Make the Most of These Three Employment Trends

The pace of business increases thanks to the global economy, more technological tools that make jobs more efficient and the improving job market that occurred after the end of the 2007 financial crisis. That means employment trends took off for a number of different jobs once companies started hiring again. Administrative assistants have probably noticed some rapid changes at the office in light of a frenzied demand for labor.

One of the most promising employment trends for admins is more job openings in the future. Between 2012 and 2022, the U.S. labor market may add 1.5 million more administrative assistants to the worker pool. These people need to have industry experience, initiative, ambition, technological savvy and a positive attitude while getting the job done.

The International Association of Administrative Professionals released the results of a survey about the future of the office. This research noted three major employment trends for administrative professionals among the 2,200 participants. Surprisingly, using technology as a tool didn't make it to the list. Social media, smartphone apps and computer software are all vital components of daily life at the office, but these concerns weren't the most important trends for administrative workers.

1. Rising Salaries

Salaries should rise for all admin professionals thanks, in part, to the competitive job market. Specialists in the field in HR, customer service and senior executive assistants see the highest gains in salaries. Admins with a Certified Administrative Professional status and a Microsoft Office Specialist certification tend to make more money than those without these classifications. Proficiency in more than one language helps.

2. Evolving Job Titles

Employment trends seem to point to evolving job titles among administrative professionals. The standard administrative titles, including assistant, senior and executive, have expanded to include different ways to explain someone's job in just a few words. These new job titles take into account the actual responsibilities of admins as opposed to just generic "office manager" monikers. Fresh job titles include chief executive administrator, director of first impressions, director of administration and administrative services manager.

3. Changing Job Descriptions

Along with new job titles, employment trends also take on outdated job descriptions. Admin professionals have started to work with HR to create better job descriptions that reflect what is expected of new hires. Descriptions should outline day-to-day duties and the overall goal of work within a company. Descriptions must have key job expectations, specific skills and the qualities of an administrative professional.

Without a great office staff, many firms simply fall apart. All of these employment trends are good for administrative pros because it means companies know how valuable these employees are to the everyday operations of businesses. Admins can take heart that job security probably isn't an issue for the next several years because employers are taking a proactive stance with regards to how admins fit into a company's culture.

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