The profession’s largest benchmarking study will give companies and employees alike a shared framework to explore the skills and development needs of a highly diversified workforce
PORTLAND, Maine – April 1, 2024 – Marking Administrative Professionals Day on April 24, the American Society of Administrative Professionals (ASAP) will publish the fifth annual State of the Profession Report and reveal key findings to hundreds of executive and senior-level administrative assistants at its EA Ignite Precision Training Conference in Nashville, Tenn. The largest-ever benchmarking survey of administrative professionals – including executive assistants, administrative assistants, and many more job titles – brings clarity to a rapidly evolving profession and supports advocacy for and by professionals for career development and advancement.
The comprehensive report creates a foundation for tracking trends in the profession and helps organizations to better understand the diverse capabilities of modern administrative professionals. Conducted by ASAP in January 2024, the study drew 3,916 participants.
Compensation: Administrative professionals have seen a year-on-year increase above the rate of inflation, with wages comparable to middle or project managers. A growing number of APs are salaried and are reporting a 5.9% increase in salary compared to 2023.
Professional Development and Certification: Administrative professionals who say they feel valued by their employer are more likely to have an allowance for professional development and to have received training for their role over the past year. Moreover, the survey results reveal a nearly $6k salary gap between those who have certifications specific to administrative professionals, such as the Professional Administrative Certification of Excellence (PACE), and those who do not hold any professional certificates.
Key Responsibilities: Administrative professionals assume an average of 22 different responsibilities and support at least two people in their workplace. Across all job titles, key responsibilities are grouped into five categories, with a strong focus on management support and organizational communication.
Skills and Expertise: Administrative professionals have acquired six to seven new technical or power skills in the past year to keep up with the demands of the profession. Top technical skills include email and calendar management as well as mastery of document, spreadsheet, and videoconferencing tools. The most mentioned power skills for APs are strong communication, time management, problem-solving, and critical thinking. Among APs who say they use AI in their work, ChatGPT is the most frequently used tool (86%).
Each year since 2020, ASAP has produced the largest benchmarking survey ever of administrative professionals. This research aims to illustrate the current state of the administrative profession, act as a resource among members for self-advocacy, and help organizations to understand this diverse talent pool.
At 90,000+ members and growing, the American Society of Administrative Professionals (ASAP) is the leading global association for the administrative profession. The Portland, Maine-based organization was founded in 2005 as a resource and community for members seeking to navigate the ever-evolving business climate and develop the skills they need to advance their careers. ASAP provides the latest role-specific training and its own online certification program, Professional Administrative Certification of Excellence (PACE). ASAP also produces the annual Administrative Professionals Conference (APC) and EA Ignite training events. For more information, visit www.asaporg.com.
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