Whether you enjoy interacting with colleagues and clients, or you find you do well with the challenge of organizing much of a business or organization’s day-to-day operations, administration may be the career field for you. Administration requires that you spend a majority of your time on the computer, processing data. You may or may not greet clients and answer phones, but you’ll be integral to the efficiency of your business or organization. There are a number of varied, exciting careers for administrators, so find the right one for you.

1. Health Care Administrator

A master in health administration degree, or even a bachelor’s or associate’s degree could land you an administration career in the medical field. Not everyone is suited to be a doctor, nurse or medical assistant, but you can still be a part of the dynamic health care field, and enjoy all the benefits of helping others and working in a stable industry by becoming an administrator. Health care administrators complete a variety of tasks for a hospital, clinic or residential facility, including:

• Processing patient and doctor information
• Organizing the scheduling
• Managing the budget
• Directing office programs
• Coordinating with insurance providers, equipment companies and pharmaceutical companies

2. Sports Administrator

If sports are your passion, why not seek work as a sports administrator? You can find work with grade schools, colleges, leagues, fitness centers and community organizations. While you’ll spend much of your time behind the desk, there will be time for you to watch athletes play any you may get to join in every now and then to enjoy the fruits of your labor. You may even get free access to an exercise facility as a part of your job. Some of your tasks may include:

• Scheduling games
• Organizing athlete paperwork and permission slips
• Coordinating with equipment companies and other leagues or schools
• Placing orders and receiving shipments
• Developing training programs
• Handling finances

3. Paralegal

Law is a prestigious field, but not everyone wants to be a lawyer battling in the courtroom. If you aim to be an administrator, consider working in law as a paralegal. You will need to be certified as a paralegal in order to work as one, although some law firms do offer entry-level, basic administration jobs. Some of your tasks as a paralegal may include:

• Organizing the lawyer’s schedule
• Handling office expenses and payroll
• Greeting new clients and counseling them on office policies
• Researching cases
• Preparing, typing or reviewing casework for the lawyer

4. Human Resources Worker

Working in human resources narrows down your focus within a company or organization, but it leaves you open to many industries, including everything from healthcare to sports. While in human resources, you’ll help oversee the pool of employees at your organization or business. Some tasks you may be responsible for include:

• Organizing payroll
• Counseling employees on work-related issues
• Interviewing prospective employees
• Updating or creating employee guidelines and benefits
• Organizing company-wide events

Working in human resources is ideal for administrators who love working with people face-to-face and advocating for them in the workplace. Many administration jobs ask a worker to spend most of their time in front of a computer. The human resources field requires computer and data work, but it is also very people-oriented.

5. General Office Administrator

You don’t have to have a specific industry in mind in order to work as an administrator. Most businesses and organizations require administrative assistance. You could work at the front desk, greeting customers and directing calls as you work on organizing the office, or you could be stationed in a cubicle and work largely on the computer. By not specializing in a specific industry, you cast a wider net when looking for a job. General office administrators are in need across the nation, so you won’t be limited to a specific region, either.
The health care administrator, the general office administrator, the human resources worker, the sports administrator and the paralegal are just a few examples of exciting careers in the field of administration. Administration is a versatile field, and it’s a great way to get into most any career field that catches your interest. Earn a master’s degree in the administration field of your choice and qualify for even greater opportunities.