What Does a Secretary Do?
A Secretary’s role is to provide clerical and administrative support within a business. This can extend to managing schedules, sending e-mails, answering calls and other duties.
A Secretary, like an Administrative Assistant, provides support to a team or professional to keep things inside an office running smoothly. They are polite and resourceful with good active listening and organisational skills.
Secretary Dress Code
A secretary will likely dress in business professional attire. This can be well-fitting work pants, pencil skirts, blouses, button-down shirts or suits with closed-toe shoes or small-heeled shoes.
Secretary Responsibilities
A secretary will have many responsibilities including scheduling appointments, taking care of calendars, answering phone calls and taking meeting minutes. They also manage office supplies and handle documents and data.
Secretary Tips
It is important to know how to manage your time efficiently and prioritise tasks as it is common to need to deal with multiple tasks at once. It is necessary to have confidence in your abilities and cope well under pressure.
A Secretary must understand the needs of their boss to provide the most effective support and always be professional and presentable.
Important Skills for a Secretary
While maintaining a high level of professionalism a Secretary must be organised and have excellent time management and attention to detail. It is important to understand how to use certain software for data entry and calendar management.
Organisation & Time Management
A Secretary has many duties including data entry, office supply management and schedule management. Tasks therefore need to be prioritised depending on their urgency, and it is up to the Secretary to understand how these tasks should be completed.
Time management is essential to a Secretary’s tasks so that they can give the best support to their colleagues and boss, Secretary’s who manage their time efficiently will have less work pressure.
Proficiency in Office Software
A Secretary will deal with many pieces of software in their job, such as Microsoft Office Suit for taking minutes, compiling data or creating presentations. They will also need to send e-mails and organise calendars or appointments.
For all of these tasks, Secretary’s must have some computer literacy and be proficient in using the software. These skills can be learned on the job or through other Office jobs which provide transferable skills.
Attention to Detail
All Secretarial jobs must be performed with good attention to detail. This means precise data entry, proofreading documentation to check for spelling errors, excellent file organisation skills and precise scheduling, which includes double-checking appointments and calendars regularly.
Accuracy and precision are essential for maintaining a high level of professionalism. The ability to find small errors early will also prevent any larger issues that could occur at a later date.
Secretary Job Duties
The main duties of a Secretary are managing schedules for higher management and properly documenting appointments. They will also need to prepare documentation and correspondence to people inside and outside of the business.
Managing Schedules & Appointments
A Secretary will need to use calendar-related software such as Google Calendar to check appointments and add any necessary information to the appointment such as the meeting time, where the meeting is being held if it is in person, or links to online meeting rooms like Microsoft Teams, sometimes they will also need to add meeting details.
It is necessary to be accurate when dealing with all appointments and schedules and check them often to avoid schedule clashes.
Preparing Documents & Correspondence
There are many types of documentation that need to be handled by a Secretary. Outside of scheduling appointments, a Secretary will also be tasked with writing and sending e-mails and memos on behalf of their boss or department.
A Secretary will also need to write minutes to highlight key points from meetings and compile detailed reports for management. All of these tasks need to be completed with high accuracy and attention to detail so that they are easy to understand.
Secretary Career Progression and Advancement
As a Secretary, it is possible to gain the skills, knowledge and experience to move into Office Manager or Executive Assistant roles. It is also possible to specialise in specific industries such as the legal field.
Advancing to Executive Assistant or Office Manager Roles
If you are considering moving up from a Secretarial position, look into achieving a Certified Administrative Professional certificate, or enrol in a Business Administration course to gain a better understanding of business operations.
While working, volunteer for more complex tasks such as organising large-scale meetings with stakeholders or dealing with confidential documentation.
It is important to have a good foundation in your role before this and have an excellent working relationship with colleagues and executives within the business.
Specialising in Specific Industries
Specific industries for Secretaries include Healthcare, Law and Education. A Secretary will need good knowledge of these fields before advancing their careers, and they should learn as much as possible about the business they intend to work for.
Showing interest and understanding in the specialised field will give employers confidence in the applicant. It is also beneficial to have relevant qualifications in these roles but not always necessary.
FAQs on Becoming a Secretary
Are Secretary Roles Flexible?
Secretary work weeks are usually 35-40 hour weeks with some available flexi-time depending on the company. Some companies might offer part-time positions or remote working.
Do You Need Formal Qualifications to Be a Secretary?
Most Secretarial roles do not require formal qualifications, but some employers may prefer candidates with a degree or certification.
How Much Does a Secretary Earn?
The base pay for a Secretary, depending on experience and skills, can range from £20,000 to £35,000 per year.
What is a Secretary?
A Secretary is an administrative professional who often performs a variety of tasks to keep an office running smoothly.
