company policies
The set of rules that govern the activity of a company.
Secretaries perform a variety of administrative tasks to help keep an organisation run smoothly. They answer telephone calls, draft and send e-mails, maintain diaries, arrange appointments, take messages, file documents, organise and service meetings, and manage databases.
Competences and skills
43 ESCO relationsEssential knowledge 1 competence
Occupation specific
0 competencesNo competences in this bucket.
Sector-specific
1 competenceCross-sector
0 competencesNo competences in this bucket.
Essential skills and competences 21 competences
Occupation specific
0 competencesNo competences in this bucket.
Sector-specific
3 competencescommunicate schedules to the people concerned
Convey relevant scheduling information. Present the schedule to the persons concerned, and inform them of any schedule changes. Approve the schedules and verify that everyone has understood the information sent to them.
file documents
Create a filing system. Write a document catalogue. Label documents etc.
digital
handle mail
Handle mail considering data protection issues, health and safety requirements, and specifications of different kinds of mail.
Cross-sector
18 competencesadminister appointments
Accept, schedule and cancel appointments.
communicate by telephone
Liaise via telephone by making and answering calls in a timely, professional and polite manner.
disseminate internal communications
Disseminate internal communications using the different communication channels that a company has at its disposal.
disseminate messages to people
Receive, process, and pass messages to people coming from phone calls, faxes, postal, and emails.
draft corporate emails
Prepare, compile, and write mails with the adequate information and an appropriate language to make internal or external communications.
digital
fill out forms
Fill out forms of a different nature with accurate information, legible calligraphy, and within a timely manner.
keep task records
Organise and classify records of prepared reports and correspondence related to the performed work and progress records of tasks.
maintain internal communication systems
Maintain an effective internal communication system among employees and department managers.
manage digital documents
Manage various data formats and files by naming, publishing, transforming and sharing files and documents and transforming file formats.
digital
manage personnel agenda
Schedule and confirm appointments for the personnel of the office, mostly managers and directive employees, with external parties.
monitor staff absences
Keep an overview of the employees's vacations, sick leaves and absences, register these in the agenda and file the necessary documents and certificates.
organise business documents
Put together documents coming from the photocopier, the mail, or the daily operations of businesses.
organise facilities for office personnel
Manage the booking schedule for conferences and meetings of internal or external nature. Shop around and book reservations for travelling or hosting for office personnel.
perform office routine activities
Program, prepare, and perform activities required to be performed everyday in offices such as mailing, receiving supplies, updating managers and employees, and keeping operations running smoothly.
process commissioned instructions
Process instructions, usually oral ones, provided by managers and directives on actions required to be made. Take note, inquire, and take action on the commissioned requests.
use microsoft office
Use the standard programs contained in Microsoft Office. Create a document and do basic formatting, insert page breaks, create headers or footers, and insert graphics, create automatically generated tables of contents and merge form letters from a database of addresses. Create auto-calculating spreadsheets, create images, and sort and filter data tables.
digital
use spreadsheets software
Use software tools to create and edit tabular data to carry out mathematical calculations, organise data and information, create diagrams based on data and to retrieve them.
digital
use word processing software
Use computer software applications for composition, editing, formatting, and printing of any sort of written material.
digital
Optional knowledge 4 competences
Occupation specific
0 competencesNo competences in this bucket.
Sector-specific
1 competencelabour law
The field of law that is concerned with the regulation of the relationship between employers, employees, trade unions, and the government.
Cross-sector
3 competencesaccounting techniques
The techniques of recording and summarising business and financial transactions and analysing, verifying, and reporting the results.
education administration
The processes related to the administrative areas of an education institution, its director, employees, and students.
education law
The area of law and legislation that concerns education policies and the people working in the sector in an (inter)national context, such as teachers, students, and administrators.
Optional skills and competences 17 competences
Occupation specific
0 competencesNo competences in this bucket.
Sector-specific
3 competencesissue sales invoices
Prepare the invoice of goods sold or services provided, containing individual prices, the total charge, and the terms. Complete order processing for orders received via telephone, fax and internet and calculate the customer’s final bill.
manage online content
Ensure the website content is up to date, organised, attractive and meets the target audience needs, the requirements of the company and international standards by checking the links, setting the publishing time framework and order.
digital
place orders for printed paper goods
Communicate with suppliers and place orders for printed paper goods such as newspapers, magazines, books and stationery products for the store.
Cross-sector
14 competencesdeliver correspondence
Distribute mail correspondence, newspapers, packages and private messages to customers.
demonstrate professional attitude to clients
Demonstrate responsibility and professional duty of care to clients which will include communication skills and a focus of customer care orientation.
develop documentation in accordance with legal requirements
Create professionally written content describing products, applications, components, functions or services in compliance with legal requirements and internal or external standards.
handle financial transactions
Administer currencies, financial exchange activities, deposits as well as company and voucher payments. Prepare and manage guest accounts and take payments by cash, credit card and debit card.
handle petty cash
Handle petty cash for minor expenses and transactions required for the daily running of a business.
liaise with typists
Give instructions to typists about the addressees, the appropriate format, the number of copies required, etc. for them to type the final documents.
manage accounts
Manage the accounts and financial activities of an organisation, supervising that all the documents are correctly maintained, that all the information and calculations are correct, and that proper decisions are being made.
manage budgets
Plan, monitor, report on the budget and prepare set production budgets.
manage needs for stationery items
Watch, analyse, and provide sufficient and required stationery items for business facilities to run operations smoothly.
organise travel arrangements for staff
Plan all arrangements for business travels including preparing schedules and booking transportation, dinners and accommodation.
prepare presentation material
Prepare the documents, slide shows, posters and any other media needed for specific audiences.
use office systems
Make appropriate and timely use of office systems used in business facilities depending on the aim, whether for the collection of messages, client information storage, or agenda scheduling. It includes administration of systems such as customer relationship management, vendor management, storage, and voicemail systems.
use personal organization software
Use software tools, such as calendars, to-do lists, time-tracking, contact lists, to help in managing personal efficiency.
digital
write meeting reports
Write complete reports based on minutes taken during a meeting in order to communicate the important points which were discussed, and the decisions which were made, to the appropriate people.