Do you think that it is really necssary to have a degree in order to get a good Administrative Assistant position with a company?

The reason why I ask this is because I am currently unemployed and looking for work. I have posted my resume on Monster.com and several other websites and have received calls from several different job agencies. I had a job agency call me today, and she ask me if I was degreed. I honestly told her, "No", to which she replied, "That may be a problem, but I'll see what we can do".

I was a bit offended by this remark, since I have 22 years of secretarial/administrative assistant experience. I got my first office job just about 6 weeks after graduating from high school, and have been doing this type of work ever since. I got some of my training while in high school, but back then, they did not have computers yet, so I went to night school to get the needed schooling in order to know how to operate different software packages.

I never went to college, since I hated school and never liked to study anyway. Also, at my age (40), I don't really have the money to go to college, nor do I want to spend the next 20 years of my life paying off my student loan (not to mention being in debt!). I figured that as long as I kept my skills current (which I have), that finding a job would not be difficult. But now I'm getting a different feeling about my ability to find a good job without a degree.

So it gets back to my original question: Do you think it is really necessary to have a degree in order to find a good Administrative Assistant position? Or do you think that experience on the job is more important? I have heard people say that they spent thousands of dollars to get a college degree, only to graduate and then not being able to find a job in their field. It's like a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" type of situation, which is being made much tougher by the terrible economy.

I am an excellent worker and have great letters of recommendation from past employers. I have always been able to find a job, but I know that employers are now getting more stringent on what they're looking for in job candidates. I would appreciate any feedback that you may have for me. Thanks.

nope. but you'll have a better chance getting one if you do have a degree.

the problem is there are 100's of people chasing 1 job

That stinks Nan, but it's not just the AA position that is like that. Too much is put into those lil pieces of paper. I'm not knocking them, it's that some don't go the traditional route, but have the skills.

Having a degree doesn't guarantee that you have all the skills.

Nothinbutjoy said:

Unless u work ur butt off 4 ur degree like I am, Joy...& w/ the way things are going 2day economy wise ...Im not sure that even I will be able 2 get a job when I graduate so dont worry Psycho...Im struggling 2 & Im about 2 have the AA degree

i have a b.a. in english and was an administarive assistant. eventhough i didn't complete my masters, i find that i get more interview when i mention it than when i don't. it's just the way the job market is right now. employers are looking for anything that will make one candidate stand out over another.

Phoenixxx said:

You can work for me, all you need is a t.a.

billysparxxx said:

I say go for it! and as a member already stated try to have a little extra something along the way like she had English.
The cooler you make yourself look...i think it will work.