OFFICETEAM RELEASES 2011 GUIDE TO ADMINISTRATIVE SALARIES

Annual Study Projects Little Change in Compensation for Office Support Positions

EDITOR'S NOTE: Readers can download the OfficeTeam Salary Guide 2011 or order a free print copy at the OfficeTeam Salary Centre (www.officeteam.com/salarycentrecanada). Copies also can be requested by calling [phone].

TORONTO, Oct. 26 /CNW/ - Base pay for administrative professionals across Canada is expected to remain consistent with 2010 levels, according to the just-released OfficeTeam Salary Guide 2011 (www.officeteam.com/salarycentrecanada). The average increase in starting salaries for all positions is 1.3 per cent, with slightly larger gains forecast in areas where demand has risen for support staff, such as customer service and healthcare.

OfficeTeam is a leading staffing service specializing in the placement of highly skilled administrative professionals. This is OfficeTeam's 16th year publishing its annual Salary Guide. The data in the Salary Guide 2011 are national average starting salaries and based on an analysis of the thousands of job placements managed by the company's offices. The Salary Guide 2011 is accompanied by the OfficeTeam Salary Centre, featuring additional analysis on hiring and compensation trends, and the OfficeTeam Salary Calculator, which allows users to quickly determine the starting salary range for a specific position and location.

    
    Other findings from the OfficeTeam Salary Guide 2011 include:
    -   Executive assistants can expect starting salaries to rise an average
        of 4.9 per cent, to the range of $42,750 to $54,000.
    -   Base compensation for administrative assistants will increase 2.1 per
        cent, to $32,000 to $40,250 annually.
    -   Starting salaries for file clerks will decrease 0.5 per cent, to the
        range of $25,250 to $29,500 per year.
    -   Medical data entry specialists will see an average base compensation
        of $28,500 to $35,000, a 3.7 per cent increase over this year.
    -   Receptionists can expect starting salaries in the range of $27,000 to
        $34,500, a decrease of 0.8 per cent.
    -   Base compensation for customer service managers will be between
        $39,750 and $56,000, a 1.6 per cent increase.
    

"Starting compensation in the administrative field is expected to remain at or near 2010 levels," said Robert Hosking, executive director of OfficeTeam. "However, salaries in some areas, such as healthcare and customer service, are seeing modest gains as companies look to bring in support staff with specific industry experience."

Skills and Attributes Sought

Businesses continue to seek administrative professionals with intermediate to advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, as well as those with bilingual and multilingual abilities. Additional technical skills in demand include knowledge of enterprise resource planning software (such as SAP) or fundraising/donor management systems (such as Raiser's Edge). Companies also want job candidates with previous industry experience who can provide immediate value.

Industry Trends

There is a growing demand for professionals in roles that support sales growth and customer retention, medical/pharmaceutical initiatives, as well as manufacturing and financial services industries. In addition, not-for-profit organisations will require additional assistance as they seek greater support from corporate and individual donors.

About the OfficeTeam Salary Guide 2011

All salaries listed in the Salary Guide 2011 are national averages. Because compensation varies significantly by geographic market, the guide includes information to customize the data for more than 10 Canadian cities. For years, companies have consulted the Salary Guide to determine appropriate compensation for administrative professionals at all levels. In addition, educational institutions and research entities have referenced the guide for the most comprehensive information on compensation and hiring.

About OfficeTeam

OfficeTeam is a leading staffing service specializing in the temporary placement of highly skilled office and administrative support professionals. The company has more than 320 locations worldwide and offers online job search services at www.officeteam.com.

For further information: Nadia Santoli, [phone], [email protected]