Technological advancements over the past few years and the impact of globalization has drastically changed and redefined the role of secretary and administrative position. It was quite often considered as quick and easy way to start a career, but now changing role has made it multi tasking and super efficient job.

Questions that bothers aspirants

How can I become a secretary? Is it a good career option? What are the compensations like? These are some of the many questions that bother everyone who are looking forward to choose this career.

Secretary an invaluable asset

For any business, an efficient secretary is an invaluable asset. Employees who take care of back end support of a business are faced with constant challenges and it is necessary for them to enhance their cognitive skills. These skills cannot be acquired through education, but through training only.

The impact of technology on the role of secretaries and assistants

With the dependence of technology continues to grow in offices, the role of secretaries and administrative professionals have evolved greatly. With the automation of offices and restructuring of organizations, their responsibilities have widened to a level where they have assumed responsibilities that were once reserved for managers and other professionals. Even though the responsibilities have undergone changes, their primary role remains the same, which involves performing and coordinating administrative activities in offices which includes storing, retrieving and integrating information for the purpose of dissemination to staff and clients.

The important duties performed

To run an organization efficiently, secretaries and administrative personnel’s perform various administrative and clerical duties. They manage information and communication in an office. They have to perform planning and scheduling meetings and appointments. They organize and maintain paper and electronic files, manage projects, perform research activities related to the office, disseminate information using various communication equipments, mail services web sites and e-mail. In addition to this, they are also responsible for handling travel and making guest arrangements.

Such personnel’s operate on various equipments in an office, which includes computers, fax machines, photocopiers, scanning machine, telephones, video conferencing etc. They use computers to perform work that were previously performed by managers and officers. Such works include creating spread sheets, preparing letters, managing database, preparing presentations, reports, and documents using various software programs. In some instance they will have to negotiate with the vendors, ensure that machines and equipments that are leased are well maintained and examined at regular intervals, purchase supplies for the office, manage corporate libraries, and retrieve data from different sources.

The change in duties

Present day managers and professionals are now assigned with tasks and duties that were previously carried out by secretaries and administrative assistants. Such tasks and duties include typing and attending telephone calls. As secretaries are free from dictation and word processing, they have more time to spend on providing assistance to executive staff. They are also entrusted with the task of providing training and orientation for new staff, conducting online research and operate and troubleshoot new technologies adopted in office.

The role of executive secretaries and administrative assistants

In the case of executive secretaries and administrative personnel’s, they provide assistance to high level executives in an organization. Their task involves less clerical jobs and more of top level administrative support. They supervise clerks, and take care of more complex tasks such as reviewing incoming documents and distribute them based on their importance. They also make preparations and arrangements for conducting meetings and discussions.

In some of the specialized fields such as legal and medical domains, secretaries require specialized knowledge and skills in technical terminologies and procedures. For instance, legal papers such as notices, complaints, summons, etc need to be prepared by legal secretaries. They will have to conduct research on legal topics, fresh lawyers on how to prepare documents for submission on courts.

The growing employment opportunities

Employment opportunities for secretaries and administrative assistants are estimated to increase by 11 per cent over a ten year period between 2008 and 2018. The opportunities will grow in par with any other employment opportunities. The opportunities will vary with the growth in various sectors. How ever the major contributors will be educational sector, construction sector, and healthcare sector.

The increased use of automation and increasing restructuring will continue to make them productive in the coming years. The use of most modern communication equipments and communication channels will help them deliver more than they used to deliver in the past.

Technology cannot replace human beings

The adoption of technology in the offices will continue, but since the role of secretaries and administrative assistants are personal and interactive in nature, their role in an office cannot be automated. Excellent communication skill is required by any secretary or administrative assistant to coordinate with staff and clients. Since technology cannot replace skills that are inherent in human beings that are personal in nature, it is obvious that secretaries and administrative assistants will play a major role in most of the organizations.

In addition to job opportunities as a result of growth in various sectors, there will be opportunities in order to fill vacant positions that are left by secretaries and administrative assistants who have retired or moved on to other jobs. This included executive positions as well. Extensive knowledge of computer and computer applications are preferred by most of the employers. Candidates with bachelor degree are in demand for such openings.

The compensation for secretaries and administrative assistants vary from industry to industry and from company to company. For a secretary or administrative assistant with experience, it will start from Rs. 10,000 and up to Rs. 50,000 per month based on the experience.

Technological advancements are impacting the role of secretaries and administrative assistants and is making their tasks simple, yet challenging.  Their traditional role has undergone changes and they now perform duties performed by managers. They have to be updated with changing technology and role to lead a successful career as a secretary or administrative assistant.