THE OFFICE SECRETARY

Definition: ‘A Secretory shall be defined as an executive assistant who possesses a mastery of office skills, demonstrates the ability to assume responsibility without direct supervision, exercises initiative and judgment and makes decisions within the scope of assigned authority’.

She is the center of communication, co-ordination and co-operation toward the achievement of work goals.

The world business is huge and a complex one. It involves many people doing many different things. The ever-changing business world is that never stops growing secretarial field offers excellent opportunities for both men and women to enter the world of business.

Role of a Secretary – A good secretary is a very special person. In today’s business world the secretary is a person who plays a very important role i.e., she should be competent full measure of common sense and a powerful memory. She should be able to do all the routine work and solve other business problems. All of us are humans are we are bound to make mistakes – but to avoid making mistakes we should ask certain things we do known know, remember half knowledge is always dangerous. But one should not be asking all day long as asking questing all day to the employer or her other colleagues will be nothing but disturbing them, she will not be a help but a hindrance. She should be able, trusted to write self- correspondence or compose a letter on brief instruction, writing letters her employer can sign, letters with complete confidence in their accuracy. She is able to handle all arrangements for meetings. She shields her employer against unnecessary interruption by keeping away unwanted callers.

Extended personally of the boss – The secretary acts on behalf of the boss. By speaking to clients and taking decisions for the betterment of the company.

The Secretary eases the boss’s burden. She takes care of her boss. She makes his job as easy as possible for him. She takes care of small things to keep her boss’s day as smooth as possible so as to give him time for other important work.

World Secretary’s Day is celebrated on 22^nd April every year.

Stenographer works with words. Secretary works with people. Duties of a secretary vary from organization to organization and from department to department.

-      Taking down dictation, typing correspondence, reports, longhand notes, (receiving dictation and transcribing on the typewriter the personal and business correspondence of her employer).

-      Receiving incoming mail, sorting letters, date-stamping, checking for enclosures, listing out cheques, demand drafts received, etc.

-      Handwriting – Your office duties will require that you write some material in longhand, your handwriting should be neat and legible.

-      Taking care of employer’s petty cash, bank, insurance, etc.

-      She has to carry out the reception duties that is receiving and entertaining of visitors, handling phone calls, telexes, faxes and other communication.

-      Keeping her employer’s diary and arranging appointments and engagements.

-      Communication – The employer may expect you to operate the telephone, use telephone directories, fax, etc. you may also have to serve as a messenger both inside and outside the firm.

-      Filing – you should have sufficient knowledge about filing equipment’s and filing supplies. You should know how to decide the heading under which the papers are to be filed, how to place materials in the files, how follow-up or borrow file material, how to transfer file papers to prevent the files from becoming cluttered.

-      Meeting callers – you should learn the reception techniques for meeting callers. You should know how to classify callers in order of their importance.

-      Petty cash, bank insurance etc.

-      Travel booking and arrangements (Making the employer’s travel arrangements, booking of hotels, etc.)

-      Personal and business correspondence.

-      Attending meetings and making arrangements for the same.

-      Keeping the wall charts and calendars up to date and ensuring that the office is provided with necessary stationary etc.

-      Supervising the junior secretarial staff.

-      Generally relieving the employer of many of his routine business and private matters.

-      Employers’ stationary etc. 

The dividing line between beginning a job as a stenographer and the title of secretary is usually crossed when the employee is given the following kind of responsibility:

1.   Opportunities to answer general type of correspondence by constructing her own letters.

2.   Supervision of work carried on by other office employees.

3.   Opportunities to take dictation involving confidential matters of the company.

4.   Task requiring the handling of money and personal matters of money and personal matters for the employer.

5.   Supervision of many office details including matters such as ordering stationery and supplies, arranging routines for arranging routines for handling of mail and filing, etc.

6.   Opportunities to make decisions involves judgment and initiative as applied to routine matters or details especially when the employee is out of the office.

Secretaries are often in an excellent position to learn a great deal bout business as a result those who prepare themselves are often advanced to more important jobs a secretary means rise to the position of department supervisor, assistant office manager or business executive. Businessmen try to fill vacancies in higher paid jobs by promoting from within the firm that is through internal recruitment in order to be successful in the secretarial skills.

Personal qualities:

1.   Appearance – When you meet a person for the first time, your appearance is a first thing that impresses. Personal cleanliness is of utmost importance. Your hair should be well combed, your make-up should be applied well and modestly. Your hands should be free from dirt, typewriter smudges or ink marks. Your dress should be neat, attractive, dignified and appropriate.

2.   Posture – If you slump over your desk you are bound to make a poor impression on others. Excellent posture helps to maintain a person’s good health.

3.   Good speech – If you have a cultivated voice and your pronunciation plus vocabulary are excellent, you are certain to make a good impression on your employer. If your speech is in need of improvement, you should use a dictionary to improve your pronunciation and vocabulary. You should try and engage in as much conversation as you can. Also, attentiveness to conversation of good speakers and study of good business correspondence is helpful. Pay attention to what you say and how you say it.

4.   Good manners – A secretary should be courteous, graceful, friendly, considerate and dignified. The use of Thank-you can never be overdone either in or out of the office.

5.   Tact – The essence of tact is knowing when and how to say something and when not to say anything.

6.   Dealing with others – The way you conduct yourself in your office helps to build up not only your reputation but the reputation of the business as well. In dealing with your superior you should try to win their confidence by being prompt and attractive by following instructions faithfully, by displaying initiative to do the task, which do not seem to eb the responsibility of any particular employees with your coworkers you should show general friendliness, cooperation, team spirit and willingness s to help. While treating sub-ordinates, you should be friendly but not over friendly. You should show appreciation or praise for good work and should give kind and tactful criticism of unsatisfactory work.

7.   Adaptability – Situations change from day to day. The person who can meet these rapidly changing situations are said to be adaptable.

8.   Self-control – Arguments are not solved by raising your voice or by displaying temper. It should be remembered that they are merely difference of opinion and one should learn to keep one’s self-control at all times.

9.   Self-confidence – You should do to the best of your ability any job that is given to you. The best way for you to win your self-confidence is to learn the business so well that you know just where and how your task fits into the world of the organization.

10.                Punctuality – Another form of honesty is the quality of punctuality. Always make it a point to start to work early, so that even if there is a slight transportation delay you will be on time.

11.                Dependability – If you can do a job with the assurance that you will do it quickly and accurately, you possess the quality of dependability. Show your dependability while working just as hard when the employer is not in the office as you do when he is there to watch you.

12.                Initiative – You should always be ready to do things even though you are not given specific direction. At all times, you should be ready to offer suggestions regarding the more effective handling mode with which you are familiar.

13.                Loyalty – Company secrets or the personal affairs of the employer must never be discussed either in or out of the office. Without the quality of loyalty, no office workers can hold a position of confidence.

14.                Desire for promotion – The job of a secretary should be a stepping stone to a higher position in the firm. If you are wise you will master the details of the business and in turn be successful in getting promotions.

Qualification of a Secretary:

1.   She should have good general education which includes sound grammar and good vocabulary and the ability to spell and pronounce clearly and correctly.

2.   She should be good in short hand and typing. Her work should be neat and tidy.

3.   She should have good practical knowledge of accounts.

4.   Interest in current affairs and general knowledge about her organization.

Qualities of a Secretary:

1.   The secretary should have mastery in various office skills.

2.   The secretary should take certain decisions on her own in the absence of the managers.

3.   She should be willing to do the assigned work cheerfully. She should also come forward with new ideas and suggestions.

4.   She should be punction to her work.

5.   She should be loyal to her employer.

Personal attributes:

1.   Good general appearance and manners are important in creating a right image in obtaining a secretarial position and later on for promotions.

2.   She should have pleasant manners over the phone and in greeting visitors.

3.   She should be willing to help her employer at all times sometimes staying late in the evening and coming early in the morning.

4.   She should increase her general knowledge by reading good books and newspapers.

Code of professional ethics:

1.   Be loyal and honest.

2.   Maintain integrity and conduct.

3.   Be responsible.

4.   Develop good communication skills in and outside the organization.

Secretary’s relation with her employer:

1.   Be accurate, ensure that all the work that leaves her office is accurate.

2.   The secretary must be able to deal diplomatically with any telephone inquiries and handle office matters confidentially.

3.   She has to be understanding. Sometimes she has to stay late if there is any urgent job to be done.

4.   Be clear when your manager gives you the assigned work.

5.   Keep your employees’ desk and your desk clean and tidy.

6.   Possesses sense of humor on both the sides.

7.   There should be high standard of conduct and efficiency.

8.   She should take comments professionally and not personally.