A secretary is defined as an executive assistant who exercises judgment, assumes responsibility without supervision, and makes decisions within their scope. There are three levels of secretaries - B performs limited duties, A performs unlimited duties, and Executive Secretary/Administrative Assistant handles high-level projects. Secretarial duties involve tasks like scheduling, correspondence, travel arrangements, notetaking, filing and office management. Qualities of an ideal secretary include accuracy, organization, communication skills, and the ability to work well with others. Strong secretarial skills include typing, shorthand, grammar proficiency, and knowledge of business machines and procedures.

1. SECRETARYSHIP
WHAT IS SECRETARY? - THE
DEFINITION OF A SECRETARY

2. A
secretary shall be defined as an
executive assistant who possesses a
mastery of office skills, demonstrates the
ability to assume responsibility without
direction or supervision, exercises
initiative and judgment, and makes
decisions within the scope of assigned
authority.

3. The classification of a secretaries according to
The Administrative Management Society:

Secretary level B
Performs a limited range of secretarial duties
in a small company or for a supervisor in a
large firm. May take dictation and transcribe
from notes and dictaphone with speed and
accuracy. Screen calls, make appointment,
handles travel arrangement, answer routine
correspondence, and maintains filling system.

4. 
Sectretary level A
Performs an unlimited range of
secretarial duties for middle
management personnel or more than
individual. Composes and/or takes and
transcribes correspondence of a
complex and confidential nature. Position
requires a knowledge of company policy,
procedures, and above average
secretarial and administrative skills.

5. 
Executive Secretary/Administrative
Assistant
Performs a full range of secretarial and
administrative duties for high level
members of executive staff. Handles
project oriented duties and maybe held
accountable for the timely completion of
this tasks. Relieves executive of routine
administrative detail. Position requires an
in depth knowledge of company practice,
structure, and high degree of technical
skill.

6. 
Legal Secretary-discussed later

7. THREE KINDS OF SECRETARIAL
POSITION, EACH WITH DIFFERENT
CAREER PATH:
1. The traditional multifunctional secretary (also
called junior secretary, senior secretary,
private secretary, executive secretary) – the
most common term we know.
2. The word processing secretary (also called
word processing specialist and
correspondence secretary)
3. The administrative secretary (also called
administrative trainee or specialist)

8. SECRETARIAL JOB
DESCRIPTION
1. Schedules appointment and maintains calendar
2. Receives and assists visitors and telephone
callers.
3. Arranges business itineraries and coordinates
executive’s travel requirement.
4. Take action authorized during executive’s
absence.
5. Take manual shorthands and transcribes from it
or transcribes from machine dictation.

9. 6. Types material from longhand or rough
copy
7. Sorts, reads, and annotates incoming
mail and document and attaches
appropriate file to facilitate necessary
action
8. Determines routing, signatures required,
and maintains follow up.
9. Composes correspondences and reports.
10. Prepares communications outlined by
executive in oral or written directions.

10. 11. Researches and abstracts information and
supporting data in preparation for meeting, work
projects, and reports.
12. Correlates and edits material submitted by
others.
13. Organizes material which may be presented to
executive in draft format.
14. Maintains fillings and records management
systems and other office flow procedures.
15. Makes arrangements for and coordinates
conferences and meetings.

11. 16. May serve as recorder of minutes with
responsibility for transcription and distribution to
participants.
17. May supervise or hire other employees
18. Select and/or make recommendations for
purchase of supplies and equipment, maintain
budget and expense account records, financial
records, and confidential files.
19. Maintains up-to-date procedures manual for
the specific duties handled on the job.
20. Performs other duties as assigned or as
judgment or necessity dictates.

12. Therea are four scopes or area of
secretarial duties :
1. Technical skills
2. An understanding of business functions
and interlocking functions
3. Skill in human relation
4. Facility in oral and written communication

13. DIVISION OF THE SECRETARIAL
FUNCTION

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
TYPING ACTIVITIES
Correspondence
Reports
Business forms
Machine
transcriptions
Files

NONTYPING
ACTIVITIES
1.
Handling mail
Scheduling
appointments
Making travel
arrangements
Researching information
Other secretarial
services
2.
3.
4.
5.

14. QUALITIES OF AN IDEAL
SECRETARY
 Accurate,
alert
 Neat, nicely groomed
 Industrious, intelligent, interest in job
 Dependable, dlligent
 Efficient, exercise poise
 Ambitious. agreeable
 Loyal. logical

15.  Sincere,
systematic
 Enthusiastic
 Cheerful, courteous, cooperative, confident
 Reliable, resourceful
 Eager to please, exercises good judgment
 Tactful, thorough, trustworthy, truthfful
 Attentive, adaptable
 Responsible, refined
 Your attitude (thoughtfulness, and helpfulness
toward others)

16. In order for you to become a
competent secretary, you must
acquire the followings:
 Good
typing skills
 Accurate, fast shorthand
 Knowledge of the rules of spelling,
capitalization, and word divisions
 Knowledge of and ability to apply the rules
of grammar, punctuation, and sentence
structure.

17.  Knowledge
of filing system and
procedures
 Knowledge of the operation of business
machine
 Communication skill
 Mathematical skill
 Bookkeeping skill

18. SECRETARIAL ENVIRONMENT

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Company officers
President
Executive vice president
Vice president
Secretary
Treasurer

19. 
1.
2.
3.
Divisions of a company
Production
Purchasing
Marketing :
a.
b.
c.
Sales department
Advertising department
Market research department

20. 4.
5.
6.
Finance division
Research and development division
Administrative services division :
a.
b.
Personnel department
Information services