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Secretary

Provide office support to keep all kinds of organisations running smoothly.

Also known as: personal assistant, office assistant

About skillsGetting in

About the job

Salary

Source: National Careers Service

Weekly

£327

Entry level

£673

Experienced

Monthly

£1,417

Entry level

£2,917

Experienced

Yearly

£17,000

Entry level

£35,000

Experienced

8,400

people are currently employed

Low growth

200 fewer jobs in 5 years

These figures refer to this job and similar ones with comparable skills and qualifications. They only apply to Scotland. Source: Oxford Economics

What it's like

You would provide office support to keep all kinds of organisations running smoothly.

You’d have to enjoy a varied day and be good at doing several different things at once.

Your duties would depend on your employer. In general, you would:

  • type up documents

  • update computer databases and spreadsheets

  • answer the telephone and handle enquiries

  • make appointments and keep diaries up to date

  • make travel arrangements

  • take minutes at meetings, possibly using shorthand

  • deal with incoming and outgoing post

  • draft letters and other documents

  • photocopy and print documents

  • handle filing

  • look after visitors 

  • look after office systems 

With time, you could take on new responsibilities. You could handle accounts, manage the office or work as a personal secretary for a manager.

Some managers that you work for may give you a high level of responsibility, so in some jobs you may have to:

  • stand in for the manager in their absence

  • manage other administrative staff

  • deal with accounts and budgets

  • take on project work, such as research

You would need to be comfortable communicating with a wide range of people, both in speech and through writing. Strong typing skills and great grammar and spelling would be very important.

Hours

In a full-time job you would usually work, 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. In some offices flexitime working may be possible. Part-time hours, job share and temporary work could also be available.

Environment

You would normally work in an office. A lot of your work would be done using a computer.

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    Top skills

    Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!

    It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.

    Here are some of the skills you'll need to do this job:

    • reliable
    • time management
    • developing a plan
    • sorting
    • attention to detail
    • observation
    • written communication
    • verbal communication
    • cooperating

    Your skills are important

    Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.

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    Getting in

    Explore the sections shown for more information about getting into this career.

    You might have qualifications which are not shown here but will allow you access to a course. You can compare your qualifications by looking at their SCQF Level. For more information about this, check out the SCQF website.

    Always contact the college, university or training provider to check exactly what you'll need.

    Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:

    • Administration and Information Technology

    • Business

    • Foundation Apprenticeship: Business Skills

    You can get a head start in this career by doing a Foundation Apprenticeship in S5 and S6.

    You'll get an SCQF level 6 qualification which is the same level as a Higher. You'll also learn new skills and gain valuable experience in a work environment.

    Discover what's on offer at your school on  Apprenticeships.scot.

    There are no set entry requirements for this role, however many employers value a good general education. For example, qualifications at SCQF level 4/5, a Higher National Certificate (SCQF level 7) or Higher National Diploma (SCQF level 8) in administration or business.

    You could complete a Modern Apprenticeship in Business and Administration.

    Relevant work-based qualifications such as a Scottish Vocational Qualification in Business Administration (SVQ level 2/3/4) are also welcome. A Scottish Vocational Qualification normally requires three subjects at National 4 or 5 including English and Maths as a minimum.

    You can enter a National Qualification or National Certificate course with no formal qualifications though many courses ask for three to four subjects at National 4 or 5.

    Entry requirements for a Higher National Certificate or Higher National Diploma are one to two Highers plus some subjects at National 4 or 5.

    You could benefit from having qualifications that show your organisational, teamworking and ICT skills. Any qualifications that involve work-based experience such as Skills for Work courses could also give you an advantage.

    You can work your way up from an administrative job, gaining qualifications while you work. You could earn a Scottish Vocational Qualification in business and administration (SVQ level 2/3) or another relevant subject. 

    Ability in a foreign language can be useful for some roles.

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