Admin Jobs and Secretarial Work in the UK

Admin is short for administration and admin jobs in the UK are an essential part of the business landscape. No business is able to run efficiently without an administrative effort. Admin involves the carrying out of administrative duties including filing, document processing, answering incoming enquiries, ordering of office suppliers and generally making sure that an office is able to function. Admin jobs in the UK are advertised on many general employment and recruitment websites and also on specialist admin/secretarial sites.

Finding the best Admin Job in the UK

Finding a good admin job in the UK will be different for every potential employee depending on their financial and personal situation. Some admin jobs entail working for a very large corporation within which an employee is a very small part of a very large system and operates through a complex managerial structure. The director of the company may be rarely seen and each department will have its own hierarchy. This type of environment may be suitable to some people but others may prefer to work within a smaller team where they will interact with their bosses more closely. Some admin jobs may even entail typing jobs from home whereby all or most of the work can be done using your home computer.

UK Secretarial Work

Secretarial work in the UK generally entails providing support to a member or members of a department within a company or a director. This support may include the typing of letters or audio, preparing the minutes from meetings or booking travel arrangements. The scope of a secretary is as wide ranging as there are types of company and there is sometimes an overlap with admin. Secretarial jobs tend to have a higher earning potential admin jobs as the secretarial role may inherit a degree of prestige from the member of staff that they support. The personal secretary reporting to the MD of a multinational motor company is likely to earn far more than an office secretary for a local garage.

Preparing for an Interview

Attending an interview for an admin job will normally require the applicant to be dressed neatly and display a reasonable command of interpersonal communication. They would be expected to be numerate and able to write clearly and concisely with a good general education. Some experience may be required for work in particular businesses where as other employers may be prepared to train their admin staff. Secretaries on the other hand are usually expected to be far more experienced and knowledgeable about the industry into which they will be entering. They may be required to speak several languages and secretarial work can be very well paid if they work for a very high earning company. UK secretaries tend to know most things about the day to day activities of their bosses as they will often have to coordinate meetings and events. Their dress sense will be expected to be very good and should be displayed in interviews.