The role assigned to secretarial jobs has changed somewhat in recent years leaving the title and position rather undefined but despite this a secretary will normally be required to perform certain key tasks regardless of what level and in which industry they perform.
A secretary could typically expect her role to include tasks such as word processing, dealing with enquiries through both telephone and email, maintaining a coherent filing system and taking appointments for other members of staff.
In certain industry sectors administrative roles take on a different form and secretarial jobs may involve some or all of the following:
- producing documents using a variety of software packages;
- invoicing customers and clients;
- ordering office supplies such as stationery and equipment;
- booking meeting rooms;
- taking minutes during meetings;
- maintaining clear and concise budgets.
In some cases secretaries are asked to expand their range of tasks to include things such as:
- arranging events for both in-house and external occasions;
- recruiting junior staff and training them;
- manipulation of statistical data of a complex nature;
- arranging travel and accommodation.
Due to the ever important role of a secretary, candidates looking for a secretarial job should be able to demonstrate skills such as team work, reliability, organisation, communication (both oral and written), planning and honesty.
Formal qualifications are not always required but experience in a similar role, especially one in the same industry, are looked upon with favour. Many secretaries will gain such valuable experience by working through an agency, temping in various different fields. Many temporary jobs such as these will often lead to more permanent roles should the secretary perform at or above the required level.
Typical starting salaries for secretarial jobs range from £18,000 to £25,000 for those working in central London and from £11,000 to £18,000 for regions outside of the capital.
A secretary with up to 15 years or more experience may receive a salary of up to £40,000 in the right company although these positions are less common and only really occur in London.
Those in secretarial jobs who are looking to progress in their career might choose to focus their skills and become a secretary in a more specialised field such as legal or medical. Alternatively to broaden your range of daily tasks a secretary could go on to become an office manager who not only takes care of administrative tasks but is also responsible for the smooth running of the organisation.
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