The Evolution Of The Administrative Professional (NAPSA)—Take a memo: the role of the secretary has changed. First and foremost, hardly anyone uses the term “secretary” anymore. Yesterday’s shorthand-taking, intercom-answering, mostly female typewriter jockeys have received a serious upgradefor the 21st century. The staffing industry’s market leader, which places thousands of candidates each year in administrative positions, cites three key characteristics of today’s administrative professionals: 1. They embrace technology. In the information age, top-level computer skills are a must. Knowledge of software applications, database management, PDAs and the Inter- net is a basic requirement in most situations. Admin professionals who have mastered the more sophisticated technology command top dollar. 2. They get noticed. In the past, many administrative professionals were high school graduates with little hope of advancing much further than the receptionist desk. Nowadays, many admin professionals are college grads with a solid career path. Many promotions come from within organizations and, quite often, admin professionals who do great work are marked for advancement. 3. They are seen as partners. In today’s evolving work environment, many administrators have broadened their scope, supporting entire teams rather than a single executive. The volume of work often means they have fewerclerical duties and are vital to a department’s objectives, having greater knowledgeof the business and providing input on businesscritical issues. Where yesterday’s admins were characterized by their ability to follow direction, today’s admin professionals often manageprojects. If you or someone you know is interested in pursuing or enriching a career as an administrative professional, signing up with a staffing firm such as Adecco (www.adeccousa.com) can be an excellent way to start. Admin professionals are in demand throughout muchof the country and many temporary assignments become permanent within a few months.
