What is the Job Description of a Secretary?

Secretary is more like an old fashioned name for personal assistant, the Job description is the same.

As a secretary, you will perform a variety of administrative tasks in the office.

It is your duty to ensure optimum work flow.

You are an important part of the office and a lot of documents will have to pass through your office daily.

What does a secretary do?

Secretary or administrative secretary helps to keep all activities running smoothly in a firm.

Most times, they play administrative roles.

Such roles include database management and  taking minutes during official meetings.

Sometimes, a secretary may also play some of the roles of a receptionist.

The job of an administrative secretary or personal assistant may be routed to a professional career.

It just depends on the ability of the employee to show themselves capable and work their way up.

What are the duties and responsibilities of a secretary?

• Responding to calls and messages
• Schedule appointments.
• Taking and reading minutes during official meetings.
• Database management.
• Helping their employer carry out activities based on their different level of priority.
• Proffering innovative administrative systems.
• Consulting and discussing with other organizations or clients in order to reach a common and favourable solution.
• Receiving and distributing mails to the appropriate office or person.
• Taking record of all office expenses.
• Announce incoming visitors.
• Take record of people visiting the organization.
• Typing and distributing memos to the appropriate office.
• Order and keep a record of all office supplies.
• Making necessary travel arrangement and booking of the accommodation
• Keeping necessary office records such as contacts of all employees.

Although, your duties and responsibilities as a secretary may be less or more than these depending on your qualification and employer.

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What skills and personality suits a secretary?

1.Give attention to details

A good secretary should be able to pay attention to details.

As the personal assistant of your boss, you will be entrusted with so many activities and must not overlook anything.

2.Ability to multitask

As a receptionist, your job description may require you to multitask without making mistakes.

3. Good time managerial skills

The importance of time management as a secretary cannot be over emphasized.

Also, it is your duty to keep to time as well as help your boss manage time.

4.Great communication skills

A secretary should  be eloquent in speech.

Therefore, you should be able to communicate well in speech or writing at all times

5.Proficiency in MS office suite

It is advantageous for a secretary to know how to use Microsoft office properly.

That’s because you will need it for carrying out major tasks.

Like keeping records or typing memos.

6.Good customer service skills

A secretary should be polite and well mannered in having conversations, whether via phone calls or physical conversation.

No matter how occupied or stressed you are, you must always appear and speak nicely.

Because speaking angrily or rudely may offend clients.

7. Presentable

As a secretary or personal assistant, you should always look presentable.

You may have to attend meetings or conferences with your boss.

Just like the old saying goes

“You are addressed the way you dress”

You certainly do not want clients to have a wrong perception of the organization.

As a result of you being dressed poorly.

What are the qualifications required to become a secretary?

Although not mandatory, it is advantageous to have a degree in any of these fields.

• English
• Mass communication
• Public relations
• Business administration
• Other related courses

A decade ago, short hand was one of the mandatory qualifications.

But now, with improvement in technology, it is outdated.

Great typing speed puts you at an edge when applying for a job as a secretary.

Most times, companies prefer hiring those who can type a certain number of words at a time.

Just like every other job out there, employers prefer to hire those with experience.

Therefore having experience in any form of administrative work or related fields, makes getting the job easier.

You can also take online courses on secretarial training.

Such training does not take more than six months to complete.

Where do secretaries work?

There are so many organizations that require the services of a secretary.

Ranging from government owned institutions to private companies and organizations.

Most organizations require the services

How much do secretaries earn?

According to Indeed.com, the average salary of a secretary is about $25,929 per annum.

But, this figure is liable to change based on your experience, qualification, employer and location.

In the United states, a secretary with over 10 years experience may earn up to $30,382 per year.

And those with less than a year experience earn $23, 558 per year.

Most times Secretaries that work in more developed locations may earn more than those who work in less developed locations.

What questions should I expect in a secretary job interview?

Although, different employers evaluate different skills during an interview.

But irrespective of your employers, here are some common questions that may be asked.

• What are your secretarial strength and weakness?
• Why did you apply for this job?
• What motivates you to work?
• How do you avoid mistakes when working?

To learn more about the questions that could be asked during a secretarial job interview and how to answer them, click HERE.

Conclusion:secretary job description guide

If you intend to take up a career path in an administrative role.

Career growth may come from taking more senior administrative roles depending on your organization and also improving your qualification.

Here is a list of other job description guides

• Event planner
• Receptionist
• Copywriting
• Web development
• Teaching