Definition & origin of “Secretary.”
According to www.wordorigins.org, the word “secretary” is derived from the Medieval Latin word secretarius, which is based on the Latin word secretum, meaning secret. Originally, a secretary was a person hired to handle confidential and secret business for rulers. Today, the English Oxford Dictionary defines secretary as “a person employed by an individual or in an office to assist with correspondence, make appointments, and carry out administrative tasks” (https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/secretary). A Secretary can also a head of a governmental department (i.e. Secretary of State).
The first secretaries were men that wrote correspondence for kings. During World War I, opportunities opened up for women to be educated and hired as secretaries because most men were fighting in the war, which tipped the gender norms of this profession to female. Today, the profession is still mostly female based, though more men are making careers as administrative professionals. In addition, as secretaries have been feminized and linked with “dumb” women through movies and TV, other terms have replaced the word secretary, such as administrative assistant, office manager, etc., as a way to change the perception of secretaries to being more knowledgeable and professional.
Below are 5 stereotypes of the administrative profession that can be demystified:
Administrative Professionals are “just secretaries”
As stated above, the first secretaries were people that handled secrets for powerful kings. Today secretaries, or administrative professionals, do more than filing and answering phones. A good administrative professional knows what is going on throughout the entire office s/he serves. This person can multitask and handle interruptions easily, answering questions and taking care of tasks that superiors don’t have time to. They are able to make educated decisions, problem solve, and work with a number of different technologies.
Secretaries are women that didn’t go to college and/or couldn’t get a real job
This is a very old fashioned stereotype. While this profession is easily entered, most people do not grow or get promotions without learning many skills and being able to navigate several types of technologies. There are college courses that teach about how to be professional, ethical and excellent administrative professionals. Many people in this profession do have college degrees and still enjoy the work.
Being an assistant is a woman’s job. Most women in these jobs are just looking for a husband.
This is such a ’60s attitude, and I can’t believe this idea is still being thought! In the #MeToo Movement, we all should understand that women do not need a husband/partner in order to be successful, whatever that means to them. In addition, even though the majority of administrative professionals are women (similar to other professions like nurses, teachers, etc.), this profession didn’t start out that way, and the number of men entering the profession is increasing each decade. Due to technology, the jobs are less about filing, answering phones, and scheduling appointments than it is about project management, event planning, and training, which require quick decision-making and time management skills.
Administrative jobs are stepping stones, and are not long term careers
I have been in the administrative profession for over 20 years. During that time, I have come to believe that being an administrative professional is, in fact, a career that I can retire from. I am able to work in any industry, in any office, which has been very profitable for me, not just monetarily, but also in my pursuit of knowledge. I am able to take on leadership roles within my organization, even without a supervisory title, to influence company culture and changes.
Being an administrative professional is nothing to be proud of
Most administrative professionals are the first people customers and clients greet as they enter a business. Being the face of the business is a very big deal. If a customer has a bad experience at the very beginning of an interaction with your company, they will not enjoy working with you, no matter how pleasant you are that day. I am very proud to be the first person greeted when clients come into the office. I have the opportunity to set the stage, put a smile on someone’s face, and use my customer service skills to create a positive environment that is conducive to getting things accomplished.
As an administrative professional with many years of experience working in several different industries, I have found this type of job very engaging, challenging, and a great profession to learn a lot about an industry or company. Everything is seen by the secretary, office manager, or administrative assistant, from mail to annual reports, and everything in between. If you ever go into a company and have a question of any sort, ask the nearest administrative professional. They will likely know the answer; if they don’t, I’m sure they will find out for you!
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