Secretaries and Administrative Assistant

Overview

Who is Secretaries and Administrative Assistant?

A secretary who is also known as an administrative assistant is responsible for a variety of duties including administrative, clerical work, planning, and other organizational duties. Their duties vary as per the industry and the range of work, however, they come under the umbrella of communicating through emails, answering the phone calls, working on filing systems, scheduling appointments, arranging staff meetings, preparing reports and memos on various agendas, recruiting and supervising new employees and interns, updating event calendars and coordinating with the inter-office communications on a routine basis. Apart from that, administrative assistants at times also work in the specialized areas of legal and healthcare support to their employers.

Typical day at work

What does Secretaries and Administrative Assistant do?

As part of a team or on their own, a secretary or administrator aids professionals with both clerical and administrative responsibilities. They assist in the organisation and implementation of office operations, and they are typically in charge of specific projects and tasks. They may be responsible for overseeing and supervising the work of junior employees in some situations. The job description varies greatly depending on the industry, organisation size, and level of responsibility. The majority of the work entails written and vocal communication, as well as word processing and typing. It also necessitates related abilities such as IT, organisational, and presentation skills, as well as the ability to multi-task and perform effectively under pressure. Specialist expertise or certifications may be necessary for some circumstances, such as legal secretarial employment.

• Answer calls, greet and provide information to visitors and callers, manage inquiries, take messages, and transfer calls or direct visitors to relevant personnel
• Set-up and manage database information on paper or electronic filing systems to record, update, and maintain paperwork, documents, attendance, etc. and coordinate internal or external information flow
• Operate and make repair arrangements for fax machines, copiers, computers, phone systems, etc.
• Schedule and confirm appointments and maintain event calendars and planners
• Draft and prepare memos, invoices, reports, presentations, meeting notes, etc.
• Check and answer incoming and outgoing emails, letters, and faxes
• Review, edit, proof-read and revise documents for accuracy
• Organize conference or event resources like brochures or invitations
• Plan meetings or other special events
• Maintain company website
• Book flights, hotel rooms, and make other reservations
• Negotiate with vendors, and monitor, order, and maintain office supplies
• Research on internet and read literature on required material
• Perform basic accounting and payroll duties
• Train, observe, assist, assign duties, and supervise other clerical staff
• Make copies of printed material
• Collect and deposit money, and make payments.

Abilities & aptitude needed

What are the skills, abilities & aptitude needed to become Secretaries and Administrative Assistant?

Secretaries and administrative assistants must be courteous, polite, approachable, presentable, attentive, and need good listening skills when dealing with critical needs of employer. They must have critical thinking ability and good problem solving skills to resolve conflicts and provide solutions to clients through sound reasoning and judgment.

They also need to have good communication and interpersonal skills to explain information to colleagues and visitors. Research and fact-finding skills are a must, and they need the poise and temperament to deal with high-stress conditions, urgency, and long hours.

Great organizational, multi-tasking, and negotiation skills are extremely important for those looking to become a Secretary. They need to be calm, tactful, discreet, and reliable in working things out in a timely manner. Self-motivated, ability to think independently, responsible and are extremely driven are the qualities an employer is looking for in an administrative assistant.

Since the work includes practicality, it requires precision, and eye for detail, accuracy, and careful data monitoring. They must be able to manage time and prioritize tasks effectively while maintaining the quality of work.

They also need to be self-motivated, persistent, determined, adaptable, flexible, and open to change to work with the employer, rather than impose their own ideas. They usually work in or lead teams and must be able to motivate and direct other team members, thus, interpersonal, team and project management, team player, and leadership skills are necessary.

They should be able to absorb details quickly, process information rapidly, and think quickly. They should be interested in networking and marketing. They should possess strong work ethic and integrity as they are trusted to manage and keep highly sensitive information confidential and private.

Lastly, one also needs to have basic computer literacy in order to use Microsoft Office and other software programmes.

Courses

Which course I can pursue?