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In the modern world, the work of a manager or owner of a company involves a large range of responsibilities, some of which he or she has to delegate. In this case, a personal secretary is able to help. Usually they’re someone who is able to quickly solve any issue, plan their boss’s daily routine, prepare materials for meetings and take meeting minutes, answer the phone, run errands the boss, and represent the company. For an employer, a personal assistant is a trusted person who can be assigned with solving even the most delicate problem. This is quite convenient.
LET'S LOOK AT THE SPECIFICS: SECRETARY, SECRETARY ASSISTANT, OFFICE MANAGER, PERSONAL ASSISTANT TO THE MANAGER.
An administrative position can have different names, just as a salesperson can be a supervisor, customer manager, or employee in the store's showroom. In our case, confusion may arise in the definition of "Secretary", "Secretary assistant", "office Manager"and" personal assistant to the manager".
The duties of a SECRETARY include:
- Working with corporate email. A secretary must be able to sort emails and forward them to the persons responsible for resolving the issues specified in the message body.
- Working with the phone. Just like with email, it is important to understand who the caller needs to wants to talk to. In addition, you need to understand which calls should be gently and politely declined.
- Organization of meetings and negotiations. Usually, you need to book a room and prepare the necessary materials, check if all office appliances work properly.
- Informing and notifying office employees about important and significant events.
- Ordering office supplies.
Often these responsibilities are not limited to the scope of duties, and the secretary can always be asked to prepare tea or coffeee and undertake ad hoc tasks. To sum up, the position of secretary is a multi-tasking profession that requires special skills, abilities and a certain character – compliant and calm.
The duties of the SECRETARY assistant include:
- Handling correspondence, taking messages
- Answering calls
- Welcoming guests and clients
- Produce scanned copies of documents
- Booking tickets and hotel reservations at the request of the Manager.
As we can see, the list of responsibilities has changed a little, becoming a little bigger, but easier. In other words, the referent performs well-known tasks that can be handled by a person without higher education or special training or experience in working in an administrative position.
The duties of an OFFICE MANAGER include:
- Supervising and monitoring the work of secretaries
- Supervising and monitoring the work of cleaning staff
- Organizing company events
- Ordering stationery, snacks and office supplies
- Taking meeting minutes
- Attending meetings and translating them
- Preparing timetables and schedules
- Undertaking ad hoc tasks
This profession requires appropriate education and work experience. In such a position, a Manager, archivist, or a University graduate can feel confident and ready to apply their knowledge in practice. As we can see, the range of responsibilities has changed and become more specific. However, the salaries of office managers differ from the salaries of secretaries and assistants quite significantly.
The duties of a PERSONAL ASSISTANT include:
- Full list of Secretary's responsibilities.
- Transaction support
- Working with top managers of different companies on behalf of the company's management.
- Translating documents and meetings on request
- Planning the manager’s working day
- Working as a receptionist
As we can see, the duties have become more personal, prestigious and responsible, each of the tasks requires careful attention from the personal assistant, since the status of the company and the manager depends on the result of his or her work.
Most often, this position is called Secretary of the Head.
