Many do not fully know what the duties of a secretary are. However, it should be clearly understood what exactly is included in the job description of this employee before getting a job. Such a profession as a secretary first appeared in ancient Rome. Moreover, this position was considered important and vested a person with great power, therefore only a man could fulfill the duties of a secretary. Only by the end of the 19th century did women get the chance to do clerical work.
Thanks to modern cinema, many may have the impression that a woman in this position is only concerned with her own appearance, making coffee and working with documents with ease. However, the duties of the secretary are quite extensive, ranging from absolute knowledge of computer programs to the rules of business etiquette and working with clients. If you decide to comprehend all the intricacies of the profession, then you should be prepared for the lack of a clear working day and an absolutely irregular work schedule. After all, you have to fully adapt to the characteristics of the company and the usual routine of the boss.
In fact, the duties of the assistant secretary presuppose the existence of a higher education, fluency in the English language, since the assistant to the head is, in a sense, his face, the main component of the company's reputation. The widespread image of a sexy, but poorly educated woman in life is completely useless, because no partner or client will be serious about such a leader.
So, what are the functional responsibilities of the secretary? First of all, in this position it is necessary to receive incoming calls and give a qualified answer to all questions. In order to be aware, you should clearly know the schedule of the boss, as well as understand the subtleties of the specifics of the company. Any phone call must be answered using stable expressions, that is, you need to speak from a third party. People are different, and the secretary in each situation must be able to maintain composure and not stoop to rudeness or tone increase. Thus, the culture of communication is considered one of the paramount points.
In addition, you need to understand that it is through the secretary that a large number of various documents go through the main activities of the company and directly belong to the management team. It is necessary to have the ability to quickly organize the flow of incoming documents in order to find the required folder if necessary. Organizing effective, well-coordinated work in a timely manner is also an essential skill, since the duties of the secretary include receiving visitors, including organizing unplanned meetings.
In some companies, this employee has the responsibility of controlling the availability of office supplies that ensure normal operation not only in the secretariat, but throughout the office. And of course, you have to buy basic products, as guests should offer tea, coffee and snacks to maintain the image of the company. It is very important for the manager to find an employee who is able to accurately and timely follow his instructions, ensuring the efficient operation of the office. A competent secretary should be competent in a number of financial matters, since very often you have to fill out financial documents and send them to other authorities. Naturally, making mistakes suffers the face of the company.
Thus, a smart leader independently considers each candidate for the post of secretary. During the interview, he tries to understand how educated a person is, is sociable and able to make decisions in extreme situations.