Administrative Assistant
(Female, Age 47) from GARFIELD, NJ
This is a REAL-LIFE job profile written by a Female aged 47 who works as a Administrative Assistant in GARFIELD, NJ. We have removed all names and personal information in order to protect privacy. This professional kindly spent a bit of their time to complete one of our job profile surveys so that prospective job seekers like you could read their insights. Please excuse any punctuation or grammatical errors in this profile.
At a Glance
Current Job
Basic data on your current job
| Job Title | Administrative Assistant |
|---|---|
| Salary | |
| Other Compensation | None Set |
| Hours/Week | 40 |
| Company Size | (not answered) |
| Location | GARFIELD, NJ |
| Years Experience | 8 years |
Career Ratings
Opinions on your CAREER overall (i.e. not just your current job)
| Years in Career | 0 |
|---|---|
| Education | (not answered) |
| Income Rating | 0 / 10 |
| Interest Rating | 0 / 10 |
| Work-Life Rating | 0 / 10 |
| Fulfilment Rating | 0 / 10 |
Current job Q&A
Describe the type of organization you work for.
I work for a public school system, specifically at the high school.
Describe your job role and responsibilities.
Responsibilities include arranging teacher substitution/coverage, greeting visitors, assisting students and parents, entering period attendance, maintaining attendance records, organizing fire and safety drills, maintaining office equipment, maintaining Student Activity checking accounts, and processing purchase orders. I report to the Principal and Assistant Principal of the Wood-Ridge High School.
Please list an additional benefits (beyond compensation) that you receive.
5 weeks vacation, 12 sick days/year which accumulate if not used, medical benefits, dental benefits, pension plan
Do you feel you are under/over or well/fairly compensated at your current position?
well
Does your job entail you working with others on a daily basis? Is this something you like/dislike about your job? Please explain.
Along with working with administration, guidance counselors, and teachers, I work with all the students and parents in the high school. I love working with all types of people.
Do you work collaboratively with supervisors/managers?
Yes
Do you work collaboratively with your co-workers?
Yes
Describe your work location (e.g., office, home, theatre, in the field) and what you like/dislike about working in it.
I work in an office and I like it very much. I like the busy atmosphere of phones, paperwork, and visitors.
Please rate each of the following aspects of your current job on a scale of 1-10 (10 being the highest/best):
Income: 2
Benefits: 4
Hours: 1
Co-Workers: 7
Supervisors: 5
Job Title: 8
Level of Responsibility: 6
The Actual Work: 3
Table of Contents
How you got your job
How did you get your current job?
A newspaper ad
What was the application process?
Submitted resume, had a first interview with a typing/writing/grammar test; and then a 2nd interview.
Did you have to interview for your current job? If yes, what did the interview process entail?
I first interviewed with the director of the child study team. He gave me a typing/grammar/writing test. Then I was interviewed by the superintendent.
If you can remember, what questions were you asked during the interview?
I was asked if I had education experience and office experience and was asked why I would be good at the job.
Do you feel your employer properly prepared you for your job? Explain.
Yes. I was hired to work with the Child Study Team. They taught me all of the documents and legal processes of Special Education.
Was there training for your current position? If yes, what did it entail?
No
Do you feel your educational background prepared you for your job? Explain.
I took business classes in high school which got me into the business world.
If applicable, do you feel your internship experience helped you prepare for your job?
If someone wanted to go about getting a job similar to yours, what would you recommend for him or her to do?
It’s very hard to get into a public school system. People can sign up to be a substitute secretary or start in the classroom as a paraprofessional. They must always be checking web sites and the newspaper for job openings.
What skills do you think a person should have if they want to pursue a position like yours?
Organizational skills to be able to handle the many things that happen at the same time; patience to deal with parents, students, and staff; and office skills to handle the many types of computer programs that are used.
Do you feel that you need a certain level of education or training to be successful in your job?
Office experience is needed.
What advice would you give to someone who was about to start work in your position/ line of work?
Prior work history
Please list your most recent jobs prior to this current job:
| Title | Length | Salary | Description | |
| Prior Job 1 | Teacher Assistant | 6 years | Assisting students with curriculum, self-help and hygiene skills, and assisting the teacher in preparing the classroom for daily activities. I was also responsible for writing all parent correspondence from the classroom, including a weekly newsletter and handling all incoming and
outgoing paperwork. I was in close contact with parents daily and participated in student conferences with parents and staff. This was a NAEYC-certified school, and I underwent extensive NAEYC training. |
|
| Prior Job 2 | Customer Service Rep | 2 years |
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