Admin assistant

Admin assistants write letters, emails and reports, maintain data records and filing systems and provide support for meetings.

In this guide

What you'll do

Day-to-day tasks

In this role you could:

  • handle enquiries on the phone, by email and on social media
  • type up letters, reports and other business documents
  • update and maintain computer records
  • follow data protection guidelines when handling information
  • keep track of stock, order office supplies and send out invoices
  • set up meetings and take notes during them
  • make travel arrangements for staff

We've identified this as a potential green job

For an admin assistant to be a green job, you could:

  • set up a virtual meeting to avoid unnecessary travel
  • order office supplies made from recycled materials
  • recycle or donate used electronic equipment and devices

Find out more about green careers

Working environment

You could work in an office or remotely.

Career path and progression

With experience, you could progress from admin assistant to supervisor or office manager. You could also move into other departments, like payroll, accounting or IT.

With further training, you could:

  • specialise in legal, financial or medical administration
  • work in information management
  • become a personal or executive assistant

What it takes

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

  • administration skills
  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • the ability to work well with others
  • to be flexible and open to change
  • excellent verbal communication skills
  • the ability to work on your own
  • customer service skills
  • the ability to organise your time and workload
  • to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

Most relevant

  • English Language - Admin assistants write letters, emails, reports, and other business documents every day. They need to communicate clearly and professionally, whether handling phone enquiries, drafting correspondence, or taking notes during meetings.
  • Business - Admin assistants work at the heart of business operations, managing office supplies, sending invoices, and supporting teams across departments. Understanding how organisations are structured and how different functions like finance and HR fit together helps them do their job effectively.
  • Mathematics - Admin assistants use maths when tracking stock levels, processing invoices, managing budgets for office supplies, and working with spreadsheets. Being comfortable with numbers and basic calculations is essential for keeping accurate records and handling financial documents.

Also relevant

  • Accounting - Admin assistants often send out invoices, process expenses, and may support payroll or financial administration tasks. Understanding basic accounting principles helps when working with financial records and can open up progression routes into accounting roles.
  • Law - Admin assistants must follow data protection guidelines when handling personal information and sensitive records. Some admin assistants specialise in legal administration, where understanding legal terminology and procedures becomes part of their daily work.
  • Sociology - Admin assistants interact with a wide range of people – colleagues, clients, and external contacts – and need to understand different communication styles and workplace dynamics. An awareness of how organisations and social structures work helps them navigate busy office environments.

How to become

You can get into this job through:

  • a college course
  • an apprenticeship
  • working towards this role
  • applying directly

You could do a college course, which would teach you some of the skills and knowledge you need in this job.

Courses include:

  • business and administration
  • International Computer Driving Licence (ICDL) Certificate in IT User Skills (previously ECDL)
  • word processing
  • T Level in Management and Administration

Entry requirements

Entry requirements for these courses vary.

  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths for a T Level

More Information

You could apply to do a Business Administrator Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship.

This takes between 1 and 2 years to complete and combines on-the-job training with study.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship

More Information

You might be able to start as an admin assistant on a temporary contract through a recruitment agency. This can often lead into a permanent job.

Qualifications or experience in office work will be helpful. Employers will give you training on the job, covering their data entry systems.

You could volunteer with a charity in an office based role to get some experience and skills that are useful for administration work.

You can find volunteering opportunities through The National Council for Voluntary Organisations and Do IT.

You can apply directly to become an admin assistant.

Employers may look for GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent qualifications, including English and maths. Word processing and spreadsheet skills will be useful, along with good customer service skills.

Career tips

Time management and the ability to prioritise tasks is really important in administration. This could be tested at interview. For example, you might be given some tasks to complete and asked to arrange them in order of importance.

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