Secretary

A Secretary is accountable for the front office of a business. In fact, the Secretary is the backbone of the entire office. Whether you work in a Dentist ’s office or at a seasonal tree farm, you make sure the office stays organized, and all administrative duties are taken care of.

Your responsibilities as a Secretary range from answering the phone to planning company parties. The most common tasks will be filing papers, handling the mail, and managing the majority of office communications. In smaller companies, you may wear additional hats including Bookkeeper, Inventory Clerk, Travel Agent, or Event Planner.

The challenging part of the job comes from the volume. With phone, email, and written messages moving on and off your desk, you must maintain organization. With truckloads of paper flowing through the office, you need to locate that one urgent document when the boss needs it. This requires you to be very aware of all your surroundings, and constantly track the ebb and flow of office chaos.

To help you in this tracking you use common computer programs such as Outlook Express, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel, as well as programs specific to the company. In addition, you type efficiently, use multi-line telephones, fax machines, and photocopiers.

This job requires such a variety of skills that it is an excellent launching point if you choose to work towards a job as an Administrative Assistant, Event Coordinator, or Office Manager.