HOW TO GET THERE
Typical pathway
A typical path for a Canadian secondary-school student is to finish high school with courses in English, computer studies, and keyboarding or other office software classes. Many employers look for strong communication, typing, and organization skills. After school, some people take a college certificate or related office administration program, while others enter the field with a high school diploma and learn on the job. Early experience through co-op, part-time office work, volunteering, or summer jobs can help build skills with filing, scheduling, emails, phones, and document preparation. Requirements can vary by employer, province, and the type of office.
THE WORK
What you may do
Legacy duties
- Prepare, key in, edit and proofread correspondence, invoices, presentations, brochures, publications, reports and related material from shorthand, machine dictation and handwritten copy using computers
- Open and distribute incoming regular and electronic mail and other material and co-ordinate 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 enquiries and relay telephone calls and messages
- Set up and maintain manual and computerized information filing systems
- Determine and establish office procedures
- Greet visitors, ascertain 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 and may conduct research
- May organize conferences
- May supervise and train other staff in procedures and in use of current software.
SKILLS TO BUILD
Skills used in this Career
Computer LiteracyProject OrganizationRecord Keeping