Clerical work is done in a traditional office setting, often at a desk. However, you may need to move about the office to check in with different departments or attend meetings. Administrative employment doesn’t tend to be physically demanding, but you may need to occasionally lift light packages. Clerical jobs are usually full-time, running from 9-5 with weekends off. However, some personal assistant jobs will occasionally require completing tasks on the weekend. In some cases, you can be hired as a virtual assistant and work from home.
Administrative assistants and secretaries move throughout an organization and connect with various professionals depending on their assigned tasks. They are the backbone of professional environments and therefore enjoy some flexibility in their daily operations. The exact work that you’ll be responsible for changes depending on the industry, but you can be confident it will have to do with financials, scheduling, and/or document management. Organizational skills are paramount for clerical workers, as is the ability to communicate effectively with individuals of different backgrounds and skill levels.
Once you have experience in one industry, you can transfer to others with relative ease, given that the foundational skills of clerical work are often the same across industries and companies. Administrative employment gives you the skills needed to build a fulfilling career and pivot, if needed, to a different industry. Those with Type A personalities or who enjoy interfacing with large groups of people and connecting via phone, email, or in-person will get great fulfillment from clerical work opportunities.
