The Changing Status of the Secretary in the Workplace
Previous generations used to think of the secretary position in the workplace as something not very important. The perception was that any woman who could follow basic instructions and had at least a high school education was capable of filling the position. They were viewed as the personal servant of their superior. Now, they are viewed with much more high regard, as an intricate part of the success of the professional office setting. Many executives will admit they cannot functions properly without a competent secretary to help them.
Modern secretaries are expected to have a wide variety of skills. Typing proficiency and basic computer knowledge is now a prerequisite to be successful in that job. Furthermore, the ability to make sure that there are not conflicts within the schedule of their boss is also very important. They’re responsible for fielding phone calls and figuring out which issues need priority attention. The secretary is also generally the first person that a client will see when entering a business. Therefore they are often the public face of the company. This is a lot of responsibility, and the secretary should be professional at addressing any issues clients may have.
Being a successful secretary is about having the ability to solve problems quickly. Time management is a very important skill in that profession so the office reaches maximum productivity and efficiency. Many times if there is a public relations even if it is the secretaries’ responsibility planning that function. Furthermore any correspondence with the company needs performed is often done during the day of a secretary. Over the last several decades, we have seen improvement in the respect and pay scale of most individuals in the role of a secretary.
Flexibility is also very important in that job. The responsibilities of a secretary shift and change many times throughout the course of the day. This also means that she must be able to make sure that everything gets done efficiently while always checking for other potential work that needs to be completed.
Most people do not completely understand the diversity necessary to be a successful secretary. The job description has changed tremendously in the last several years. This has a lot to do with the current economy and the reality that more people are being expected to perform to a higher degree than ever before in a professional sense. The role of a secretary should be given maximum respect in every office setting
