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Secretary's job description. What's in a name? We study regulatory documents

Wanting to be modern, domestic employers very often borrow job titles from foreign practice, most often Russian. For example, recently you can come across new positions such as “office manager” or “receptionist secretary”, which, alas, we will not yet find in the Unified Qualification Directory of Employee Positions (hereinafter - ECSD).

Meanwhile, Russian qualification reference books and classifiers have long been advisory in nature. While Belarusian legislation, namely clause 3, part 2, art. 19 of the Labor Code of the Republic of Belarus (hereinafter referred to as the Labor Code) contains a strict requirement that the names of professions, positions, specialties must correspond to qualification directories, approved in the manner determined by the Government of the Republic of Belarus. In turn, clause 1 of the General Provisions of the Unified Tariff and Qualification Directory of Employee Positions, approved by Resolution of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Republic of Belarus dated January 2, 2012 No. 1 (hereinafter referred to as the General Provisions of the ESDC), states that ECSD is mandatory for use in organizations regardless of their organizational and legal forms, in which labor relations are based on an employment agreement (contract).

We wrote about the unpleasant legal consequences that may arise in connection with violation of the above legal requirements in the previous issue of our magazine and will not be repeated here. However, we strongly advise: before adding the position of secretary to the organization’s staffing table and making an entry in the employee’s work book about hiring, you should first look at the National Classifier of the Republic of Belarus “Professions of workers and positions of employees” (OKRB 006-2009), approved by the resolution of the Ministry Labor and Social Protection of the Republic of Belarus dated October 22, 2009 No. 125, and make sure that such a position is provided for by this document, and then check on the ECSD whether the responsibilities of your secretary correspond to the position that you have selected for him.

OKRB 006-2009 provides for more than a dozen positions, the name of which contains the word “secretary”. Among them there is such, for example, as “Secretary of the Presidium”, “Secretary of the Academic Council” or “Secretary of the Court Session”. We are interested in those secretaries, without whom the work of the office, office, manager’s reception, etc. is impossible. The job responsibilities of such secretaries, as well as the qualification requirements for these positions, are set out in issue 1 of the ECSD “Positions of employees for all types of activities”, approved by Decree of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Republic of Belarus dated December 30, 1999 No. 159 (with numerous amendments and additions, the last of which were introduced by resolution No. 95 dated 09/03/2012).

Secretary of the manager's reception

ATTENTION: The information presented here is somewhat outdated, see for changes!

The manager's reception secretary (position code according to OKRB 006-2009–24690) is perhaps the most common secretarial profession. However, one cannot fail to notice that, based on the very name of the position, for its introduction into the staffing table, it is necessary to have in the organization not only a manager, but also a reception area. True, we cannot say how necessary this is.

This position is classified as a specialist and is not categorized. According to ECSD The job responsibilities of the manager's reception secretary include carrying out work on organizational and technical support for the administrative and administrative activities of the head of the organization; receiving correspondence received for consideration by the manager, transferring it in accordance with the decision made to structural units or specific performers for use in the work process or preparing responses; conducting office work, performing various operations using computer technology designed to collect, process and present information when preparing and making decisions. Secretary of the manager's reception also performs the following functions:

  • accepts documents and personal statements for signature by the head of the organization;
  • prepares documents and materials necessary for the work of the manager;
  • monitors the timely review and submission by structural units and specific executors of documents received for execution, checks the correctness of the prepared draft documents submitted to the manager for signature, ensures their high-quality editing;
  • organizes telephone conversations of the manager, records the information received in his absence and brings its contents to his attention, transmits and receives information via receiving and intercom devices (telefax, telex, etc.), as well as telephone messages, promptly brings information to his attention , received via communication channels;
  • on behalf of the manager, draws up letters, requests, other documents, prepares responses to the authors of the letters;
  • carries out work on preparing meetings and meetings held by the manager (collecting necessary materials, notifying participants about the time and place of the meeting, agenda, their registration), maintaining and drawing up minutes of meetings and meetings;
  • exercises control over the execution by employees of the organization of issued orders and instructions, as well as compliance with the deadlines for fulfilling the instructions and instructions of the head of the organization taken under control;
  • maintains a control and registration file;
  • provides the manager’s workplace with the necessary organizational equipment, office supplies, and creates conditions conducive to his effective work;
  • prints, at the direction of the manager, official materials necessary for his work, or enters current information into the data bank;
  • organizes the reception of visitors, facilitates the prompt consideration of requests and suggestions from employees;
  • copies documents on a personal copier;

To perform the duties assigned to him with high quality The manager's reception secretary should know: regulatory legal acts, other guidelines and methodological materials relating to the activities of the organization and record keeping; structure and management of the organization and its divisions; organization of office work; methods of registration and processing of documents; archival work; typescript; rules for using intercoms; standards for a unified system of organizational and administrative documentation; rules for printing business letters using standard forms; fundamentals of ethics and aesthetics; rules of business communication; basics of labor organization and management; rules for operating computer equipment; fundamentals of administrative law and labor legislation; internal labor regulations; rules and regulations of labor protection.

In accordance with the qualification requirements of the ECSD, a manager may be appointed to the position of reception secretary a person who has a higher or secondary specialized education without presenting requirements for work experience.

Secretary-assistant

The position of secretary-assistant (position code according to OKRB 006-2009–24692) also belongs to the category of specialists, however, the ECSD places higher demands on it in terms of the complexity of functional responsibilities and level of training.

The assistant secretary, in accordance with his job responsibilities, organizes work to provide documentary and non-documentary services to the head of the organization (company); rationally forms its own reference and information fund, organizes information services for the manager; conducts office work; prepares press reviews, compiles reference materials, classifies and systematizes them, maintains a thematic dossier; provides reception, registration, operational search, delivery of documents, issuance of operational information on documents, as well as:

  • controls the timely execution of documents;
  • prepares analytical materials, summaries of reports, draft speeches to the manager on the most important areas of activity of the organization (company);
  • carries out work to ensure connections of the organization (company) (telephone, fax, computer, etc.) with partner organizations, the media;
  • organizes meetings, conducts and draws up minutes, monitors the implementation of their decisions;
  • prepares drafts of business letters, telegrams, telefaxes and other documents sent to third parties, takes part in negotiations with foreign partners without an interpreter, prepares responses to letter writers;
  • ensures the organization of the manager’s work on preparing business trips and meetings, receiving visitors, as well as planning his working time;
  • keeps records and monitors the execution of instructions from the manager;
  • forms files in accordance with the approved nomenclature, ensures their safety and submits them to the archives within the established time frame.

Secretary-referent according to the requirements of the ECSD must know: regulatory legal acts, other guidelines and methodological materials on information and documentation support for management activities; the system of government authorities in the republic and in its region; management staff of the organization (company), its divisions; structure, functions, tasks of the organization (company), its interaction vertically and horizontally; rules for writing business letters; techniques and methods of negotiations and protocol; guidance materials on the rules for compiling, storing, searching and issuing information and reference material; abstracting techniques, office equipment, organization of public relations and media relations; 1–2 foreign languages, Russian and Belarusian; fundamentals of economics, organization of production, labor and management; foundations of general social psychology, ethics, aesthetics; basics of labor legislation; rules and regulations of labor protection and fire safety.

For the position of secretary-referent, the ECSD requires the following qualification requirements: higher (specialized secondary) education without requirements for work experience. There is also no categorization for this position.

Assistant Manager

In this context, it would be logical to mention such a position as “assistant to the head of the organization” (position code according to OKRB 006-2009–24347), which in its functional responsibilities is significantly similar to a secretarial position, but differs from the latter in the higher complexity of its functional responsibilities. Although this position is also classified as a professional, it is often considered the pinnacle of a secretarial career.

According to the ECSD assistant manager performs work of an analytical-constructive and information-technical nature, as well as general work on behalf of and under the direct supervision of the manager; carries out information and technical work with documents that are received in the name of the manager and signed by him; prepares proposals for the manager to appoint persons responsible for the execution of documents received in the name of the manager, coordinates their implementation; participates together with the manager in drawing up a schedule (planning) of his work, business trips, meetings, etc., takes measures to comply with it, and also performs the following functions:

  • provides technical support for the activities of the manager (ordering tickets, transport, etc.; organizing meetings, conferences, negotiations, etc.);
  • accompanies the manager on business trips, meetings, special receptions, etc.; takes direct part in them on issues identified by the manager, reports to the manager on the results of these activities;
  • keeps minutes and other documents documenting the progress and results of meetings, negotiations, conferences, etc.;
  • communicates with organizations, state bodies and local governments, the public, and the media to resolve issues identified by the manager and not requiring the direct participation of the manager;
  • on behalf of the manager, coordinates individual issues with employees of structural divisions, communicates to them the instructions and orders of the manager, monitors their implementation;
  • collects materials and information, prepares analytical, informational, reference and other materials and presents them to the manager;
  • receives, on behalf of the manager, from state bodies and local governments, documents and information necessary for the manager;
  • controls the timely consideration of proposals, applications, complaints addressed to the manager;
  • carries out one-time instructions from the manager to organize the work of personnel in the direction determined by the manager;
  • carries out other instructions from the manager within the framework of official relations.

Assistant to the head of the organization must know: regulatory legal acts regulating the priority directions of development of the relevant sector of the economy; internal and external policies of the organization; profile, specialization and features of the organizational and managerial structure of the organization; structure and equipment of a modern office; principles of representation in government bodies, local governments, third-party organizations; principles and methods of management; organization of office work, public relations, media; fundamentals of ethics and aesthetics; business communication procedures; the procedure for systematizing accounting and maintaining documentation using modern information technologies; fundamentals of economics, labor organization and management; basics of labor legislation; rules and regulations of labor protection and fire safety.

According to the qualification requirements of the ECSD, a person appointed to the position of assistant to the head of an organization, must have a higher education without any work experience requirements. The ECSD also does not provide a category for this position.

Secretary. Just a secretary...

Until recently, in reference books and classifiers there was such a position as “secretary-typist”. Unlike those listed above, she belonged to the category of other employees (technical performers), and therefore was charged significantly lower.

Perhaps there is no need to explain why this position has not been popular recently and it was almost impossible to find it even in the most seedy organizations. Not to say promptly, but the legislator, nevertheless, responded to new trends and divided this position into two: secretary and typist. We will not talk about the latter, since, based on the characteristics of her job responsibilities, she is in no way related to our topic today.

But as for the position "secretary"(OKRB code 006-2009–24658), then it should be noted that its appearance in the ECSD is completely justified. By the way, the use of this position will be quite appropriate when the organization does not have a reception manager as such and the title “secretary of the manager’s reception desk” raises doubts, as discussed above. Or what, for example, should you call a person who sits in the reception room of the deputy head of an organization, or in the reception room of the head of a structural unit? This is where you just need a secretary.

The secretary, in accordance with the job responsibilities prescribed in the ECSD, performs technical functions to ensure and maintain the work of the head of the organization(his deputies, heads of structural divisions), including:

  • collects and presents information necessary to the manager from departments or performers;
  • organizes telephone conversations of the manager, records received messages in his absence and brings their content to the attention of the manager;
  • carries out work on the organizational preparation of meetings and meetings held by the manager (collecting the necessary materials, notifying participants about the time, place, agenda of the meeting or meeting, their registration), maintaining and drawing up minutes;
  • prints, at the direction of the manager, official documents and materials necessary for his work, enters the necessary information into the data bank;
  • if he has stenography skills, he takes shorthand notes of the texts of orders, instructions, letters and other organizational and administrative documents, followed by their decoding and printing or entering information into a data bank;
  • transmits and receives information via receiving and intercom devices (telex, fax, telefax, etc.);
  • prepares various documents and materials using computer technology;
  • accepts documents for signature by the manager;
  • organizes the reception of visitors, facilitates the prompt consideration of their requests and proposals;
  • carries out office work, receives correspondence addressed to the manager, systematizes it in accordance with the established procedure and transfers it, after consideration by the manager, to departments or specific performers for use in the process of their work or preparation of a response;
  • maintains a control and registration file, monitors the deadlines for fulfilling the manager’s orders placed under control;
  • forms files in accordance with the approved nomenclature, ensures their safety and submits them to the archives within the established time limits;
  • prepares documents for reproduction on duplicating equipment, and also copies documents;
  • provides the manager's workplace with office supplies and organizational equipment;
  • complies with labor protection and fire safety requirements, production and labor discipline, and internal labor regulations.

ECSD found that the secretary must know: regulations, instructions, other guidance materials and regulatory documents on record keeping; structure of the organization and its divisions; typescript; spelling and punctuation rules; rules for printing business letters using standard forms; rules for the operation of computer equipment, equipment for reproducing printed materials, voice recorders, tape recorders and other technical means used; rules for using intercoms; standards for a unified system of organizational and administrative documentation; fundamentals of ethics and aesthetics; rules of business communication; basics of labor organization; basics of labor legislation; internal labor regulations; labor protection and fire safety requirements.

The position of secretary may be appointed a person who has general secondary education and special training according to an established program.

Once again, we draw the attention of readers that this position belongs to category 3 - “Other employees” - and it should be paid lower than all those listed earlier, which belong to category 2 - “Specialists”. In other words, “secretary” is one step lower than “reception secretary for the manager.”

Perhaps domestic normative legal acts regulating the issues of job titles lag behind life, which is quite natural, since the rules of law regulating certain relations appear only after the appearance of the relations themselves. It is possible that the job responsibilities of the above professions do not provide for all the functions of a modern secretary, or that the listed functions do not correspond to the current situation. However, when naming positions, one should adhere to the requirements of the law regarding the compliance of these names with qualification directories and classifiers.

A secretary is an office worker with a wide range of responsibilities from answering telephone calls (receptionist) to assistant manager (personal secretary).

A modern secretary is usually required to have skills in working with a personal computer, knowledge of foreign languages, communication skills, communication culture, punctuality and accuracy.

To work as a secretary you do not need to have special knowledge or abilities; anyone can work as a secretary. Not certainly in that way. To work as a secretary, you do not need to graduate from a university; it is enough to complete specialized courses. Secretarial courses cover quite a bit: the study of business communication, ethics, speed reading, practical psychology, office management, typing courses, shorthand, acquiring the ability to handle office equipment, mini-PBX, skills in 1C. In addition, psychologists point out the importance of such qualities as: a person’s ability to subtly sense others and adequately respond to the behavior of others, and resistance to stress. Psychologists call this set of qualities “emotional intelligence.” Not everyone can do this; they don’t teach this in college; it doesn’t depend on a person’s mental intelligence.

The secretary must be a tall, long-legged beauty. Her task is to decorate the office. Not certainly in that way. Pleasant appearance is enough. Since the secretary is the business person of the company. Therefore, one must necessarily have a sense of style and good taste. It is the ability to dress beautifully, speak competently, and behave in society in accordance with the basic rules of business etiquette that forms the first impression of the company among clients. Business partners, first communicating with the secretary, decide on an intuitive level whether they will do business with this company or not. The head of a business structure, who cares primarily about the prestige of his company, will never place a beautiful but incompetent girl in the reception room. It is advisable to organize the work of the boss and the office - one of the many responsibilities of the secretary.

Working as a secretary is easy. You just need to answer calls, make coffee, submit documents for signature. No, that's not true. Representatives of this profession often face overtime and constant reorganization of their schedule in accordance with the boss’s schedule. Working as a secretary is often emotionally draining. When there is not much to do, which happens extremely rarely, they are often loaded with additional work, for example, the functions of an office manager, etc. And if the boss is in a bad mood, the first one to fall under the hot hand is the secretary. In addition, a good secretary is the peacemaker of the company; she is able to prevent a possible “storm”. This, of course, is not in the service instructions. But the degree of relationship between the secretary and the manager depends on the ability to “take a hit.” In addition, the secretary must be able to find a common language with the team, maintain smooth, business-like relationships with all employees, without singling out anyone. In addition to this skillful psychological work, the duties of the secretary include conducting business correspondence, planning the boss’s working day, answering all kinds of calls, receiving business partners, monitoring the work of the reception area, and sometimes the entire office.

The secretary is an “errand girl” to fulfill the “wishes” of the company; the figure of the secretary in the company is not of decisive importance. Not certainly in that way. A secretary who has managed to gain authority from the team and the boss, becomes a kind of “gray eminence”, invisibly but significantly can influence the work of the company as a whole. Often the manager turns to the secretary for advice, and it is the assistant who makes the final decision of the boss. He is often better informed about the affairs of the company than the chief and his deputies, and can give timely, correct, balanced advice. The secretary sets the tone of each working day and indirectly influences the manager. For example, a well-organized workplace and timely delivery of the necessary information makes the boss’s job easier.

The secretary has no career advancement opportunities. The profession does not imply promotion. Partly so. A leader will keep a good secretary close to him. The boss will do his best to ignore the supervisor's requests for a promotion if he is confident in his employee and knows that he can be relied on in any circumstances. So professionalism and dedication can play a cruel joke on an employee. On the other hand, these qualities can become the basis for career growth. The secretary, on duty, has to participate in all processes in the company, and this is a very important acquired life experience and a great start in the future. There are many examples when, after working as a secretary, people became businessmen, high-ranking officials, and top managers. In addition, a qualified secretary in our time can earn quite well, at the level of a major top manager.

Secretary is a female profession. Men do not work in such positions. Mostly women work as secretaries. This is explained by the fact that, emotionally, women are more flexible, it is easier for them to adapt to the mood, habits, character of the boss, resolve conflicts, etc. However, men are also capable of coping with the duties of a secretary. Many large companies give preference to representatives of the stronger sex, renaming the position from “secretary” to “assistant manager”.

The profession of a secretary is one of the most in demand on the labor market. Yes it is. Any company simply vitally needs a person who would monitor all documentation, meet clients, serve coffee, and protect the boss’s office from unwanted visitors. In addition, he was the “calling card” of the company.

Any secretary is the mistress of the manager for whom she works. This is an established myth. Everyone around him is confident in him, except his boss and secretary. What distinguishes a professional is that if he doesn’t want the type of relationship mentioned, then it won’t happen. Although office romances are not that uncommon. It so happens that the boss and the secretary spend a lot of time together at work, going through all the difficulties of business, so informal relationships often arise between them. But it is better not to reduce the existing distance between the boss and the secretary in the interests of the company.

The secretary must smile constantly. Yes it is. After all, no one wants to see a sad, aggressive or shy employee. The position of secretary obliges you to treat everyone who appears on the boss’s doorstep, to treat everyone with kindness, with a smile, and to politely send away visitors that the boss doesn’t want. There are even special trainings that teach you to smile when needed.

Modern categories of secretaries

Today, in organizations and enterprises of various organizational and legal forms, there are many types of secretarial profession. Main titles: assistant (or assistant) to a top manager (head of an organization), assistant secretary, reception secretary (or reception secretary), office manager or office administrator. On the one hand, the title of a position often performs a psychological function and increases the prestige of the work performed by the secretary. Many people agree to pay low wages compared to the market average, as long as the position has a sonorous name. On the other hand, behind different names there are often completely different job responsibilities.

The position of reception secretary (or reception secretary) is the first step in your career. There are several names for a reception secretary: secretary - receptionist; office secretary or reception secretary; duty secretary, receptionist or office administrator; secretary - administrator. There are few responsibilities, but they are extremely responsible: organizing the reception of visitors (including offering tea or coffee), answering and distributing telephone calls, sending and receiving correspondence, and, if necessary, maintaining documentation and printing documents. The degree of independence is low. In an employee holding the position of reception secretary, what is valued, first of all, is the ability to accurately follow the instructions and direction of the manager. Knowledge of a foreign language is usually not required. Since the receptionist secretary is the first person that visitors to the organization see, it is he who creates a favorable and worthy image of the company, he must make a good impression, and, therefore, have a pleasant voice and appearance, business communication skills, he is also required to have good communication skills, unconditional diligence, goodwill, politeness, ability to restrain one’s emotions, patience.

The position of secretary assumes somewhat greater independence. The management staff of non-state commercial organizations is, as a rule, very small. The heads of these companies are mainly engaged in solving basic production issues, strategic problems of development of their enterprises, and entrust a significant part of the managerial (primarily administrative) work to their secretaries. The secretary of the head of a modern company must not only quickly type and draw up documents correctly, but also draft the texts of various documents, edit projects, not only rationally organize the reception of visitors and telephone service, but also independently resolve many issues in accordance with the instructions received from the manager.

This new type of secretarial profession is called secretary-assistant. As you know, the secretary and the assistant are quite different types of the secretarial profession. The secretary of the head of an organization is an assistant who organizes the activities of the first manager, draws up documents for him, organizes meetings, negotiations, business trips, and provides telephone service.

An assistant is a specialist not only in the field of secretarial affairs, but also in the field of the company’s core activities; he prepares decisions, reports, reports, managerial speeches, analytical documents; analyzes the situation and takes part in developing the strategy and tactics of the company. A secretary-referent is a trusted manager who has certain information and frees his boss from current work in order to give him the opportunity to focus on solving the main issues of the enterprise. Thanks to the work of the secretary-assistant, the manager can concentrate as much as possible on performing his professional tasks. A secretary - an assistant in a company - is a specialist who demonstrates intellectual and creative abilities.

An office manager is an employee without whom no organization can do. This word, oddly enough, does not have a feminine form. This is a profession that creates myths around itself. To an uninitiated person, the work of an office manager may seem elementary: talk on the phone, bring the boss coffee and smile warmly at visitors. But it’s not so simple: it’s not for nothing that the secretary is considered the “face” of the company, and the success of future cooperation largely depends on what impression he makes on the client and how he communicates. Office organizational personnel ensures the joint activity of all components of office technology activities and its coordination with the management functions provided. It includes heads of structural divisions of the office.

In real situations, it is possible to combine the functions of various categories of office personnel in the activities of specific office workers. Until recently, such employees, as a rule, carried out coordinating functions in addition to their main activities, which is not always justified. Effective organization of office work requires professional training and the availability of an appropriate position with the necessary rights and responsibilities. Practice in recent years has realized this need in the form of an office manager position. An office manager is a professional administrator who manages the activities of the management apparatus of an enterprise (but not a structural unit). Figuratively speaking, an office manager is the “owner of the office”, the “chief of staff”, the first assistant to the manager in solving countless administrative and economic issues of the activity of the enterprise (organization, institution). The office manager should not so much help the head of the organization in performing his functions, but rather take responsibility for the implementation of all operational work of the company, actively participate in the development of its strategy, and in the work of personnel management, and in the design of management processes, operations and procedures.

The qualification directory of positions for managers, specialists and other employees, approved by Resolution of the Ministry of Labor of Russia dated August 21, 1998 No. 37, classifies the position of secretary of an assistant manager as a technical performer. The International Association of Secretaries gives the following definition to the manager’s secretary: “This is an executive assistant responsible for document support for the activities of the manager, structural unit, or organization as a whole, working independently, without direct control from the manager.

An office can work without a boss, but not without a secretary.

Jane Fonda

The profession of a secretary is one of the most in demand today. Just a few years ago, a company typically only needed one single secretary. One person did everything, including taking calls, distributing work, for example, an entire fleet of vehicles, printing documents, tea and coffee for visitors and organizing the boss’s working day.

Today, it is simply impossible to cope alone with so many responsibilities in large and even medium-sized companies. There are many companies where one employee performs all secretarial duties, while in other organizations there is a whole department of secretaries, which is managed by the head of the secretariat, it all depends on the size of the company, as well as on the specifics of its activities.

We tried to highlight and classify all existing secretarial positions depending on the functions performed and the employee’s place in the organization structure.

If we assume that the company employs the maximum number of secretaries, then the work of the secretariat department may look like this.

A staff of telephone operators calls potential customers offering goods or services. At the same time, there is a stream of calls from clients because the company advertises in the media. These calls are received by a telephone secretary and an appointment is made for the callers. When visitors arrive at the office, they are greeted by a receptionist who escorts clients to a special room. There, an attentive office administrator will offer him tea or coffee while the visitor is waiting to be received. And if at some point the flow of clients stops, then the administrator cleans up the room for visitors, lays out magazines, and waters the flowers. At the same time, there is a business office manager, he dispatches couriers and drivers, monitors the availability of office supplies, and controls the functioning of the office. Each manager has a personal secretary, and senior managers also have assistant secretaries and personal assistants. To complete the picture, you can add PC operators who fill out databases, print all documentation, price lists, brochures, booklets with constantly updated information, as well as secretaries and clerks involved in maintaining documentation, accounting and archiving. All secretarial services are managed by the head of the secretariat department.

And this is not a complete list of secretarial positions, so let’s try to combine the closest specializations into certain basic groups that are most often encountered in practice, namely:

phone operator;
reception secretary/administrator/reception secretary;
department secretary;
assistant secretary;
office manager/head of secretariat;
personal assistant/personal assistant.

Telephone operator

This is perhaps the lowest paid, but most in demand position of all office services. There are many other names for this position, for example, employee, often employee, for working on the phone, manager for negotiating, dispatcher on the phone, etc.

The main responsibility of such an employee is to work with incoming or outgoing calls. As a rule, the work does not involve direct customer service or management assignments.


, ability to win over during a telephone conversation
telephone sales skills

Typical features:

Calls from clients and customers of the organization;
- calls to employees of the organization with further forwarding;
- calls from organization employees involved in production cycles.

2. Carrying out sales over the phone with outgoing calls or with incoming calls from clients.

3. Transfer of reference information by telephone.

4. Displaying the results of receiving telephone calls in specialized programs for organizing:

Recording customer information;
- Sales results;
- Advertising sources of calls;
- etc.

A similar position usually exists in large companies or in companies focused on a large flow of clients (service, help desk and other services). The list of requirements for this employee is small and is usually limited to having a pleasant voice and a desire to work.

Reception secretary/administrator/reception secretary

This name comes from the name of the administrative reception desk, behind which the secretary’s workplace is located. Hence the variety of spellings and pronunciations: receptionist, receptionist, as well as the name of the profession itself, receptionist. Initially, such positions, like the reception desks themselves, existed only in hotels and beauty salons. Now, in many offices where they actively work with visitors, such a person is needed. The dispatcher, duty secretary, telephone secretary, etc. have similar responsibilities.

The vacancy of a reception secretary is opened by companies whose offices receive a large number of telephone calls and many visitors. Therefore, girls with good appearance are usually invited to the position of reception secretary.

Basic requirements:

Confident use of computers and office equipment
knowledge of foreign languages ​​is optional
good communication skills

Typical features:

1. Receiving calls in Russian and/or foreign languages:

From clients and customers of the organization
- calls to employees of the organization with further forwarding

2. Meeting and registering visitors at the reception

3. Receiving letters, faxes, electronic documentation
4. Performs some other minor assignments from management. In some cases, he keeps statistics, accepts cash, fills out document forms, prints letters (without drafting them himself).
Most often, this position is found in foreign companies and Russian firms focused on foreign clients. As a rule, one of the main requirements for candidates for this vacancy is knowledge of a foreign language at least at a good conversational level.

Department Secretary

A secretary working as part of a structural unit of a company (department, division, sector, etc.), often possessing special knowledge regarding the specifics of the work of the corresponding structural unit.

Basic requirements:

Confident use of computers and office equipment

higher education is desirable or special knowledge regarding the specifics of the work of the relevant structural unit
knowledge of foreign languages ​​for foreign companies
good communication skills

Typical features:

1. Receiving calls, answering standard requests within the framework of the work of this structural unit, forwarding calls to specific employees.
2. Meeting visitors.
3. Buying office supplies.
4. Conducting office work of the structural unit.
5. Viewing mail, selecting and structuring the necessary correspondence.

This position is found only in large companies with structural divisions or many departments.

Secretary-assistant

The assistant secretary is more focused on working outside the company, that is, he carries out the orders of his boss regarding communication with clients and partners, so he is required to know foreign languages. The competence of the manager's secretary includes issues related to processes occurring within the company, that is, he performs tasks related to the company itself and its employees.
This secretary, like a personal assistant, works with one person, but these are most often the second persons of the company (deputy directors, vice presidents, heads of departments and divisions, etc.). Also, the assistant secretary can work with the first person, without performing representative and some other functions of a personal assistant.

Basic requirements:

higher education
One year of experience in a similar position
diligence, responsibility, learning ability
Confident use of computers and office equipment

Typical features:

1. Independent writing of letters.
2. Monitoring the execution of documents and tasks subordinated to the immediate head of the structural unit(s).
3. Drawing up the manager’s work schedule.
4. Review and preparation of information for the manager.
5. Drawing up analytical notes and certificates for the boss.
6. Preparation and support of negotiations.

Office Manager/Head of Secretariat

An office manager is a kind of office administrator. In addition to the usual secretarial duties, he may be entrusted with coordinating the activities of a number of company services (for example, automotive), and executing instructions from employees, both management and ordinary. This position requires more independence than a simple secretary or receptionist position. The office manager has the right to carry out certain projects within his competence (studying new products and services, improving the company’s work systems). And also, it is often this secretary who is entrusted with the responsibilities for organizing corporate events, conferences, delivering lunches to the office, etc.

Basic requirements:
higher education
Confident use of computers and office equipment
responsibility, energy

Typical features:

1. Ensuring the functioning of the office (organizing the purchase of stationery, water delivery, monitoring the availability of paper in printers, copiers, and much more).

2. Solving administrative issues (building rent, cleaners, drivers, secretaries and much more).
3. Introduction of new forms of work organization.
4. Representative powers (in government agencies, etc.).
5. Selection, management and training of subordinate personnel.
The position is more typical for companies with large office spaces.
The head of the secretariat is found only in large companies with at least 58 secretaries in the office.

Personal assistant/personal assistant

One of the most responsible secretarial positions, requiring aerobatics and professionalism. A good assistant, in addition to his professional knowledge and skills, must have very developed analytical abilities, be independent in decision-making, and most importantly, be a very good psychologist and know the characteristic habits of his boss no worse than his close relatives. All documents that pass through the assistant and go to the manager’s desk must be impeccable. Knowledge of business etiquette is highly sought after in this position. The way a personal assistant will behave at business meetings determines how the participants in this meeting will perceive the manager.
In other words, he is an indispensable assistant who is aware of all the working issues and problems of his manager. It is assumed that this secretary works exclusively with the first person. The main task of such a specialist is to become the “right hand” of his boss, saving his very expensive working time, relieving him as much as possible from those routine issues and problems that a professional, qualified secretary can easily handle.

Basic requirements:

psychological compatibility with the leader
higher education
Two years of experience in a similar position
diligence, responsibility, learning ability, exceptional courtesy
Confident use of computers and office equipment

Typical features:

1. Coordinates the actions of the manager.
2. Draws up documents independently.
3. Prepares materials for meetings and negotiations.
4. Prepares analytical notes and certificates.
5. Keeps minutes of meetings, negotiations, meetings of shareholders and the board of directors.
6. Translates from a foreign language as necessary.
7. Prepares business trips for the manager (selection, booking of hotels, transport tickets, taxis, etc.).
8. Submits only to his immediate supervisor. In rare cases, his work may be coordinated by the office manager.

The salary level of secretaries depends on the requirements for knowledge, experience, skills and qualifications imposed on the secretary. It is also impossible not to take into account the financial position of a particular company and the policy pursued by it regarding the salaries of its employees.
The salary level of secretaries is usually influenced by the following factors:

  • knowledge of one or more foreign languages;
  • experience in a similar position;
  • presence of higher education;
  • special skills required for a specific position, as well as knowledge of special computer programs;
  • requirements for the appearance of candidates.

Below is the average salary for secretaries in Moscow, depending on the position and the above factors influencing the level of salaries.