Well-organized…
resourceful…
persistent and detail oriented…
with a strong drive to make things work.
Secretaries and administrative assistants
need a combination of all these qualities.
They handle administrative activities
in most organizations,
including schools, healthcare facilities,
government offices, and private companies.
Secretaries perform a wide variety of tasks.
They prepare documents and spreadsheets,
organize files, schedule appointments,
and support other staff.
They may also buy supplies, plan events,
and manage stockrooms.
Most answer phone calls
and direct them appropriately.
In schools,
they handle communications among parents,
students, and school administration.
Some duties are particular
to a type of secretary:
Executive secretaries
work for top executives
to handle complex responsibilities,
including research and writing reports.
Confidentiality and integrity are essential.
They may also manage clerical staff.
Legal secretaries
prepare legal documents
and help with legal research
under the supervision of an attorney
or a paralegal.
Medical secretaries transcribe dictation
and prepare reports or articles
for doctors or medical scientists.
They may handle communications with patients
and process insurance payments.
Most secretaries and administrative assistants
work full time in offices;
some work for
administrative service companies
out of their own homes.
Jobs typically require a high school education
and basic office, computer,
and English grammar skills.
Legal and medical secretaries
need additional training
to learn industry terminology.
Most community colleges offer programs
or courses to obtain these skills.
Executive secretaries require
several years’ related work experience.