Secretary
So you want to be an office secretary. How do you narrow it down?
There are many types of offices-from legal and medical to corporate to education to construction.
What all office secretaries have in common is a sixth sense about organization and multitasking. If you are able to keep track of many people, messages, tasks, and phone calls, and still keep a smile on your face, then you are likely a top candidate for being a secretary. Let's look at the general requirements one by one.
First, most jobs require a high school diploma or general equivalency diploma (GED). Make sure you check the requirements of the job before you apply.
Next, most secretaries need a moderate degree of understanding when it comes to computers. Can you operate Microsoft Word with ease? Can you use email effectively? Do you know how to send a fax? Are you able to type quickly enough to be useful to a busy office?If your typing skills are lacking, try sites Powertyping.
Are you a good communicator when it comes to speaking on the telephone? Notice when you call doctors offices or car dealerships how the person speaking on the phone addresses you. You want to be kind and understanding, especially when you call to inquire about a secretarial position.
You will want to create a resume highlighting your experience. If you are a first time job-seeker, you may capitalize on your frequent emailing as legitimate experience in typing and electronic communication. Use your Internet searching skills to sell yourself as an asset to the company. If you can find information in a snap, you will minimize downtime that the office employees need to research specific subjects.
Use a job search site likeMonster.comto look at available jobs. Notice the keywords they use in the skills sections of the job posting. Try to incorporate these keywords into your resume. Monster also has a resume builder and an education section that will elaborate on the types of skills needed in various fields, including secretarial work.
Check your local newspaper for classified ads, or if you are a college student, check with your campus employment office to see if they have any positions available. The most important skills to have as a secretary are people skills-being able to interact with all kinds of people in a positive manner. These people skills are followed by technology skills-this is a requirement unless you happen to snag a job in one of the very few remaining old-fashioned offices out there. You will also want a good command of the English language to get your thoughts across in an intelligible way.
Secretaries are still vital to the workforce. In most cases, a positive personality, a good working knowledge of technology, a decent command of grammar and spelling, and a knack for organization will land you the job.
