Administrative Assistant Schools in Georgia

 

Administrative assistants in Georgia are office professionals who oversee and perform the daily operations in a business. Typically, as an administrative assistant you would be responsible for assisting the Office Manager in managing the daily duties of the office. While an administrative assistant has some of the same responsibilities as a secretary, they are different positions. As an administrative assistant, in some offices, you would be in charge of several secretaries while delegating projects on behalf of the Office Manager. The position is responsible for a combination of specialized clerical, technological, or managerial duties. Many administrative assistants are required to have a working knowledge of the Office Manager’s duties in case they are out of office during vacation or on sick leave. Providing assistance in handling accounts payable, receivable, and billable or even keeping track of accounts for managers using spreadsheets or software. Find accredited Georgia administrative assistant schools below.

 

 

One of the duties, if a receptionist is not on staff, is answering all incoming phone calls answering questions, relaying basic information related to the company, directing phone calls to the proper staff member, or taking and relaying messages. They are responsible for basic clerical duties such as data entry, typing, sorting or distributing mail, and general filing. Assisting with bookkeeping or accounting functions and assisting during special projects are other possible duties. During meetings, training sessions, or seminars they may oversee setup and help prepare materials needed. As an administrative assistant in Georgia you would also responsible for keep meeting notes for the supervisor or manager.

 

Administrative assistants in Georgia are required by employers to have training in office procedures and knowledge on how to properly use office equipment. They showcase strong verbal and written communication skills; they must also have professional telephone manners. You will need to have a thorough knowledge of computers, Microsoft Office, and strong and accurate typing skills. Administrative assistants also showcase excellent problem solving and organizational skills. Customer service skills and experience is important because they represent the company each time they come in contact with prospective or current clients and vendors.

 

They can specialize in fields, like medicine or law. While they may perform the normal duties associated with the job, they will perform tasks unique to their particular specialty. Administrative assistants in the medical field will have knowledge of medical billing, insurance verification, codes, and standards of maintaining patient charts. Legal Administrative Assistants may provide research for legal purposes and help prepare briefings in addition to typical administrative tasks.

 

Why Become an Administrative Assistant in Georgia?

 

Georgia has competitive pay for those seeking a position as an administrative assistant or specializing in specific areas. Administrative assistant prospects who live near or in Atlanta, Georgia will find a booming urban city that is considered one of the largest cities in the United States. It has made several top ten lists, marking it as one of the cities to live in. The median annual pay in Atlanta, Georgian exceeds the state average making it a desirable area to pursue a career as an administrative assistant. The first step is to find the perfect administrative assistant school to start your training.

 

Work Environment for an Administrative Assistants

 

Administrative assistants usually work in an office. Administrative assistants specializing in the medical field work in hospitals, healthcare facilities, or physician offices. They typically work 40 hours a week or more depending on workload and deadlines. Most offices are only open during the week. Depending on the hours of the employer, they may require some weekends.

 

Administrative Assistant Career Outlook in georgia

Employment of administrative assistants, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, between 2014 – 2024 is projected nationally to increase by 3%. For medical administrative assistants, it is projected to grow nationally by 23%, a growing specialty with a great demand for employees. Employment of legal administrative assistants is projected nationally to grow 8%, faster than average.

 

Administrative Assistant Salary in Georgia

According to The Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national median pay for an Administrative Assistant is $36,500 per year or $17.55 per hour. For a medical administrative assistant, the national median pay is $30,590 or $14.71 per year. For legal administrative assistants, the median national pay is $48,810 per year or 23.47 per hour. Cities like Atlanta, Savannah, Augusta, Columbus, Athens, Macon and Marietta tend to have higher salaries.

 

In Georgia, the state average median pay for an administrative assistant is $34,030 per year or $16.36 per hour. The state average median pay for a legal administrative assistant is $53,830 per year or $25.88 per hour, over the national average. The state average for a medical administrative assistant is $30,020 per year or $14.43 per hour.

 

Administrative Assistant Degree & Licenses

 

For those entering the occupation, a high school diploma or equivalent is generally required. On the job training is available, depending on the type employer. Most employers prefer to hire a prospect with a degree –associate or bachelor’s-- or certification. Legal and medical administrative assistant positions require additional training. Administrative assistant training includes learning industry-specific terminology and procedures.

 

Medical administrative assistants in Georgia are not required to have any certification. Many employers do prefer to hire prospects with a certification. National certification is available through either the American Medical Technologists (AMT) or the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA).

 

To obtain a CMA through the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) prospects must meet the minimum requirements of completing the required accredited training courses no more than 12 months after graduation and on the job training. To obtain an RMA through the American Medical Technologists (AMT) prospects are required to have graduated from their approved academic program within the past four years and have a minimum of 720 clock-hours of training including 160 clinical externship hours, or as required by their state law.

 

Both national groups require that applicants pass a postsecondary medical assisting program that is accredited by the United States Department of Education (USDE) or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).

 

Legal administrative assistants in Georgia are not required to have any certification. Certification can be obtained on the national level through the National Association of Legal Secretaries. A four-part exam, one day, designed for those with 2 to 3 years of legal work experience. This certification can help establish credentials as a professional legal administrative assistant. It demonstrates dedication to professionalism, exercise initiative and judgement, and mastery of office skills. Start now by finding a Georgia administrative assistant school in your area.

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Administrative_Assistant - Listed June 3, 2018
http://www.bls.gov/ooh/Office-and-Administrative-Support/Secretaries-and-administrative-assistants.htm - Visited December 4, 2018
http://www.americanmedtech.org/ - Updated January 1, 2019
http://www.nals.org/?page=certification - Updated January 3, 2019