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Ask any secretary, and they will tell you that it is an extremely demanding role - that you have to be able to juggle more than one project at a time, including requesting and arranging meetings, setting up teleconferences, taking minutes, compiling reports, booking flights and accommodation, and making personal arrangements, such as buying birthday gifts. And that's just to name a few.
What makes a secretary invaluable?
A good secretary will ensure that your diary does not get filled with non-urgent, unimportant matters - and should know what projects take priority, so that he/she can allocate sufficient time for the things that matter most. Your secretary will review meeting requests, and will schedule the most important meetings first, before arranging other meetings or making other commitments.
Discretion is needed when dealing with confidential or sensitive issues at work. Due to the nature of secretarial work, your secretary will often be privy to confidential information, such as financial documents, salary details, and sensitive HR documents. A good secretary will always be discreet and won't discuss confidential details around the water cooler.
No one should ever take their secretaries or PAs for granted - at the end of the day, the key to a successful partnership between an executive and his/her PA is communication, empathy, mutual respect, trust and loyalty.
If you are a secretary, or want to become one, you can take a look at studying Secretarial Studies via distance learning. As an employer, you will also benefit profoundly by investing in your secretary or PA's training. Remember, it is the secretary that holds it all together at the end of the day!