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FACTOIDS:
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• In Washington, DC, there are more telephones than people.
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• In 1928, when actress Clara Bow received 33,727 items of fan mail in one month, she employed three full-time secretaries to reply to the letters.
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• FedEx has saved approximately 2 billion pieces of paper per year since developing its online package-tracking system.
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- Administrative assistants are responsible for managing, organizing, scheduling and maintaining information for a company's workers.
- Using photocopiers, fax machines, typewriters and personal computers, they create spreadsheets, compose email, manage databases, maintain paper and electronic files, create documents and handle travel arrangements.
- As the information managers for an office, duties vary widely by company and are continually changing with new technological advancements.
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- Administrative assistants must be able to skillfully prepare statistical and written reports as well as presentations for management. General PC proficiency and strong skills in MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint are required, along with experience composing a number of types of professional documents.
- Analytical thinking is an important asset, as they are often required to prioritize their own work, and develop processes that monitor progress and performance for the company.
- Administrative assistants need to be very organized, exude a positive image that reflects well on the organization and be familiar shipping, receiving and inventory control.
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- A high school diploma and basic office skills proficiency are generally the minimum requirements for entry-level positions.
- Many vocational-technical institutions and community colleges offer one or two-year office administration programs that can be advantageous to applicants.
- Companies may provide on-site training, especially for specialized positions in medical or legal fields.
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- Employment is expected to grow about as fast as average for this occupation through 2010.
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Sources: Occupational Outlook Handbook, Bureau of Labor Statistics; HiringTools; Uselessknowledge.com; Guinness World Records
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