There's plenty of demand for support staff—office assistant jobs, legal secretary jobs, medical assistant jobs, and office manager jobs, to name a few. Office jobs are far more versatile nowadays than they once were and office careers can be quite rewarding. From a financial standpoint, administrative assistant salaries can be quite competitive depending on the field you choose.

Many business support positions are offsite. Support jobs from home include secretarial jobs including "virtual" secretaries that serve as home-based office manager jobs.

If you take advantage of the choices available, you can:

1. Choose from a variety of office jobs including "front office" jobs and jobs from home
2. Tailor business support positions to fit your talents and interests
3. Turn home office jobs into multi-client virtual positions
4. Build your career based on your work and scheduling needs

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Know what you want to do

Decide whether you want to specialize. For example, you may be seeking medical office assistant jobs or legal secretary jobs. Decide whether you'd prefer front office jobs (receptionist, executive assistant) or something behind-the-scenes (records management). Also, decide whether home office jobs or headquarters jobs appeal to you or if you'd prefer working at a smaller branch office.

I recommend: The Bureau of Labor Statistics provides information about careers as secretaries and administrative assistants, including opportunities and training resources. Sites such as Trade-Schools.net offer information on schools and colleges. Organizations such as the American Management Association offer a variety of courses and seminars.

Join professional associations

Professional associations for office workers offer the chance to receive in-depth knowledge about specific office careers, and they can be terrific places to build a network of professionals.

I recommend: Groups such as the International Association of Administrative Professionals and the Association of Executive and Administrative Professionals are good resources. The National Association of the Self-Employed and VANetworking can be helpful for home workers and virtual assistants.

Consider temping

Temporary ('Temp') jobs provide flexibility, variety, and lots of experience. You'll get a good idea of what kind of work you are best suited for and can make contacts that may prove valuable.

I recommend: Major temp agencies including Kelly Services, Adecco, Robert Half, and OfficeTeam are good starting points. RateATemp.com offers information and ratings on temp agencies.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Play to your strengths and talents. If organizing is your strongest skill, medical or legal positions might be ideal; if you're a people person, you might enjoy being a receptionist.
• •  If you work from home, don't take on too many clients; pace yourself as you begin and add new clients gradually once you are comfortable with your schedule.
• •  Think of yourself as a professional! Some people may consider business support positions as unimportant, but office jobs are essential to business efficiency. Always take yourself and your work seriously.