Usild Certificate Level III - Certified Executive Administrator Professional

Preserve top-level secrets

Executive secretaries can know the minutes of top-level managerial meetings or personal business strategies. Their superiors may expect them to exercise high confidentiality and not disclose these details to third parties. They may also keep details such as meeting locations and their expected participants private.

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Manage an executive's schedule

Executive secretaries work for an administrator and may organise and schedule their meetings and appointments. They can manage a complex calendar of their supervisor's professional and sometimes personal life too. Overseeing this schedule can help them keep track of future events and ensure that their boss attends all occasions punctually.

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Maintain communication

An executive secretary can arrange and occasionally reply to emails and letters sent to their superior. It may also be their role to determine the messages that reach the administrator and the ones they can answer on their behalf. They can also choose which emails to respond to first based on their priority.

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Prepare reports

A top-level member may require an executive secretary to prepare a report or write a speech for them. They can provide the secretary with a draft of details they want them to include in the document or request them to create one from the beginning. When they're not directly preparing these documents, they may proofread the writing.

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Maintain records

Executive secretaries can monitor and maintain electronic and paper records such as letters, inventory and minutes for their administrators. This preservation can ensure that each document is well-organised and easily accessible to them and their superiors. The documents can be essential for future meetings and business appointments.

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Answer and manage calls

These secretaries answer, schedule or redirect phone calls to their boss's office. They can screen callers to reduce spam contacts, ask questions, note the information and pass it to their supervising executive. An executive member may also require their secretary to make calls that follow up on enquiries.

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Conduct research

A top-level secretary may perform an analysis when directed by their superior. This research can entail searching for subcontracting experts who can help with a project. The executive secretary can then create a report based on the findings of their analysis. This information can be the administrator's reference point during a meeting or a study into industry trends to predict a course of action.

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Manage office expenditure

An executive secretary can track office spending, authorize purchases and ensure expenditures are consistent with the office budget. They can write expenditure reports and present them to their supervisor for work transparency. Another crucial role for an individual in this position is monitoring office supplies and negotiating with suppliers to buy the most cost-effective equipment.

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Average Salary

The national average salary for an executive secretary is $67,521 per year. Many executive secretaries serve as full-time employees, while others may operate part-time or temporarily and this element may affect this earnings rate. Other factors, such as the organization's size, the secretary's roles, level of education and certification, can influence their salary.

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Skills of an executive secretary

Executive secretaries may require hard and soft skills to fulfil their obligations depending on their roles. As high-ranking assistants, they may possess these capabilities to show professionalism. The following is a list of skills that can help an individual in this position to perform their tasks efficiently:

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Time-management

One of the primary roles of an executive secretary is to maintain the executive member's schedule and ensure that they attend meetings and appointments on time. Time management skills can help them perform this role efficiently. This capability can also assist them in prioritising assignments based on their deadlines and staying updated.

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Data entry skills

Another key function of executive secretaries is record-keeping. Substantial data entry skills can be a vital skill for this task. The capability can help them input and retrieve data quickly and efficiently. Possession of intermediate technological skills can also be essential for this role.

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Organization skills

Executive secretaries can use organisational skills to arrange files, emails, calls and essential documents. This capability can help them retrieve records whenever the administrator asks for them. It can also help them design simple techniques to handle complex tasks and develop order systems at work.

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Interpersonal skills

Part of these assistants' job descriptions may entail daily interactions with various individuals. Interpersonal skills can help them learn how to interact and establish cordial relationships with clients, business partners and superiors. This capability can also help them know how to handle different situations respectfully.

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Communication skills

Excellent verbal and written communication skills can be necessary for executive secretaries since many of their roles involve interacting with others. These skills can help them handle calls, engage their supervisor, write letters and draft reports. Possessing exceptional communication skills can help them identify which tone to use while addressing different individuals.

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Problem-solving

Administrators can enlist the help of executive secretaries to handle issues they don't have the time to rectify. Problem-solving skills can help them accomplish this task diligently. The capability can also assist them in supervising multiple clients and resolving complications affecting them.

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