Secretary Job Description: Role, Salary, Responsibilities, Qualifications & Resume

a woman sitting at a table using a laptop computer

The position of secretaries is crucial to the organizational and administrative processes of the office or organization. Often times being one of the first people whom clients and employees contact, they help in planning, communication, and general management of the organizational space. In this article, we will look at the secretary job description, duties, requirements, and questions which will bring us closer to this important branch of employment.

Secretary Job Description

A secretary is responsible for providing clerical and administrative support within an office. This includes managing communications such as phone calls and emails, scheduling meetings, and maintaining records. Secretaries may also be in charge of organizing files, handling correspondence, and assisting with basic bookkeeping. The position requires strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to work well with others in a fast-paced environment.

It is hard to find modern organizations that do not employ assistants in any of the available roles. The same can be said for the medical field, where doctors would also need such specialists. While in one organization secretaries provide administrative assistance to managers and supervisors only, in another organization secretaries prepare legal documents and provide assistance in scheduling physicians.

Resume Description for This Job

As a secretary, a resume should be designed in such a way that there is noticeable stress on communication and organizational skills, and computer proficiency is made clear.

Sample resume description:

“Dedicated secretary with 3 + years experience of working in an office that operates at a brisk pace. Efficient in calendar management, correspondence and meeting arrangements. Capable of using Microsoft Office Programs, is multitasking oriented and recognizes workplace organization. Recognized level of customer satisfaction and attention to detail oriented tasks and processes.”

Feel free to adjust details to better match your experience!

Salary (Based Range in USA)

Secretary’s earnings tend to fluctuate based on the industry, geographical area, and experience. The following is an overview of the recommended secretary rates in the US:

  • Average Annual Salary: $30,000 – $45,000
  • Hourly Wage: Typically ranges from $14 to $22 per hour
  • Entry-Level: Secretaries starting out may earn around $14 – $16 per hour.
  • Experienced Secretaries: Secretaries with several years of experience or specialized skills (e.g., in medical or legal fields) can earn $20 to $22 per hour or more.

Factors those determine the salary range include the size of the organization and the locality in which the secretary is situated. Small organizations availing their services at the grassroots level may pay about 25% less than the market rate for initial and basic secretarial positions.

Responsibilities

a woman sitting at a desk using a laptop computer

The secretary’s responsibilities include a number of administrative and clerical functions. These are the primary job duties:

  • Call Handling and Correspondence Management: This includes responding to phone calls, emails or letters and sometimes acting as the first level contact for clients or visitors.
  • Arrangements for Meetings and Events: Arranging for meetings, bookings, and travel for executives or teams in order to enhance their productivity.
  • Writing and issuing: Writing, editing and distributing a variety of texts including written communication, notices, press releases, and outlines which explains a company’s position.
  • Closeting and Collation of Records: Collection of hard records together with soft copies and assessments of all records and files are up to date.
  • Updating databases: Adding or changing records in databases, monitoring office usage, and purchasing or requesting supplies.
  • Basic financial data entry: Maintaining simple bookkeeping records such as collecting dues, paying bills, petty cash and filing documents is sometimes done by a secretary.
  • Coordinating with other Employees: There might be additional responsibilities of assisting with other people’s duties such as attending to meetings and events or performing routine office chores.
  • Coordinating the Office smooth functions: This might necessitate managing a person or a team of people who are responsible for maintenance or upkeep of the space.

Qualifications

Though secretarial jobs are considered more of a start up position, possessing certain skills and abilities can improve the employment tenets of a candidate. Therefore, here are some of the recognized qualifications when applying for secretarial vacancies:

  • Education: Typically, a high school diploma is a must, although there are employers who look out for those with an associates degree or any other qualifications.
  • Experience: Basic working knowledge in administrative or clerical personnel is a plus but not a requirement; most companies offer training as part of the orientation process.
  • Technical Skills:
  1. Proficiency with Office Software: The Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook) is often a necessary skill, as is experience with other productivity programs.
  2. Typing and Data Entry: Document compilation and data entry are common occupations that are time sensitive as a significant amount of typing will take place so accuracy is crucial.
  • Key Soft Skills:
  1. Strong Communication Skills: This aspect is especially important in this profession because secretaries are constantly in contact with clients, other employees and managers.
  2. Organizational Skills: These have to do with the ability to handle several things at the same time or defer some over others in relation to office management.
  3. Attention to Detail: Focus is required in order to avoid errors when entering data and for scheduling and preparing documents.

FAQs

Q1: Are there specific applications that secretaries are required to use?

Definitely, Microsoft Office including Word, Excel and Outlook forms a necessary skill for secretaries. Familiarity with other office applications like Google Workspace or any scheduling applications can be a bonus.

Q2: Are applicants for secretary posts required to have acted in the capacity before?

Prior experience helps, but many of the secretary entry-level jobs provide training in the workplace. Work experience in a call center or in the capacity of an administrative assistant is beneficial but not always essential.

Q3: Are there chances of growth in the position of a secretary?

Yes, secretaries can be promoted to administrative assistant, executive assistant and eventually to office manager. Gaining experience and going back to school can help in climbing the ladder.

Q4: Do secretaries have fixed working hours?

Most secretarial positions are in the typical 9-5 working hours, in some cases due to the nature of the job and workplaces like hospitals or hotels it is common to work in evenings or weekends.

Q5: Are secretaries expected to perform office management functions?

Secretaries quite often perform several office management tasks, including purchasing supplies or keeping the office in order but some bigger companies may employ office managers only.

Conclusion

The responsibilities of office secretaries should not be overlooked as they are crucial in the direction and coordination of all communication in an office setup. Their job descriptions are vast, encompassing tasks necessary for the office’s orderly operation, such as receiving calls or making appointments and keeping logs. Due to their nature of work, the secretarial practice is said to be inter-disciplinary. Because of this, a secretary has the opportunity to grow and develop more skills in other fields. With efficient organizational and communication techniques, a secretary is a valuable resource to any organization and helps to improve productivity and professionalism.

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