Although, Secretary and a Company Secretary seem similar, they are poles apart. The prime responsibility of a Secretary is to maintain files, attend telephone calls, type letters and to carry out other clerical tasks in any organization they are working. However Company Secretary is a mind-rewarding career, which is once again better than the Secretary is. The job profile of a Company Secretary includes resourceful supervision of a company, predominantly with regard to ensuring acquiescence with legal and regulatory necessities and for ensuring that decisions of the Board of Directors are put into practice.

Secretary courses and career opportunities

There are many Secretarial courses that an aspirant can pursue to become a Secretary. Various institutes provide short-term and long-term Secretarial courses in India. It is not necessary to pursue the various secretarial programs to turn out to be a Secretary. Intermediates in any discipline can become Secretaries. However, they require certain basic abilities like good communication skills, in English and the regional language, where they work and computer awareness.  In addition, they require Typewriting and internet usage proficiency. Having these skills, aspirants can apply for Secretary Vacancies in Government agencies and private sector. They have to attend certain Government tests so as to get public sector jobs. However, in most of the private companies, they provide employments to Secretaries by way of direct recruitment.

Company Secretary courses and career opportunities

In order to turn out to be a Company Secretary, aspirants have to study the Company Secretary course. The ICSI carries out the program, which comprises of 3 levels, foundation, intermediate and mains. Those who have passed the Company Secretary course can seek out for jobs in public sector like financial institutions, regulatory bodies, banks, Department of company affairs and so on. They can also search for private sector jobs like consulting firms, insurance companies, capital markets and other multi-national companies.

Key differentiators between a Secretary and a Company Secretary

• Any individual can become Secretaries after going through a secretarial course, but those who have studied the CS course alone can become Company Secretary.
• The key difference between the two is their responsibility, emoluments, whom they need to, report in the office and so on.

Most of them misinterpret Secretary and Company Secretary to be one and the same. However, both are entirely different areas of study and employment.