The recession heavily hit this sector but 2015 saw the sector turn a corner buoyed by improvement in UK economy. 2016 is continuing the upward trend and many organisations are growing and are increasing their headcount through recruitment of dedicated reception, administration and support staff.
This type of work is characterised by being almost entirely office-based. Travel within a working day, overnight absence from home and overseas work or travel are all uncommon but may be required depending on the role. Office administration work is therefore suited to individuals who may have greater family demands placed upon them. Secretarial positions are still perceived typically to be female roles and the majority of secretarial jobs are still held by women. Working weeks generally range between 35 - 40 hours a week, with a working day usually being somewhere between 8am - 6pm. Flexi-time is sometimes available depending on the organisation.
The nature of the role is to support colleagues and projects rather than to assume a project lead position, which may become frustrating for some more ambitious individuals. Even so, the role can be stressful at times, since the work is always focused on the needs of the manager or team. Deadlines may be imposed suddenly, demanding flexibility and reprioritisation of workload.
Jobs in this sector are pretty much spread across the whole of the UK and salaries tend to reflect the geographical variations in average individual income, with salaries in London and the Home Counties being considerably higher than elsewhere. Jobs in the media, not-for-profit sectors and small organisations are at the lower end of the pay scale as well. Employment in banking, finance and law firms tend to be at the upper end.
Expect £13,000 to £18,000 for roles outside London; £17,000 to £22,000 in London. After substantial experience and with increased responsibilities, salaries can rise to £25,000 - £30,000. Gaining chartership or extra qualifications, or being employed by a FTSE 100 company, may provide higher salaries. Annual and performance-related bonuses exist in some sectors such as banking. This is especially true within the Square Mile. Interim, part-time and temporary roles are common. Career breaks are possible if skills, especially IT, are maintained. Self-employment or freelance work is unusual.
Please register your CV with us to be considered for any of the secretarial/office admin roles on our books.