Secretaries are responsible for performing clerical and administrative duties inside an organization. Among their duties they schedule meetings, manage projects, conduct researches, organize electronic files, etc. They usually perform their tasks using mail services, telephone, e-mail accounts, fax machines, photocopiers, and internet sources. These workers can team up with other staff members in order to manage, for instance, corporate libraries and stockrooms.

Secretaries usually perform many of the following tasks:
• Coordinating administrative duties.
• Using computers, phones, and fax machines.
• Scheduling appointments.
• Managing projects.
• Making hotel and airline reservations.

• Having interpersonal abilities.
• Being organized and proactive.
• Having good judgment.
• Being able to create graphs and spreadsheets.
• Being a good listener.
• Having good customer service skills.
• Being versatile and adaptable.
• Having knowledge about advanced software applications.
• Being able to operate basic office equipment.
• Being able to work alone or with a team.

Applicants for Secretary jobs need to be high school graduates, including basic office skills as a minimum. There are some posts that provide formal training in office and computer skills for those who do not have suitable abilities for this area. There are training programs specifically for legal and medical secretaries that offer specialized training related to language used in those areas. Online coaching and training programs are also available, including programs for website design, computer technology, project management, transcription, etc.

There are many employers that also require college degrees because secretaries team up with top executives in order to perform their duties. Some recommendations for this area are degrees related to the business in which the worker is seeking a job placement. An advantage for people who want to work in this area is to have a certification for proficiency in office skills, offered by organizations such as the National Association of Legal Secretaries and the International Association of Administrative Professionals.