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Administrative Secretary Duties and Responsibilities

In order to ensure that the office in which they work runs smoothly and efficiently, Administrative Secretaries perform a wide array of tasks. We analyzed multiple online job postings to identify the following key duties and responsibilities.

Data Entry Due to the sheer amount of data that Administrative Secretaries handle, data entry is a significant part of their job. When entering data, whether it's financial or personnel-related, Administrative Secretaries must be quick, discreet and accurate.

Handle Correspondence Just like a normal Secretary, Administrative Secretaries must screen, answer and forward telephone calls, as well as other forms of correspondence. They are in charge of transferring callers to the appropriate member of staff, as well as ensuring that only relevant calls go through.

Process and File Documents From patient records to budget sheets, Administrative Secretaries will often find themselves in charge of a variety of important documents. Because of this, Administrative Secretaries are responsible for ensuring that each document they receive is properly processed and filed. This can include word processing, typing, editing or formatting documents in an organized fashion.

Monitor Supplies Often, Administrative Secretaries will be charged with monitoring the number of office supplies available in their office, as well as ordering replacement supplies as necessary. This can involve taking inventory, keeping records of supplies purchased and purchasing new supplies.

Respond to Customers/Public To relieve their manager or department head of administrative responsibilities, Administrative Secretaries will frequently serve as a liaison between customers and the company. This involves handling customer complaints, redirecting customers to the appropriate department, scheduling meetings with customers and recording customer queries.

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Administrative Secretary Skills

Successfully Administrative Secretaries are energetic, detail-oriented individuals who are just as adept at interpersonal interactions as they are at processing and analyzing data. They possess a high degree of professionalism, and never fail to be as courteous and confidential as possible. In addition to these general skills and personality traits, employers are seeking Administrative Secretaries with the following skills and qualifications.
  • Communication skills - Whether they're responding to customer complaints, explaining data to colleagues or making strategic plans with company higher-ups, it's crucial that Administrative Secretaries have excellent written and verbal communication skills.
  • Computer proficiency - Due to their need to regularly enter data and process documents, Administrative Secretaries must be able to use computers and type quickly. In some cases, they will need to be able to type a certain number of words per minute.
  • Customer service skills - Given that Administrative Secretaries will be required to deal with a great number of customers on a regular basis, it's crucial that they have excellent customer service skills.
  • Attention to detail - Administrative Secretaries will frequently need to schedule meetings, arrange conference calls and modify schedules. As such, they must have a high level of attention to detail.
  • Organizational skills - Administrative Secretaries will be charged with handling large amounts of documents and information on a daily basis. Because of this, it's important that they remain highly organized at all times.
  • Financial skills - No matter which industry they work in, it's likely that Administrative Secretaries will be required to handle or create financial documents, from budget sheets to expense reports. Thus, they must possess at least a basic knowledge of financial documentation and principals.
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Administrative Secretary Salary

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants (which includes Administrative Secretaries) make a median annual salary of $55,860. The lowest paid earn $34,880 per year, while the highest paid earn $83,070 per year. Administrative Secretaries in New York, Connecticut and the District of Columbia enjoy the highest median annual salary in the United States, earning $69,940, $68,400 and $66,080 per year respectively.
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Additional Administrative Secretary Resources

We compiled this list of resources to help you continue exploring your career as an Administrative Secretary.

Administrative Assistant Office Professionals (All Levels) - With over 180,000 members, this LinkedIn group is a great place to connect with other administrative professionals.

Executive Secretary Magazine - This group is moderated by the folks behind the global publication Executive Secretary Magazine. Here, share tips, ask questions and trade stories with more than 40,000 other Administrative Secretaries.

The Association of Executive and Administrative Professionals - From discussion forums to job boards to newsletters, this professional association offers its members an array of benefits.

Administrative Assistant's and Secretary's Handbook - Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned professional, this handbook can serves as an invaluable reference guide for all the tasks involved with being an Administrative Secretary.

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