If you love animals and want a job that puts you around animals all day in a non-profit setting, consider a job as an administrative assistant in an animal shelter, humane society or animal rescue organization. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated that administrative assistants earned an average of $23,000 to $36,000 in 2008. Working for a non-profit, like an animal shelter, typically means that your salary will be on the lower end of that range.
Skills
Administrative assistants need to be punctual people who are good communicators, possess computer skills and work well with low supervision. Administrative assistants at animal shelters open and close the office, greet walk-in customers who want to drop off or adopt a pet, and handle telephone calls.
Education
Most administrative assistant positions require some college education or a college degree, although some positions accept high school graduates. Some positions prefer applicants who have a license and clean driving record, since the position may include driving.
Office Duties
The majority of the animal shelter administrative assistant's duties will be office-related. The assistant may need to sort, open and respond to mail, answer a multiple-line telephone, check voice mail messages, enter client information into a spreadsheet, answer emails and greet visitors. They might help with writing fundraising materials, shelter newsletters or emails for the shelter's mailing list. The administrative assistant will need to locate the appropriate staff member to help any visitors looking to adopt, or drop off, a pet.
Animal Duties
Administrative assistants at animal shelters help care for animals at the shelter by walking dogs, changing cat litter boxes and cleaning animal crates. These duties are secondary to office duties; some jobs offer less animal contact than others. The animal shelter assistant runs animal-related errands including picking up food, scheduling veterinary services or photographing animals for posting on a shelter website.
Schedule
Animal shelters are open on the weekends and often maintain late evening hours one or more weeknights. Administrative assistants can expect to work weekends and some evenings as part of the job.
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