Part-time admin jobs can take many forms and may include job titles such as virtual assistant, receptionist, or administrative assistant. The exact nature of these jobs will vary by employer, but typically include providing basic office support such as answering phones, managing spreadsheets, and organizing meetings. Someone who works a part-time admin job may work only a few hours each day or may work a few full days during the work week. Others, particularly virtual assistants or those who work for temporary agencies, may work on a more flexible basis by being on-call for businesses that need their services.
Due to technological advances, the demand for some types of office administration work has declined over the years. Many businesses still, however, use part-time workers to perform tasks that require the human touch. For example, while many businesses rely on telephone routing and voice mail systems, they may still want to hire a receptionist, even on a part-time basis, to provide a point of contact to callers who are unable to reach the party that they wish to speak to via an automated system. These businesses may also need to have a receptionist in their lobby during busy hours so as to assist customers and vendors who are calling upon.
In some cases, part-time admin jobs may involve very specific job duties, particularly those performed by temporary agency workers. During times of increased workloads for regular employees, a business may contract with a temporary employment agency to bring in workers who can assist with special projects or assume tasks normally performed by regular employees. These workers may have specialized skills in different types of software or in areas such as bookkeeping.
Other employers may expect those who hold part-time admin jobs to be generalists, willing to float between departments to provide necessary assistance. These part-time workers may be expected to answer phones, write and send out correspondence, as well as provide other types of support, such as performing basic research and scanning and filing documents. To get these part-time admin jobs, the worker must typically have strong typing and computer software skill, as well as a background in office work.
With the advent of the Internet and mobile phones, some part-time admin jobs don’t even require workers to work in an office. Instead, these individuals work as virtual assistants, performing standard secretarial and administration tasks from home via a computer. In some cases, these workers primarily work on business-related tasks, while others may provide services of a more personal nature, such as scheduling both business and personal appointments, for their clients.
