Jackson, MS Clarion-Ledger

April 22, 2004

Circ. 98,334

Administrative pros shine

By Genifer Freeman
Special to The Clarion-Ledger

 



Greg Jenson/The Clarion-Ledger

On Administrative Professionals Day on Wednesday, registrar Jennette Moore (foreground) logs graphics data with help from her boss, Randle Waddell, at Southern Farm Bureau Tech on Watkins Drive in Jackson. Moore has worked for the company for 28 years.



By the numbers

4.1 million secretaries and administrative assistants were working in the U.S. in 2002.
8.9 million people work in various administrative support roles in the U.S. in 2002.
30,920 administrative assistants and various secretaries were employed in Mississippi in 2002.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Mississippi Employment Securities Commission.

 

The transformation has been 50 years in the making.

The role of traditional secretary, the person who answers the phone and takes messages and dictation, has become that of a business professional who organizes communications and is technically savvy.

Some of the skills required for an administrative assistant might include a college education, minimum of two to four years of work-related experience, communication skills and complex problem solving, according to the Occupational Information Network.

"Today's administrative professionals display strong business skills while also being masters of office technology," said Shelia D. Brownfield, international president of the International Association of Administrative Professionals . "Skills such as planning and organization, and interpersonal communications are more important than ever. Administrative professionals are ambassadors of excellence to their organizations."

"We not only master our office skills, but we demonstrate our ability to assume responsibility without direct supervision," said Jennette Moore, president of the International Association of Administrative Professionals' metro Jackson chapter and registrar at Southern Farm Bureau Tech. "We are on the forefront of getting the work done."

Moore said she celebrated national Administrative Professionals Day on Wednesday at the Jackson Country Club with several of her co-workers and bosses.

Earlier this week the Metro Jackson IAAP chapter held a breakfast seminar to celebrate the week. At the meeting three movies were shown as a continuing educational tool for managing time, managing change, and the promotion of high ethical values.

Doris McClure, an administrative assistant at Hinds Community College in Utica, said she attended a luncheon Wednesday on campus focusing on administrative excellence.

History

The history of Administrative Assistants Week:

·  It was organized in 1952 as National Secretaries Week by the National Secretaries Association (now known as the International Association of Administrative Professionals) in conjunction with public relations executive Harry Klemfuss and a consortium of office product manufacturers.

·  It was established as an effort to recognize secretaries for their contributions in the workplace, and to attract people to secretarial/administrative careers.

·  In the year 2000, IAAP announced a name change to Administrative Professionals Week and Administrative Professionals Day to keep pace with changing job titles and expanding responsibilities of today's administrative work force.
Source: Rick Stroud, communications manager for IAAP

 

"I learned about the skills needed to possess excellence, including technology and attitude," McClure said.

Rick Stroud, communications manager for IAPP, said Administrative Professionals Week over the years has become one of the largest workplace observances. The event is celebrated worldwide, bringing together millions of people for community events, educational seminars and individual corporate activities and recognizing support staff with gifts.

Started in 1952 as National Secretaries Week, the name changed in 2000 to Administrative Professionals Week. The change was a result of expanding responsibilities of the administrative work force, Stroud said.

"We wanted to open it up to different job titles because not all administrative professionals are secretaries," Stroud said.

More than 4.1 million secretaries and administrative assistants work in the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

In Mississippi, experienced executive secretaries and administrative assistants average $33,040 annually, according to the Mississippi Employment Securities Commission's occupational wage estimates data.

"Administrative professionals bring a strong mix of professional, technical and interpersonal skills to the office workplace," Brownfield said. "They strive for and promote excellence in their communications both inside and outside of the organization."

"We not only master our office skills, but we demonstrate our ability to assume responsibility without direct supervision. We are on the forefront of getting the work done."

Jennette Moore, president of the International Association of Administrative Professionals' Jackson chapter and registrar at Southern Farm Bureau Tech