• Home
  • Courses by Subject
    • Accounting
      • Accounting
      • Bookkeeping
      • Payroll
      • Xero
    • Administration
      • Administration
      • Business Administration
      • Medical Secretary
      • Personal Assistant
      • Secretarial
    • Animal Health & Wellbeing
      • Animal Care
      • Dog Grooming
      • Vet Assistant
      • Zoology
    • Building & Construction
      • Construction
      • Landscaping
    • Business & Finance
      • Banking
      • Business
      • Business Communication
      • Business Management
      • Consultancy
      • Finance
      • Logistics
      • Sales
      • Supply Chain Management
      • Trading
    • Design
      • Gardening
      • Graphic Design
      • Interior Design
      • Web Design
    • Digital Skills
      • Analytics
      • Artificial Intelligence
      • Blockchain
      • Cloud Computing
      • CompTIA
      • CompTIA A+
      • Computer Science
      • Cryptocurrency
      • Cyber Security
      • Data Science
      • Ethical Hacking
      • IT
      • IT Support
      • Networking
      • Penetration Testing
      • Software Testing
    • Ecology
      • Environmental
      • Sustainability
    • Education
      • A-Level
      • GCSE
      • Teaching
      • Teaching Assistant
    • Fashion & Beauty
      • Hair & Beauty
      • Massage
      • Nail Technician
    • Health & Safety
      • Construction Health & Safety
      • Work Health & Safety
    • Healthcare
      • Care
      • Childcare
      • Counselling
      • Criminal Psychology
      • Disability
      • Health
      • Healthcare Management
      • Mental Health
      • Nursing
      • Nutrition
      • Personal Training
      • Psychology
      • Public Health
      • Social Care
    • Hospitality & Events
      • Event Management
      • Floristry
      • Hospitality
      • Wedding Planner
    • HR
      • CIPD
      • Human Resources
      • Learning & Development
    • Law & Justice
      • Criminology
      • Forensic Science
      • Law
      • Legal
    • Management & Leadership
      • Agile
      • Change Management
      • Leadership
      • Lean Six Sigma
      • Management
      • Operations Management
      • Personal Development
      • PRINCE2
      • Project Management
      • Quality Management
      • Real Estate
    • Marketing & Communication
      • Digital Marketing
      • Marketing
      • Media
      • Music
      • Public Relations
      • Social Media Marketing
    • Microsoft
      • Microsoft
      • Microsoft Azure
    • Programming
      • App Development
      • Cisco
      • Cisco CCNA
      • Coding
      • Programming
      • Python
      • Software Development
      • Web Development
    • Tourism
      • Travel & Tourism
    • University
      • Business Management
      • Business
      • Criminal Psychology
      • Criminology
      • Finance
      • IT
      • Law
      • Marketing
      • Psychology
    • Blended
    • In-class
    • Online
    • A-Level
    • Advanced Certificate
    • Advanced Diploma
    • Award
    • Bachelors
    • CertHE
    • Certificate
    • Certified
    • CPD
    • Diploma
    • Extended Diploma
    • Foundation
    • GCSE
    • Level 1
    • Level 2
    • Level 3
    • Level 4
    • Level 5
    • Level 6
    • Level 7
    • Level 8
    • LLB
    • LLM
    • Masters
    • MBA
    • MSc
    • Postgraduate
    • Practitioner
    • Short
    • Undergraduate
    • University
  • Courses by Providers
    • Acudemy
    • Avado
    • BARBRI
    • Brunel University London
    • Career Smarter
    • CIPP
    • Course2Career
    • DLC Training
    • DPG
    • Hudson
    • ICS Learn
    • Institute of Supply Chain Mana
    • International Career Institute
    • ITonlinelearning
    • Learning People
    • London Academy of Trading
    • London College of Contemporary Music
    • London Governance & Compliance Academy
    • London School of Business and Finance Online
    • Next Level Impact
    • Online Courses Learning
    • Open Study College
    • Samuel & Co
    • The Career Academy
    • TPT Consultancy & Training
    • University College of Estate Management
    • University of Essex Online
    • University of Liverpool Online
    • University of Roehampton Online
    • Walbrook Institute London
    • Wise Global Training
    • How To Become
    • The Workforce Training Hub
    • Career Advice
    • Study Tips
    • Quizzes
    • Resources
    • Industry Insider
  • Top Courses
  • Become a Partner
  • Contact us
 

Published 12 Aug 2020

5 Things to Know Before Starting an Administration Career

by CoursesOnline Contributors

Browse Admin Courses

Administration experts are in high demand all over the world, with over a million people now employed in public administration roles. Companies in the public and private sectors need administrators to organise and manage client files, payroll records, CPD events, staff details, meetings and appointments. 

Administration staff also take on a range of other tasks depending on the company’s needs, such as monitoring stock, answering calls and managing emails. There are a variety of careers in administration from assistants and PAs to secretaries and bookkeeping assistants, and all administrators play an essential role in the success of businesses. If you are interested in a career in administration, however, make sure to note the five things listed below before diving into an administration career.

1. Key Skills


A career in administration requires a lot of essential skills including organisation, time management and team-working. Since you will be responsible for managing daily activities as well as updating and managing highly important documents, having excellent organisational skills is necessary. 

Your employers will rely on you to keep client and staff files safe, as well as communicate effectively so that clients, staff and customers are all kept up to date. As well as soft skills you can practise in your daily life, being proficient in IT and having excellent written English will also be of benefit to you in many administrative roles. 

In short, before embarking on your career in administration, make sure you have developed these skills and are ready to be part of a team taking on the management and organisational tasks you’ll be required to do daily. 

2. Responsibilities


The life of an administrator isn’t just about managing daily tasks however, and you could be asked to take on new tasks when needed. Being flexible and adaptable makes for a good administrator, whether you are needed to take notes during meetings, order supplies, book rooms or arrange a special event for clients. 

Don’t worry too much about having to know how to do tasks outside of your role, but you should be willing to learn new skills on the job and be able to work within your administrative team to keep everything running smoothly. Small tasks such as cleaning or making drinks might also be asked of you and being willing to undertake these tasks to help the team is a sign of a great administrator.

3. Qualifications & Experience


Most employers don’t require all administrative team members to have a specific degree or experience in a similar role. However, if you do have any relevant experience such as in customer service, then there are a variety of transferable skills you should highlight in your CV. Communication skills, time management and the ability to keep calm under pressure are all required for great customer service workers and excellent administrators. 

If you do have a degree, this is also preferable especially for more senior roles such as in administration management. If you have a particular sector or company you wish to work for, then make sure you look into the experience and qualifications they look for in prospective employees. If you don’t have any relevant qualifications or experience, then don’t worry, you can build up your knowledge through online courses such as those available here at CoursesOnline. Some of the courses you can undertake to kick-start your administration career include:


  • The Administration Pathway: Reception
  • Level 6 Diploma in Business Administration
  • MCSA Certificate Bundle: SQL Database Administration
  • MBA Master of Business Administration

There are a variety of other relevant courses which are not directly related to administration but may be useful depending on the sector you wish to work in. For example, you can learn about the health and social care industry, computing or business. As well as helping you to expand your knowledge of the industry, undertaking an online course is a great way to demonstrate your excellent IT skills.

4. Different Roles


A career in administration can be diverse and interesting, which is why it’s wise to explore all the possibilities before embarking on your administrative career. As well as a job as a personal assistant, there are jobs such as head administrator and administrative assistants in the public and private sector. From hospitals to schools, you can take on the duties of a receptionist, bookkeeper, bid writer or an HR administrator in an environment which suits you. You can find a list of the most popular administration jobs on Prospects, and see which roles would cater to your skills and interests the most.

5. Salaries and Working Hours


Before you consider your dream career, make sure you are aware of the practical elements such as pay and working hours. In the UK, the average salary for an administrator is £23,000 however this can vary greatly depending on which sector you are working in. When you are starting out, you can expect to earn around £19,000, and some head administration roles can see you earning up to £45,000. Administrators are of course required in companies around the world, so if you are looking to work internationally then make sure you are aware of the average salary for administrators in that country. 

The average administration salary is


£0,000

With regards to working hours, these can also vary greatly depending on the working hours of the business you are employed in. Most administrators will be working during opening hours in order to help clients or customers as well as fellow staff members. This means that you will typically be working 9-5 Monday to Friday, usually full time, so about 35-40 hours per week. 

With such a great need for admin staff in businesses, there are also opportunities for part-time work, temporary roles and flexible working hours. This can also be where team-work comes in, as there are often chances for job shares and part-time work with others in your team.

Now that you know (pretty much) everything there is to know about administration careers, why not get started by browsing our range of administration courses?


Browse Admin Courses

Enjoy this article?

Subscribe now to receive articles like these straight to your inbox
CoursesOnline Contributors

Navigator Illustration
Not sure which course to choose? Let us recommend the best courses to suit you!
gator tooltip icon
Our course navigator helps refine thousands of courses into a personalised list that suits you. Click to answer each question, so we can provide you with the best possible courses, tailored to your preferences.
Not sure which course to choose? Let us recommend the best courses to suit you!

Try our navigator tool and find the right course.

Start Here
Navigator Illustration

Related Articles


The Secret to Finding a Job in the UK: Upskilling

The UK is facing one of its toughest periods of unemployment...

wpengine
Jul 9, 2024
Read More

5 ‘Future Proof’ Careers in the UK (Updated)

In this rapidly evolving employment landscape, some of the m...

Claudia Reiners
Jul 11, 2018
Read More

5 of the Best Creative Jobs in London (New Guide)

London is known for its many different types of art, from th...

Claudia Reiners
Jul 11, 2018
Read More

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get expert advice, insights, and explainers on tricky topics — designed to help you navigate your learning journey with confidence.

By submitting this enquiry I accept the "Privacy Policy" and "Terms of Use"
  • Popular Subjects
  • Qualification Type
  • How to Become
  • Bookkeeping
  • Computer Science
  • Counselling
  • Hair & Beauty
  • Human Resources
  • IT
  • Networking
  • Payroll
  • Psychology
  • University
  • Supply Chain Management
  • View More
  • Advanced Diploma
  • Bachelors
  • Certificate
  • Diploma
  • Foundation
  • Level 2
  • Level 3
  • Level 4
  • Level 5
  • Level 6
  • Level 7
  • Masters
  • MBA
  • MSc
  • Postgraduate
  • Short
  • Undergraduate
  • A-Level
  • Award
  • Practitioner
  • University
  • View More
  • How to Begin a Career in IT
  • How to Become a Bookkeeper
  • How to Begin a Career in Trading
  • How to Become a Change Management Consultant
  • How to Become a Cloud Architect
  • How to Become a Construction Health & Safety Officer
  • How to Become a Cryptocurrency Expert
  • How to Become a Forensic Scientist
  • How to Become a Financial Modeller
  • How to Become Java Certified
  • How to Become a Leadership Coach
  • How to Become a Manager
  • How to Become a Mentor
  • How to Become Microsoft Certified
  • How to Become a Psychologist
  • How to Become a Public Health Consultant
  • How to Become a Software Developer
  • How to Become a Software Tester
  • How to Start Your Career in Human Resources
  • How to Become Xero Certified
  • View More

Newsletter sign up

We'll email you updates on job trends, career advice, study tips, news and more.
Courses
  • All Courses
  • Online Courses
Education Providers
  • Our Providers
Resources
  • Our Blog
  • How to Become
About us
  • About CoursesOnline
  • FAQs
Contact us
  • Advertise your course
  • Become an Affiliate
Privacy Policy Terms of Use
Certified B Corporation
Tafecourses Facebook Tafecourses LinkedIn Tafecourses Instagram
Certified B Corporation
Copyright © 2025 Coursesonline.co.uk
All Rights Reserved.
Back to Top

Newsletter Sign Up

We’ll email you updates on job trends, career advice, study tips, news and more.

By submitting this enquiry I accept the "Privacy Policy" and "Terms of Use"

Coursesonline.co.uk uses cookies. By continuing you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn more.

GDPR - Logo
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.

Additional Cookies

This website uses additional cookies to collect anonymous information such as the number of visitors to the site, and the most popular pages.

Keeping this cookie enabled helps us to improve our website.

Please enable Strictly Necessary Cookies first so that we can save your preferences!

Cookie Policy

More information about our Cookie Policy