will also handle the preparation of mailings, proofread and organize documents. He or she also responds to phone calls and deliver messages to other office personnel.

The duties may also vary according to the level of expertise. The more experience the office assistant has, the more tasks given and additional responsibilities expected. Senior office assistants may be assigned to monitor and give assignments to lower level office assistants.

Salary Information

In May 2006, the median annual salaries of general office assistants was $23,710. In the industries with the largest number of general office assistants, the median annual earnings are as follows:

• Local government: $26,590
• General medical and surgical hospitals: $26,050
• Elementary and secondary schools: $24,230
• College, universities, and professional schools: $23,980
• Employment services: $21,890

Job Requirements

A general office assistant must be knowledgeable with office applications, especially word processing. Most of general office assistants are entry-level positions but some employers may choose to hire individuals with previous office or business experience. The usual requirements are a high school diploma or equivalent and basic to intermediate computer skills.

Since a general office assistant will usually work with other office staff, they must be a team-player and must cooperate easily with others. He or she must be able to perform multiple tasks simultaneously and satisfy the needs of the department or departments they are assigned to.