What is a business assistant and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted Experts
Wayne Counts,
Michael Mamo Ph.D.

Business Assistants are flexible team players whose core responsibility is to ensure that the daily operations of a business run smoothly. At the same time, they are responsible for providing top-notch services to customers and business partners. In some offices, they may be asked to provide support to seniors, leaders, and top management.

The functions that business assistants perform vary by industry. However, most assistants perform a wide range of office support functions, from making photocopies to putting together presentations. Some of the other duties that they may perform on the job include writing reports, ordering supplies, sending and sorting mail, and scheduling and coordinating office events. In some offices, business assistants perform HR tasks, including the processing of personnel, payroll, benefit, expense reimbursement, and other financial transactions.

Business assistants should be resourceful, detail-oriented individuals with good time management and planning skills. Some companies are willing to hire applicants who have a high school diploma or the equivalent, but to move up the ladder from an assistant role; you typically need a college degree. Employers generally prefer individuals with education in business, marketing, accounting, or a similar field.

What general advice would you give to a Business Assistant?

W

Wayne CountsWayne Counts LinkedIn Profile

Associate Dean, The University of Texas Permian Basin

I think there will be an impact, both visible and invisible, for years to come. One of the big changes will be in how we do things. The change to remote and virtual business will probably never be fully reversed.
ScoreBusiness AssistantUS Average
Salary
3.3

Avg. Salary $42,247

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
6.0

Growth Rate -8%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
3.1
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.73%

Asian 3.84%

Black or African American 9.35%

Hispanic or Latino 16.36%

Unknown 3.87%

White 65.84%

Gender

female 71.89%

male 28.11%

Age - 52
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 52
Stress Level
6.0

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
4.4

Complexity Level is basic

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
7.6

Work Life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Newest jobs for Business Assistant in Columbus, OH

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Business Assistant career paths

Key steps to become a business assistant

  1. Explore business assistant education requirements

    Most common business assistant degrees

    Bachelor's

    57.9 %

    Associate

    17.6 %

    High School Diploma

    9.0 %
  2. Start to develop specific business assistant skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    Customer Service18.43%
    Patients12.25%
    Data Entry9.25%
    Excellent Organizational9.00%
    PowerPoint6.40%
  3. Complete relevant business assistant training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New business assistants learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a business assistant based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real business assistant resumes.
  4. Gain additional business assistant certifications

    Business assistant certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific business assistant certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

    The most common certifications for business assistants include Dental Assistant (RDA) and Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA).

    More About Certifications
  5. Research business assistant duties and responsibilities

    • Utilize Salesforce CRM to research, qualify, and organize potential leads.
    • Manage personnel administration including hiring, benefits, records management, payroll administration and performance reviews.
    • Manage the receptionist area, including greeting visitors and responding to telephone and in-person requests for information.
    • Used complex SQL queries for data analysis, create store procedures and Unix scripts.
  6. Prepare your business assistant resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your business assistant resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a business assistant resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Business Assistant Resume templates

    Build a professional Business Assistant resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Business Assistant resume.
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  7. Apply for business assistant jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a business assistant job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Business Assistant Job

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Are you a Business Assistant?

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Average business assistant salary

The average Business Assistant salary in the United States is $42,247 per year or $20 per hour. Business assistant salaries range between $29,000 and $60,000 per year.

Average Business Assistant Salary
$42,247 Yearly
$20.31 hourly

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How do business assistants rate their job?

-/5

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Business Assistant reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2022
Pros

Writing a message,Organizing receipts and expenses and sending them out when needed

Cons

Failure to comply with working hours, theft and fraud,


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2020
Pros

It my passion to help people in need. It makes me feel good to see people the Youth do well in the life

Cons

I don't like to see anyone stuck in between and not being helped.


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2020
Cons

phones - because of my accent

Pros

everything except phones : Meeting,greeting, customer service, interviewing, on boarding, recruiting, presenting, etc.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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