Secretary/administrator
ICSA is the international qualifying and membership body for the chartered secretary profession. With a global community of 37,000 members, we provide chartered membership, training and a professional qualifying scheme to set you on the path to a diverse, challenging and rewarded career. Join The Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA).
A secretary or administrator provides both clerical and administrative support to professionals, either as part of a team or individually. The role plays a vital part in the administration and smooth-running of businesses throughout industry. Secretaries/administrators are involved with the coordination and implementation of office procedures and frequently have responsibility for specific projects and tasks and, in some cases, oversee and supervise the work of junior staff.
Secretarial/administrative work has changed significantly over the years, and the role varies greatly depending on the sector, the size of the employer and levels of responsibility. Most work involves both written and oral communication, word processing and typing, and requires relevant skills such as IT, organisational and presentation skills, as well as the ability to multi-task and work well under pressure, often juggling several tasks at once. Within specialist sectors such as law, many secretaries/administrators are required to have relevant, high-level qualifications and/or previous experience.
The role can often overlap with that of a personal assistant.
Common tasks for the majority of secretaries/administrators include word processing, audio and copy typing, letter writing, dealing with telephone and email enquiries, creating and maintaining filing systems, keeping diaries, arranging meetings/appointments and organising travel for staff.
Depending on the sector, the role may also include many of the following:
Other duties may include:
ICSA is the international qualifying and membership body for the chartered secretary profession. With a global community of 37,000 members, we provide chartered membership, training and a professional qualifying scheme to set you on the path to a diverse, challenging and rewarded career. Join The Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA).
ICSA is the international qualifying and membership body for the chartered secretary profession. With a global community of 37,000 members, we provide chartered membership, training and a professional qualifying scheme to set you on the path to a diverse, challenging and rewarded career. Join The Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA).
Varying levels of qualifications are required for this role, depending on the employer and sector. Some may be more concerned with prior experience and skills, whereas others may want formal qualifications. For roles with more responsibility, the following degree/HND subjects may increase your chances:
Secretarial courses specifically aimed at graduates are available, often through private colleges. Specific secretarial training is useful for entry to legal or medical roles.
Relevant experience is often more highly valued than specific secretarial qualifications, although excellent IT skills will always be an essential requirement.
Candidates need to show evidence of the following:
Knowledge of another common business language such as French, Italian or Japanese may boost potential earnings.
A good way of gaining experience is by undertaking some voluntary or paid work as a clerical assistant while studying and opportunities are sometimes available on campus. Getting administration work through a temping agency is also a good way to start out.
Temporary work can often lead to permanent positions and, if you do not have much previous experience, a temporary or part-time job will provide an opportunity to try different types of secretarial or administrative work. This can help you to decide which aspects of this work you particularly enjoy and what sort of employer or sector you would like to work with.
Competition is not usually severe, although this depends heavily on the area of employment. The demand for skilled, experienced staff remains high. Exact requirements for particular typing speeds and knowledge vary from vacancy to vacancy depending on the nature of the post, but a minimum typing speed of 45wpm is usually required. It is common to find work through secretarial agencies, but applying directly to organisations that appeal to you can be effective.
Employers value experience and a mature attitude in this field of work, so mature entry and an established work history are likely to be useful for more senior roles.
For more information, see work experience and internships and search courses and research.
ICSA is the international qualifying and membership body for the chartered secretary profession. With a global community of 37,000 members, we provide chartered membership, training and a professional qualifying scheme to set you on the path to a diverse, challenging and rewarded career. Join The Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA).
Initial training usually consists of being taught company policies, procedures and systems. Once in post, it is not essential to study for further qualifications but they may be offered by your employer or you may wish to undertake some to increase your chances of progression.
Relevant qualifications include various NVQs, certificates and diplomas in subjects such as business and administration, typing, audio transcriptions and IT. Qualifications are awarded by many bodies including: City & Guilds , Pitman Training , Reed , LCCI International Qualifications and the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA) . Full-time, fast-track courses are available and are often favoured by graduates as they can be completed quickly and provide wide-ranging knowledge of office procedures and secretarial skills.
Entry to more specialised areas, such as legal or medical secretarial work, may require additional qualifications, sometimes offered through trainee positions or by gaining extra accreditation on a secretarial course through relevant professional bodies.
It is important to keep up to date with new technology and take advantage of any training courses offered, either externally or in-house. The range of IT skills you need will depend on your specific role, but you may wish to take training in Microsoft PowerPoint, Excel, Access and/or statistical packages or web-authoring and design.
Training in some soft skills, such as assertiveness or customer service, may also be available.
Other common general areas of training for secretaries/administrators include:
ICSA is the international qualifying and membership body for the chartered secretary profession. With a global community of 37,000 members, we provide chartered membership, training and a professional qualifying scheme to set you on the path to a diverse, challenging and rewarded career. Join The Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA).
There are a number of ways in which your career could develop. You may wish to specialise in one industry or area, such as legal or medical secretarial work, or become a personal assistant to a company director or other senior manager. Alternatively, you could choose to use your organisational skills as an office manager or team secretary, coordinating the work of others within a department or organisation.
It is possible in some sectors, such as charities, property or large organisations, to move up through internal vacancies and opportunities or perhaps move into other areas of the company such as sales or marketing. Therefore, working in administration in a sector that you are interested in can be a good 'foot in the door'.
Joining a professional body, such as the Institute of Professional Administrators (IPA) , can increase the scope for career development. Membership of a professional body in the area that you are looking to move into can also help you make the transition and show that you are serious about a career in that area.
Becoming a chartered secretary with the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA) is also another possible promotion route. Chartered secretaries are trained in a variety of areas including corporate law, finance, governance and management and have to take several exams. After becoming chartered and with substantial experience, it may be possible to move into roles such as company secretary, chief executive or director of legal services.
If you have language skills, you may decide you want to move into a more specialised role such as a bilingual secretary. In this role you would be combining language and administrative skills to interpret, translate and summarise information.
Alternatively, you may wish to develop other specific skills for certain roles. For example, you could use your shorthand skills to become a verbatim reporter, attending court hearings and making records of the outcome.
ICSA is the international qualifying and membership body for the chartered secretary profession. With a global community of 37,000 members, we provide chartered membership, training and a professional qualifying scheme to set you on the path to a diverse, challenging and rewarded career. Join The Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA).
As secretarial and administrative work is so diverse, employment can be found in virtually all sectors, including:
The nature and variety of work you undertake will vary according to the size of the business you work for. Large organisations may provide more routine work but could offer more scope for promotion and experience in other departments. Some small businesses may expect you to perform a very traditional administration function, but others could give you extra responsibility if they only have a small staff, which could provide additional, useful experience.
Get tips on job hunting, CVs and covering letters and interviews.
ICSA is the international qualifying and membership body for the chartered secretary profession. With a global community of 37,000 members, we provide chartered membership, training and a professional qualifying scheme to set you on the path to a diverse, challenging and rewarded career. Join The Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA).
Tweet