JOBS in office administration have changed enormously in recent years and require lair greater levels of responsibility and flexibility than in the past, according to a recent survey of 500 companies in the Dublin area carried out by the Dublin-based recruitment company, CSR. The survey shows that salary levels reflect the "evolving nature of roles".

Three years ago experienced receptionists were earning between £7,000 and £8,500 a year. Nowadays receptionists fresh out of secretarial college can expect to start on an annual £9,000.

Secretaries with up to three years experience are earning average annual salaries of £11,000. However, in the pharmaceutical and service industries their annual pay is more likely to be in the region £14,000.

Meanwhile, personal assistants (PAs) with less than three years experience are being paid an average of £12,500. Accounts clerks with experience ranging from zero to three years and no third-level qualifications are currently earning an annual average of £10,000, rising to more than £15,000 after six years.

However, accounts assistants - who are either studying or qualified - are being paid average salaries of almost £13,000 rising to more than £18,000 after six years. According to the survey, a high percentage of accounts clerks, with two or three years under their belts, are moving on to third-level education and are undertaking account technician courses on a part-time basis.

Salary levels vary from sector to sector. CSR has found that salary levels are high in the computer and financial services fields - "reflecting the current boom that these sectors are experiencing". While salaries for account/ financial staff, warehouse and shipping personnel are particularly high in the manufacturing sector, salary levels of reception, secretarial and customer service personnel are higher in the services sector.

CSR says that over the past year the greatest demand in the area of office administration has been for secretaries and receptionists, PAs, accounts personnel and sales support staff. The survey identifies a decreased demand for data entry personnel.

"Most people now use technology as part of day-to-day functions, thus decreasing the need for specialist personnel," says the survey. "The use of scanners in gathering data has further contributed to this decline. Data entry can now form part of a job as opposed to being a separate role.

NOT surprisingly, the survey notes that all administration jobs now require high levels of computer literacy. Words for Windows (70 per cent), Excel (59 per cent) and Lotus 123 (37 per cent) are the most popular packages.

Office administration staff remain overwhelmingly female. However, stock controllers and warehouse supervisors are predominantly male, while similar numbers of both men and women are employed as shipping clerks and customer/sales support staff.