Starting salaries for administrative professionals across the country are expected to rise an average of 3.2 percent in 2008, according to the just-released OfficeTeam 2008 Salary Guide.  The increase is a result of continued demand for highly skilled administrative and office support employees, business expansion, and a competitive hiring environment.

OfficeTeam is the world’s leading staffing service specializing in the placement of highly skilled administrative professionals.  The 2008 Salary Guide is based on an analysis of the thousands of job placements managed by the company’s North American offices.

“A competitive hiring environment has led to increased demand for administrative professionals with advanced skills and experience,” said Diane Domeyer, executive director of OfficeTeam.  “Companies are offering higher compensation and other benefits to attract highly skilled candidates -- especially those who possess strong industry knowledge and are a good fit with the organization.”

Skills and Attributes in Demand

In addition to industry background and technical expertise, hiring managers seek administrative professionals with strong interpersonal skills, and who show initiative and commitment to ongoing education.  Employers also seek candidates who are multilingual and can communicate with colleagues, vendors and customers in other countries.

 Industry Trends

The manufacturing, financial services and healthcare industries are showing strong demand for administrative professionals.  Since compensation varies by geographic region, the Salary Guide provides regional variance data to help hiring managers adjust starting salaries for specific markets.

 Other key findings from the OfficeTeam 2008 Salary Guide include: 

• Human resources assistants will see average starting salaries of $27,250 to $37,500, a 5.3 percent increase over 2007. 
• Senior executive assistants can expect base compensation to rise 3.7 percent, to the range of $40,500 to $56,750. 
• Receptionists will see salaries in the range of $21,250 to $28,000, an increase of 3.1 percent.
• Base compensation for customer service/call center representatives will increase 3 percent, to the range of $22,000 to $30,000.
• Data entry specialists can expect starting salaries between $21,500 and $26,750, an increase of 2.7 percent over 2007.Average starting salaries for entry-level administrative assistants will increase 2.4 percent, bringing base compensation to the range of $23,750 to $29,000 annually.

The Importance of Certification

Professional certification and specialization can further increase base compensation, as companies continue to seek job candidates with specific expertise.  OfficeTeam research shows employers are willing to offer an average of 7 percent more to candidates with designations such as Certified Administrative Professional and Certified Professional Secretary, and an average of 11 percent more to those who possess the Microsoft Office Specialist certification.  Multilingual applicants can command starting salaries as much as 10 percent higher than candidates who speak only one language.

 Starting salary information in the OfficeTeam 2008 Salary Guide is based on the thousands of job orders handled in North America each year by OfficeTeam staffing managers.  Continuing or ongoing salaries are not reported since many factors -- such as seniority, work ethic, performance and training -- impact a full-time employee’s compensation as a work history develops.

Readers can order a free copy of the OfficeTeam 2008 Salary Guide by visiting www.officeteam.com or calling (800) 804-8367.