Getting a job as an admin assistant without experience

[Deleted User]

sangie595 wrote: »

Really? What makes it so? The lowest admin grade in most local authorities I deal with is now filled by graduates.

Further to your witch hunt and having seen enough posts by tellit slating his former career, I'm not on about the civil service actually and neither does the OP mention it in their one time post, but have stated 9 years possibly in one very particular exact industry that is catering and if they are not showing passion for one particular industry and just firing of their CV to anybody and everybody, then of course that's where they are becoming stuck in my opinion.

My previous to last job was this exact type of admin for a maintenance company with a legal stance at 35 years of age for £7.50 which was bordering on taking over half of a more substantive role because even the employer admitted this was basic tasks on realising my age after interviewing. So yes I could progress still at £7.50 and most of my colleagues were around 18. Next you'll be trying to tell me their are maintenance companies filled with women doing their admin, when again totally hasn't been my experience as much as I was gutted to learn this after hoping I was preparing myself so I'm kind of glad I wasn't in denial for long.

I've tried myself for a college course recently to help in an 'office situation' to be greeted by anything but being available, despite showing an ICT course available for modern office working and stating employers were becoming concerned people can't use computers in the way they need. I don't really want to self learn but it's going that way.

I'd like to say I was dreaming when I landed myself an assignment with an Essex Council purely helped on the basis I'd had a call centre background (in Accounts Payable). That was so not admin and again filled much with apprentices out of school, also on the floor. And for all the wonderfulness of that everybody I started with on the temp assignment no longer works there, although the job will keep popping up every couple of months.

I'm glad you are served by graduates but I've rarely come across any so please stop singling me. Thanks very much. I'm entitled to my opinion as much as the next person of this world.

Savvy_Sue

My take on this is that everyone who isn't completely disorganised (and I accept there are a few of them about) has basic admin skills. So how can you demonstrate yours, OP?

In catering, do you place orders? Check them once they arrive? Price compare before placing orders?

Is there a rota? Do you help draw it up?

At home, do you keep track of your money?

Do you keep appointments for yourself and others in a diary / on a calendar / using some fancy online tool?

How do you deal with paperwork?

For me, admin is a high calling. I do my job, so that people who can deal with our clients can get on and deal with our clients, so that I don't have to. :-)

I'm good at my job, I'm pants at dealing with our clients.

One of my colleagues came to us with little direct admin experience, but their application demonstrated that they had the skills - gained as a teacher, but the admin side was highlighted.

sangie595

Deleted%20User wrote: »

Further to your witch hunt and having seen enough posts by tellit slating his former career, I'm not on about the civil service actually and neither does the OP mention it in their one time post, but have stated 9 years possibly in one very particular exact industry that is catering and if they are not showing passion for one particular industry and just firing of their CV to anybody and everybody, then of course that's where they are becoming stuck in my opinion.

My previous to last job was this exact type of admin for a maintenance company with a legal stance at 35 years of age for £7.50 which was bordering on taking over half of a more substantive role because even the employer admitted this was basic tasks on realising my age after interviewing. So yes I could progress still at £7.50 and most of my colleagues were around 18. Next you'll be trying to tell me their are maintenance companies filled with women doing their admin, when again totally hasn't been my experience as much as I was gutted to learn this after hoping I was preparing myself so I'm kind of glad I wasn't in denial for long.

I've tried myself for a college course recently to help in an 'office situation' to be greeted by anything but being available, despite showing an ICT course available for modern office working and stating employers were becoming concerned people can't use computers in the way they need. I don't really want to self learn but it's going that way.

I'd like to say I was dreaming when I landed myself an assignment with an Essex Council purely helped on the basis I'd had a call centre background (in Accounts Payable). That was so not admin and again filled much with apprentices out of school, also on the floor. And for all the wonderfulness of that everybody I started with on the temp assignment no longer works there, although the job will keep popping up every couple of months.

I'm glad you are served by graduates but I've rarely come across any so please stop singling me. Thanks very much. I'm entitled to my opinion as much as the next person of this world.

What the hell are you talking about? Apart from the pure gibberish here that makes no sense whatsoever, who cares what "your experience" is? My experience - of multiple local authorities, for whom I do not work - is that graduates fill the lowest level admin jobs. That is simply a fact. So the fact that you don't agree with the FACT is irrelevant.

And local authorities are not the civil service.

There was no witch hunt, and no "singling you". You made a comment which happens to be entirely wrong. Your (very limited) experience may say one thing - but that doesn't mean it is true. And for your information, there are plenty of maintenance companies that have women doing the admin.

Good grief, you are wrong and paranoid... If you can't tolerate people who don't agree with you, stop posting. Otherwise, live with it.

TELLIT01

Deleted%20User wrote: »

Further to your witch hunt and having seen enough posts by tellit slating his former career, I'm not on about the civil service

Yes I've been highly critical of the part of the Civil Service I worked for but that is totally irrelevant to this topic. The post to which I was responding stated that Admin Assistant roles were suitable only for school leavers, which is totally wrong. In another area of employment completely my wife's job title was Admin Assistant. In her case it meant she was responsible for all aspects of administration for a large department. It covered everything from taking minutes, booking hotel accommodation, organising meeting, typing up reports, etc. etc. The point being that a job title doesn't always mean the same thing.

iammumtoone

Most people are admin assistant to their own lives, many of us are to our families as well.

Do you have children, do you organise where they have to be and make sure they get there on time - can be admin assistant responsibility.

Do you manage the household budget - admin based, if you don't currently do this on a spreadsheet set one up and start.

Do you look to switch energy suppliers - contact companies with queries/questions (phone and email) - all admin tasks

It is hard to break into something different as others will be applying that already do this as a job. Do not let this get you down as those in admin would find it equally difficult to get a job within catering.

Keep trying and will you get there in the end. Good Luck.