SECRETARY'S JOB DESCRIPTION PDF Print E-mail

AN OVERVIEW OF A SECRETARIAL CAREER


The position of the office professional has greatly developed as technology continues to be relied upon in most offices throughout the country. A wide range of duties that were once given to managerial and professional staff are now delegated to secretaries and administrative assistants due to office automation and organisational restructuring. Currently several secretaries and administrative assistants train and inform new staff, perform Internet research, and use and troubleshoot the latest technology in offices. In spite of these recent changes, their usual and fundamental responsibilities have stayed constant—conducting and organising an office’s administrative duties and events, as well as receiving and handling information for distribution to staff and clients.Secretaries’ and administrative assistants’ responsibilities include various administrative and clerical duties needed to run a company efficiently and smoothly. Some duties include: serving as an office information manager, arranging and scheduling meetings or appointments, organising and preserving paper and computer files, managing projects, handling travel arrangements, performing research, and distributing information through the use of telephones, mail, and e-mail.Many machines—facsimile machines, photocopiers, and telephone systems—are used by secretaries and administrative assistants to aid them in these tasks. Additionally, secretaries and administrative assistants work on personal computers to develop spreadsheets; write correspondence; supervise databases; and produce presentations, reports, and documents as they use desktop publishing software and computer graphics. All of these tasks were previously performed by managers and professionals. Concurrently, these other office workers have taken the responsibility for several tasks traditionally left to secretaries and administrative assistants, such as typing and answering phones. Secretaries and administrative assistants have the time to help out members of the executive staff, now that they aren't usually required to dictate and type. In numerous companies, secretaries and administrative assistants work cooperatively with each other in order to work be flexible and helpful to one another.Different levels of experience and job titles will carry different responsibilities. For example, Executive secretaries and administrative assistants maintain a small amount of clerical tasks as opposed to other positions. Their tasks include basic organising of conference calls and scheduling of meetings as well as more complex responsibilities such as performing research, planning statistical reports, teaching employees, and directing other clerical staff. A few secretaries and administrative assistants—such as legal and medical secretaries—must have substantial knowledge of technical terminology and procedures in order to carry out highly specialised work. Under the direction of an attorney or paralegal, for instance, legal secretaries organise correspondence and official documents such as summonses, complaints, motions, responses, and subpoenas. Additionally, they may assess legal journals and aid with legal research, such as confirming quotes and credentials in legal briefs. Medical secretaries record dictation, get correspondence ready, and aid physicians or medical scientists with reports, lectures, articles, and seminar proceedings. Medical secretaries may also keep track of basic medical histories, set up patients to be hospitalised, and order materials. The majority of medical secretaries must have good knowledge regarding insurance regulations, billing practices, and hospital or laboratory measures. Other technical secretaries helping engineers or scientists might organise correspondence, keep up the technical library, and search and edit resources used for scientific papers.

JOB DESCRIPTION EXAMPLE

Provide personal administrative support to the President/CEO.

Duties include general clerical, receptionist and project based work.

Project a professional company image through in-person and phone interaction.

 

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

  1. Prepare correspondence, reports, and materials for publications and presentations.
  2. Setup President's travel arrangements.
  3. Setup accommodation and entertainment arrangements for company visitors.
  4. Maintain President's calendar.
  5. Prepare and maintain President's expense report.
  6. Setup and coordinate meetings and conferences.
  7. Create, transcribe, and distribute meeting agendas and minutes.
  8. Answer telephones and handle in appropriate manner.
  9. Meet and greet clients and visitors.
  10. Perform general clerical duties to include but not limited to: photocopying, faxing, mailing, and filing.
  11. Maintain hard copy and electronic filing system.
  12. Sign for UPS/Fed Ex/Airborne packages.
  13. Research, price, and purchase office furniture and supplies.
  14. Coordinate project-based work.
  15. Supervise support staff.
  16. Other duties as assigned.

ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

  1. None listed.
  2. SKILLS AND PERSONAL QUALITIES
  • to be a good communicator in speech and writing
  • an excellent command of English spelling, grammar and punctuation
  • good keyboard skills
  • good IT skills and to be confident in using a range of software packages
  • to be able to prioritise work and work on several tasks at any given time
  • accuracy and attention to detail
  • good organisation skills
  • to work well independently or as part of a team
  • to be discreet when handling confidential information
  • a pleasant, friendly manner
  • to work well under pressure and be able to meet deadlines
  • an awareness of other cultures, particularly if the employer deals with overseas customers
  • an awareness of the needs of people with different disabilities

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL REQUIREMENTS

    • Basic reading, writing, and arithmetic skills required. This is normally acquired through a high school diploma or equivalent.
    • Knowledge of Microsoft Office and telephone protocol.
    • Computer literate with the ability to learn new software applications.
    • Duties require professional verbal and written communication skills and the ability to type 60 wpm.
    • Visibility of work requires attention to detail, excellent organisational skills, and discretion with confidential information.
    • This is normally acquired through a combination of the completion of an Associates Degree and three to five years of secretarial experience.
    • Work requires willingness to work a flexible schedule and occasional overnight travel.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Working conditions are normal for an office environment.

Work may require occasional overnight travel and weekend and/or evening work.

 

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KINDLY NOTE THAT WE HAVE NO PAST OR CURRENT AFFILIATION OR ASSOCIATION WITH “ THE INDEPENDENT INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION” AND HAVE NO INTENTION OF AN ASSOCIATION WITH THEM IN THE FUTURE SO WE KINDLY REQUEST THAT NO ENQUIRIES ARE DIRECTED TO THEM.
 
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Newsflash

One goal is to help yourself become aware of how you use your time as one resource in organizing, prioritizing, and succeeding in your studies in the context of competing activities of friends, work, family, etc.

How do you spend your time each day?

Strategies on using time:These applications of time management have proven to be effective as good study habits.
 
1.       Blocks of study time and breaks

As your school term begins and your course schedule is set, develop and plan for, blocks of study time in a typical week.  Blocks ideally are around 50 minutes, but perhaps you become restless after only 30 minutes? Some difficult material may require more frequent breaks. Shorten your study blocks if necessary—but don’t forget to return to the task at hand!  What you do during your break should give you an opportunity to have a snack, relax, or otherwise refresh or re-energize yourself. For example, place blocks of time when you are most productive:  are you a morning person or a night owl?  Jot down one best time block you can study.  How long is it?  What makes for a good break for you?  Can you control the activity and return to your studies?
 
2.       Dedicated study spaces

Determine a place free from distraction (no cell phone or text messaging!) where you can maximize your concentration and be free of the distractions that friends or hobbies can bring!  You should also have a back-up space that you can escape to, like the library,  departmental study center, even a coffee shop where you can be anonymous.  A change of venue may also bring extra resources.  What is the best study space you can think of?  What is another?
 
3.       Weekly reviews

Weekly reviews and updates are also an important strategy.  Each week, like a Sunday night, review your assignments, your notes, your calendar. Be mindful that as deadlines and exams approach, your weekly routine must adapt to them!  What is the best time in a week you can review?
 
4.       Prioritize your assignments

When studying, get in the habit of beginning with the most difficult subject or task.  You’ll be fresh, and have more energy to take them on when you are at your best.  For more difficult courses of study, try to be flexible:  for example, build in “reaction time” when you can get feedback on assignments before they are due.   What subject has always caused you problems?
 
5.       Achieve “stage one”--get something done!

The Chinese adage of the longest journey starting with a single step has a couple of meanings:  First, you launch the project!  Second, by starting, you may realize that there are some things you have not planned for in your process. Details of an assignment are not always evident until you begin the assignment.  Another adage is that “perfection is the enemy of good”, especially when it prevents you from starting! Given that you build in review, roughly draft your idea and get  going!  You will have time to edit and develop later. What is a first step you can identify for an assignment to get yourself started?
 
6.       Postpone unnecessary activities until the work is done!
 
Postpone tasks or routines that can be put off until your school work is finished! 
This can be the most difficult challenge of time management.  As learners we always meet unexpected opportunities that look appealing, then result in poor performance on a test, on a paper, or in preparation for a task. Distracting activities will be more enjoyable later without the pressure of the test, assignment, etc. hanging over your head.  Think in terms of pride of accomplishment. Instead of saying “no” learn to say “later”. What is one distraction that causes you to stop studying?
 
7.       Identify resources to help you
 
Are there tutors?  An “expert friend”? Have you tried a keyword search on the Internet to get better explanations?  Are there specialists in the library that can point you to resources?  What about professionals and professional organizations.  Using outside resources can save you time and energy, and solve problems. Write down three examples for that difficult subject above? 
Be as specific as possible.
 
8.       Use your free time wisely
 
Think of times when you can study "bits" as when walking, riding the bus, etc.  Perhaps you’ve got music to listen to for your course in music appreciation, or drills in language learning?  If you are walking or biking to school, when best to listen? Perhaps you are in a line waiting?  Perfect for routine tasks like flash cards, or if you can concentrate, to read or review a chapter.  The bottom line is to put your time to good use. What is one example of applying free time to your studies?
 
9.       Create a simple "To Do" list
 
This simple program will help you identify a few items, the reason for doing them, a timeline for getting them
done, and then printing this simple list and posting it for reminders.
 
10.   Daily/weekly planner
 
Write down appointments, classes, and meetings on a chronological log book or chart.
If you are more visual, sketch out your schedule
First thing in the morning, check what's ahead for the day always go to sleep knowing you're prepared for
tomorrow
 
11.   Long term planner

 Use a monthly chart so that you can plan ahead.
 Long term planners will also serve as a reminder to constructively plan time for yourself  

 

 

 

KINDLY NOTE THAT WE HAVE NO PAST OR CURRENT AFFILIATION OR ASSOCIATION WITH “ THE INDEPENDENT INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION” AND HAVE NO INTENTION OF AN ASSOCIATION WITH THEM IN THE FUTURE SO WE KINDLY REQUEST THAT NO ENQUIRIES ARE DIRECTED TO THEM.
 

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