OCCUPATION: Administrative Assistant

Name: Jonelle Mejica Foutz Company: Hormel Foods Corp., Orange Thumbs up: “I like the challenges. The job is a little more challenging than just sitting and typing as a secretary might. This is a good, well-paying job that allows me to write free-lance on the weekends and at night if I want. I’ve been challenged here to come up with a newsletter.” Thumbs down: “You’re kind of in the middle as an administrative assistant. You always have somebody else making decisions above and somebody else making decisions below you, so I would say that’s probably the worst thing about the job.” Next step: “I’ll be here for a few years. I started as a Thomas Temporaries employee last year and was hired here in August. But I’m planning on going back to school for a teaching credential and a master’s degree.” Advice: “Pay a lot of attention to details. It’s easy to stand out if you’re very conscientious about your work.” Salary range: Administrative assistants in Orange County average between $2,099 a month and $2,495 a month after three years. Fringe benefits: Most employers provide medical and dental insurance and give vacation pay. Hours: Most administrative assistants are full-time employees who work 40 hours a week. Educational and training requirements: A high school diploma is required. Administrative assistants should have prior experience as secretaries and have strong letter writing, typing, and word processing skills and be familiar with graphics software. Organizational and time management skills and some accounting and customer service experience also are required. Size of work force: Medium. In 1989, the most recent figures available, administrative assistants made up 0.4%, or about 5,000 people, of the Orange County labor force. Expected demand: More administrative assistants are being hired in Orange County than in Los Angeles County and jobs are expected to increase through the year 2000 as the need to reduce administrative costs spurs the demand for more administrative assistants. Job description: Administrative assistants perform secretarial duties for executives in top management positions. They handle all correspondence, take and transcribe dictation, prepare reports, answer executive phone calls, schedule meetings and conferences, make travel and luncheon arrangements and juggle several tasks at the same time. Major employing industries: Administrative assistants are hired throughout private industry and government. They cut across all career fields including education, medicine, engineering, banking and other businesses. Advancement: Advancement is easier in large firms that employ several levels of administrative assistants and managers. A bachelor’s degree enhances an assistant’s opportunities to advance into management and eventually top level management positions. For more information: Call Professional Secretaries International at (816) 891-6600. Researched by MIMI KO / Los Angeles Times