Glossary entry (derived from question below)
English term or phrase:
secretary / administrative assistant
English answer:
secretary / administrative assistant
Added to glossary by
Sheila Wilson
Jun 2, 2011 18:27
12 yrs ago
22 viewers *
English term
Monica Vidal
secretary / administrative assistant
English
Other
Human Resources
job name for a cv. what's the difference between them?
Change log
Jun 16, 2011 07:36: Sheila Wilson Created KOG entry
Responses
+6
35 mins
Sheila Wilson
Spain
Spain
Native in English
&
English
Works in field
Spain
20 years producing 100% natural English
Native in: English (Variant: British) 
Works in: English, French to English
Related KudoZ points
:
20
Selected
secretary / administrative assistant
I would say there's an awful lot of overlap.
A secretary can be a personal assistant or executive secretary (i.e. personally assisting a top-level manager). These are well-qualified, well-paid, often the backbone of a small company, and in the past this job involved shorthand etc - not sure that holds true today.
An admin assistant will work for a department rather than a person - gathering statistics, keeping databases up-to-date, arranging meetings etc for the department.
In the middle is the non-executive secretary - giving secretarial support to junior managers and general admin to the department.
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Note added at 41 mins (2011-06-02 19:08:34 GMT)
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I run a workshop in France to produce CVs. It seems that in France they go to extraordinary lengths to avoid the term "secrétaire". I don't actually know if the same is true in the Anglo-Saxon world but I expect it is - historically, secretaries were women and hence poorly-paid and looked down on as someone who made the coffee and sat on the (male!) boss's knee.
As an ex-secretary, I can say that I had a boss who expected just that (yuk!) and several who wanted me to do their jobs for them while they played golf. I then went on to become an admin asst - there, the whole department wanted to go and play games while I held the fort!
A secretary can be a personal assistant or executive secretary (i.e. personally assisting a top-level manager). These are well-qualified, well-paid, often the backbone of a small company, and in the past this job involved shorthand etc - not sure that holds true today.
An admin assistant will work for a department rather than a person - gathering statistics, keeping databases up-to-date, arranging meetings etc for the department.
In the middle is the non-executive secretary - giving secretarial support to junior managers and general admin to the department.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 41 mins (2011-06-02 19:08:34 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
I run a workshop in France to produce CVs. It seems that in France they go to extraordinary lengths to avoid the term "secrétaire". I don't actually know if the same is true in the Anglo-Saxon world but I expect it is - historically, secretaries were women and hence poorly-paid and looked down on as someone who made the coffee and sat on the (male!) boss's knee.
As an ex-secretary, I can say that I had a boss who expected just that (yuk!) and several who wanted me to do their jobs for them while they played golf. I then went on to become an admin asst - there, the whole department wanted to go and play games while I held the fort!
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Birgit Wilpers
: In Germany they also avoid the term secretary and use "team assistant" instead.
2 hrs
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Thanks. What's in a name, anyway? :-)
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| agree |
Stephanie Ezrol
2 hrs
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Thanks
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| agree |
Vesna Maširević
: In Serbia also.. Secretary is almost on the same level as cleaning lady and widely being replaced with "Office Manager" (though sometimes that makes a difference only in title)
10 hrs
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Thanks. Yes, I've come across that one. I just hope that means they get paid more.
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| agree |
Tina Vonhof (X)
: It really depends on the terms used in each organization. Strange how the meanings attached to a title can change over time.
19 hrs
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Thanks. As you say, it depends on where and when. A lot to do with the PC trend - can't call a cleaner a cleaner nowadays :-)
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| agree |
jccantrell
: In my company, and elsewhere in the USA, 'secretary' has a perjorative sense and is rarely used, except by dinosaurs like me (kind of like "stewardess"). My company uses "office administrator."
21 hrs
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Thanks. It's crazy that "secretary" is prejorative nowadays when an "administrator" does exactly the same. That's office politics for you
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| agree |
Phong Le
1 day 15 hrs
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Thanks
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Selected automatically based on peer agreement."
+2
7 mins
Liz Dexter (was Broomfield)
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in English
&
English
Works in field
United Kingdom
Proofreading, editing & localisation
Native in: English (Variants: British, UK, US, Australian, Canadian, New Zealand)
Works in: English
Related KudoZ points
:
8
secretary and administrative assistant are 2 separate jobs
A secretary works for one or more people answering their phones, taking minutes of meetings, organising their diaries, etc. Usually has secretarial qualifications (e.g. from Pitman or other qualifications)
An administrative assistant will help with the admin for a department or indeed for a secretary. They might file things, answer the phone as well, they won't usually take minutes or dictation or write letters or take the initiative and do unsupervised work. When I've been one (I've been both, and a PA), I have made tea for meetings, put things in the day file for the boss but the secretary takes them out and presents them to the boss, etc. They might have a qualification in administration but not the skills of a secretary. And they could work for a sales team, etc. too, not for individuals.
An administrative assistant will help with the admin for a department or indeed for a secretary. They might file things, answer the phone as well, they won't usually take minutes or dictation or write letters or take the initiative and do unsupervised work. When I've been one (I've been both, and a PA), I have made tea for meetings, put things in the day file for the boss but the secretary takes them out and presents them to the boss, etc. They might have a qualification in administration but not the skills of a secretary. And they could work for a sales team, etc. too, not for individuals.
Discussion