Many people mistakenly believe that secretaries only take dictation, type
letters and answer phones. A secretarial career is more than typing correspondence
-- secretaries make travel arrangements, create and submit grant proposals,
conduct Internet searches, perform accounting duties and supervise employees.
Terri Lowe, executive assistant for a pharmaceutical company in Bothell,
Washington, enjoys her job and her contribution. "The kind of days I am most
inspired by are when we work on a grant application to the National Institute
of Health. If, months later, a grant amount is awarded, then it is satisfying
to realize that I played a crucial role in that process," she exclaims.
Lowe believes that job satisfaction is a crucial component. "Do work for
a company whose purpose you believe in. That gives greater meaning to the
basic tasks you will need to do," she advises.
This sense of meaning is helpful when overtime is vitally needed. "I don't
mind overtime -- it's a payback for the company and it's exciting to be a
vital part of that process."
Lowe has seen her job grow from receptionist duties to full-scale investor
relations. She never thought her secretarial career would turn out like this
when she got the job.
"I took basic [secretarial] courses in high school. When I came back into
the market after my children were older, it seemed like an easy field to get
into."
Although she doesn't have any formal secretarial training, Lowe cautions
against becoming a secretary without some education. "I think education is
necessary now since a bachelor's degree is so common. It [the degree] helps
to get a higher level job with a higher salary," she advises.
Secretaries need to go with the flow and handle challenging tasks happily.
"My days can be very independent or very directed by the needs of others,
peaceful or chaotic, easygoing or stressful. I'm not sure there is a 'typical
day,'" she says.
What skills should successful secretaries seek? Lowe has some sage advice.
"You need basic good grammar knowledge, written business communication skills,
professional telephone manners and a positive attitude coupled with a great
work ethic."
David Reed, an administrative assistant for the U.S. Navy, agrees with
Lowe's "typical day" assessment. "Don't tie yourself to a plan for the day
because it will change on you by the third phone call of the day," he says.
Reed's challenging job with the government can mean duties as diverse as
writing military decoration justifications, answering the phone and purchasing
office supplies.
Reed began his current career when he became a civilian employee. Does
Reed feel strange being a male in a predominately female profession? "I get
some funny stares from civilian women, but [male secretaries] aren't unusual
around the U.S. navy, where administrative personnel are frequently male."
He works a regular eight-hour shift, and unlike his civilian counterparts,
does not work overtime.
Although Reed is employed by the military, his everyday tools don't include
rifles, tracking devices or super-secret computer systems. What equipment
does he use? "A computer, typewriter, copy machine, fax machine, telephone
and office furniture such as file cabinets," he says.
With all these diverse duties and equipment, Reed cautions against thinking
that computer and equipment skills are all you need as a secretary. "Computer
skills are important, but people skills are just as important," he stresses.
Does Reed enjoy his challenging combination of computer savvy and people
skills? You bet! "My job has many components, calls for a wide variety of
skills and changes from moment to moment. It's always a challenge!"
Jeannine Robinson, a medical secretary for a neurologist, agrees that people
skills are extremely important. "Because you work with people, you should
have a sixth sense. You have to know when you've crossed a line and when to
cross it," she says.
One of the hardest parts of Robinson's job is telling people about unfavorable
lab results. But there is a bright side. "Seeing a smile on a face when you
tell them their brain scan is perfectly normal" rates as one of her favorite
duties.
As a medical secretary, Robinson's duties are diverse. "My specific job
duties are client intake work, typing, phones, medical or legal reports and
incorporating lab results into the charts," she explains. This is only the
tip of her job duties. "There's more, but it's too much to name," she jokes.
Her typical day may include answering "hundreds of phone inquiries," booking
laboratory tests, and "being there for families who insist on speaking to
the doctor right now."
Robinson strongly believes that it's important to satisfy her patient and
her employer. "We work as a team. If it's 5 p.m. and a patient is there, we
leave when we're finished. Time comes second," she explains.
She may have a large workload on her plate, but Robinson believes that
keeping her employer happy and working as a team is the key to being a successful
secretary. "If you want to be a good secretary, you have to hone in on the
particular company's needs," she advises. "It's a labor of love."