Information
■What does a secretary do? A detailed explanation of the rewards and hidden charms!
Some people may have dreamed of becoming a secretary after watching movies and dramas in which company executives and capable secretaries work together. Although a secretary is a job that requires business skills and manners, it is also a job that is suitable for people who can pay close attention to detail. Here, we will introduce what kind of work a secretary actually does and the rewards and charms of the job.
1. An occupation to aspire to! What does a secretary do?
The image of a secretary is that he or she assists company executives, but in addition to executive secretaries, there are various types of secretaries, such as medical secretaries, legislative secretaries, and school secretaries. The job content may differ depending on the company/organization, industry, and number of secretaries. Here, we will explain the general job content of a secretary. Busy executives and legislators often need secretaries for the purpose of "schedule management." In order to allow their superiors to focus on their original duties without being bothered by miscellaneous tasks, they adjust and manage schedules to complete their work efficiently without missing anything.
You will make arrangements and prepare documents necessary for meetings, visitors, and visits. In the case of business trips, you will also have to handle various ancillary tasks such as arranging transportation such as airplanes and bullet trains, reserving accommodations, checking necessary documents, and arranging gifts. Managing these schedules is your main job and will take up a lot of your time. Other important tasks include taking phone calls, responding to phone calls and emails when your boss is not there, and responding to visitors and conveying the matter to your boss and asking for instructions.
You will also sort the large amount of mail that arrives, such as direct mail that can be opened, by type, and sort letters that need to be checked immediately. You will compile meeting materials, organize necessary documents, and settle expenses such as travel expenses for business trips and entertainment expenses for business partners. Although secretarial work is a job that assists your boss, it is a rewarding job that is an important asset to the company.
1-1. Do you think that secretarial work is "difficult"?
Many people have the impression that secretaries are difficult. There are several reasons why secretaries have the impression that their work is difficult. Basically, secretaries must act in accordance with the working style of their boss. When the boss works overtime, they may work overtime with the boss or participate in after-work entertainment. In addition, secretaries and bosses have a three-legged relationship, and secretaries must faithfully carry out what the boss asks of them. Another difficult part of a secretary's job is that they have to change the way they support their boss depending on their type. In addition to the many skills required, the fact that they have to work in accordance with their boss leads to the impression that secretaries are difficult.
1-2. What skills are necessary for a secretary?
Secretaries, who perform all kinds of tasks to support their boss, are required to have a wide variety of skills. First of all, communication skills are a skill that greatly affects how they are evaluated by their boss. In many cases, secretaries are entrusted with contacting employees and negotiating with clients as the boss's representative. In such situations, it is important to have communication skills that allow them to fulfill their role without causing any major problems and without damaging the boss's reputation. If you do not have a minimum level of communication skills, you may not be able to communicate well with your boss, which may cause problems in your work. Furthermore, in foreign-affiliated companies, you may be required to communicate in English.
Secondly, secretaries also need computer skills that are useful when creating documents. They will need to learn how to use Office software and how to efficiently gather information on the Internet. In addition, secretaries are also required to have the skills to properly manage information related to their boss' schedule and work.
2. What is rewarding about being a secretary?
If your boss has many meetings with people outside the company, the secretary will be there to adjust the schedule and make arrangements so that both parties can meet. Even within the company, they also help maintain good relationships by acting as a cushion and lubricant between your boss and employees. In this way, many people seem to feel rewarded by being an important presence that connects their boss and people, whether inside or outside the company. Also, being directly thanked by your boss and the people you are involved with is a great motivation. Although secretaries mostly perform supportive tasks, they can also be the face of the company when dealing with clients and customers. Your ability to respond and your likeability at that time will also raise the evaluation of the entire company.
Some people feel that it is an immense joy to have gained the trust of an outside person, which leads to a deal and profits for the company. As you gain experience, you will become familiar with various tasks, understand the priorities, relationships with clients, and current problems, and be able to adjust schedules and concise minutes, etc., and be able to handle difficult tasks flexibly and ingeniously. You will feel a great sense of accomplishment when you are able to take the initiative in your work instead of waiting for your boss' instructions.
2-1. What do secretaries need to do to feel fulfilled?
In order for secretaries to feel fulfilled while working, the first thing they need to do is respect their boss. Since secretaries' work is to support their boss, it will be difficult to feel fulfilled unless they recognize that their boss is important. On top of that, by paying attention to a few points while working, secretaries will feel even more fulfilled. First of all, it is important to take your boss' warnings in a positive way. Always be humble, admit your mistakes honestly, and use them to your advantage next time. Even if you feel that the reprimand is unreasonable, you can avoid damaging the relationship of trust by listening to your boss's story to the end and then calmly expressing your side of the story.
Next, making an effort to improve your speaking and listening skills will also be useful in the work of a secretary. When you are speaking, summarize the main points in advance and make sure to convey the important points concisely. Also, when the other person is speaking, do not interrupt them in the middle, and listen while nodding to give a polite impression. In addition, it is also important for secretaries to learn the proper manners for celebrations and funerals. There are cases where you will accompany your boss to attend events such as the inauguration ceremony of the president, so make sure to check in advance the manners, such as how to behave with your position in mind. Similarly, there are cases where you will attend funerals on behalf of your boss. Finally, the basic principle of a secretary is to prioritize others over yourself. In order to feel a sense of fulfillment in your work, always try to act while taking into consideration the other person's feelings and situation, rather than trying to be the main character yourself.
3. Introducing the unique charms of secretarial work!
In many secretarial jobs, you will work closely with executives and managers who are in positions close to the top of management. Working close to people in positions that you would not normally have the opportunity to interact with will broaden your perspective as a business person and give you high skills and knowledge. You will also become more knowledgeable about hospitality and manners through entertaining guests, and you will be able to develop your eye for restaurants and gifts, which will help you grow as a person. The world that you can encounter and experience only through secretarial work is very attractive.
■Try out secretarial work, which is full of charm and rewards!
If you have experience and business skills as a secretary, there is a high chance that you will be given preferential treatment in terms of salary. If you want to work in secretarial work where you can make use of your abilities, why not try it at Transact, which is recruiting with good treatment? It does not matter whether you have a qualification for the secretary certification exam, but if you have a grade 3 or higher, you will be given preferential treatment. We also accept applications from motivated people who have no experience.
【 TransACT Group 】
