An introduction to Administrative Assistant and Secretary Jobs

Secretaries have always been an integral part of business operations, but they are more important than ever today. As technology advances, businesses are finding better ways to handle organization, communication and other vital aspects of the working environment. Since secretaries typically handle those matters to ensure the office runs smoothly, they have to be efficient at more than simple typing and filing these days.

If you are interested in working as a secretary, it is important to realize that there are different types of positions in the field now.

The Secretary

While some small companies may still hire a secretary to simply answer phones and do some basic filing, most secretaries today must have more advanced skills to handle the technologies now used in the office. They must know how to check email and use other forms of online communication instead of just taking notes on paper. They also must know how to store, organize, and retrieve information through in-office computer systems rather than simply filing away little folders.

Most secretaries will also be required to have some skill with Microsoft Word and Excel, if not a variety of other computer programs for design, finance and other aspects of business. Programs such as Skype are also required knowledge in many offices, since business conferences are held online rather than in the office.

Many secretaries also deal with travel arrangements and organize conferences in the local office, which requires a lot of organizational and communication skills. Some bosses may require a secretary to be available on a cell phone or through text messaging as well.

The Administrative Assistant

There are some other titles, which may be used for this position such as Executive Assistant, but Administrative Assistant just refers to a secretary who does more complicated work and/or who works for one of the top executives in the company. They are required to understand all of the typical duties of a secretary such as managing appointments and day to day schedules, but they will also work on special projects that take a lot of extra knowledge and great attention to detail.

For instance, an administrative assistant may be required to put together reports complete with graphs and other data or they may be required to coordinate, plan, and host executive meetings with other businessmen and women from around the world. They must be constantly aware of small details and they must work closely with other people to ensure that everything is done as needed.

Some administrative assistants may also be given greater control over some cash funds and be required to stick with a budget in terms of arranging and planning big meetings and other business functions.

Essentially, a busy businessman or woman depends on their administrative assistant to ensure the finer details of their daily objectives are taken care of, so they can get on with business. A slow or untrained secretarial assistant will slow down the office and cause problems.

Just like most other professions, being a secretary takes more knowledge today than it did in the past. As technology advances, the demands on a secretary to keep the office flowing smoothly and ensure all aspects of communication are maintained are likely to increase. As a result, an administrative resume must be more than a listing of your typing and organizational skills - it should showcase all the duties you have that go well beyond a basic admin job description.

- Gail Esparan