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What is the difference between Administrative and Secretarial duties?

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Question added by Aamir Abbasi , Branch Manager , FINCON INT. PVT. LTD.
Date Posted: 2015/10/19
Sumaya AlHammadi
by Sumaya AlHammadi , Administrative Coordinator , TMI - Technical Metal Industrial Co. L.L.C.

in my point of view the Secretary  can perform specific task that only comes from one person and depends on confidentiality as for the administrative he / she can n perform several task in more dynamic way coming from different people 

Yasser Mahmood
by Yasser Mahmood , Director Customer Support / Operations , Plum Networks Web Design

 

In general, a secretary is someone who strictly performs clerical and support tasks, such as typing, dictation, filing or photocopying. Secretaries also answer phones and deliver messages, sort and deliver mail and, in some companies, handle reception duties. Secretaries often take meeting minutes as well. In most cases, secretaries do not supervise staff or have the power to delegate tasks.

 

Administrative assistants, in contrast to secretaries, generally have duties that extend beyond clerical functions. Administrative assistants, also known as executive assistants, often handle their employers' calendars, make travel arrangements, draft documents and possibly work with their boss and other employees on projects. They often manage the maintenance of office equipment and work with vendors to purchase supplies and negotiate prices and contracts. Administrative assistants at some companies may also supervise other clerical staff.

 

 

Araceli Bandoy
by Araceli Bandoy , Office Administrator/Event Coordinator , Freelance

Administrative covers the entire scope of Office works while secretarials is more on clerical assistance works or internal documentations

SHANU CHERIYAL
by SHANU CHERIYAL , FCY CASHIER , AL ANSARI EXCHANGE LLC

The main differences include:

1. A secretary is a person whose job is strictly clerical.An administrative assistant's work is far above clerical jobs.

2. A secretary has to do jobs like typing & copying dictations,attending telephone calls and fixing appointments.A secretary will not have any other major role to play and he/she has no power to make any decisions independently. Unlike a secretary an administrative assistant has the liberty to make independent decisions and judgments.

 

In a nutshell, a secretary is executing her boss' orders while an administrative is involved in the decision making, can take initiatives in addition to the secretary's tasks.

Muhammad Moeen Bhatti
by Muhammad Moeen Bhatti , Cluster Incharge , Premier DLC - A project of Beaconhouse Group

Administrative duties will be for a department of organization and Secretary will do the duties for an individual of the organization

Furquan Shameem Ahmed Mumtaz Ahmed
by Furquan Shameem Ahmed Mumtaz Ahmed , Logistics Coordinator , STC Channels is one of highly global distribution company of telecom services and devices

A secretary is a person who provides clerical and administrative support. Secretaries may perform tasks such as typing and filing, answering the phone and making appointments for her supervisor. The executive secretary or administrative assistant may do those things, but also has responsibility for more senior-level functions such as research, interacting with vendors and the selection of products or database management. In addition to differences in job duties, there are usually differences in educational preparation and wages between secretaries and executive secretaries.

Delsy Eric Rodrigues
by Delsy Eric Rodrigues , Central Coordinator- HR Associate , ‘Gyanodaya’-Global Centre for Leadership Learning, Aditya Birla Group

Secretarial duties is limited to a certain area but wherein administrative duties include whole organisation

Nelya Gafitulina
by Nelya Gafitulina , Secretary cum Office Administrator , ADNOC Refining

 

Secretary provides administrative and secretarial support to reporting Manager only. Administrator provides administrative and secretarial support to whole department/office.

محمد الحاج ميلود basheer
by محمد الحاج ميلود basheer , AGENT SHIPPING وكيل الشحن , MARMEDSA BEMARINE

An administrative assistant has more duties to perform than a secretary. Anadministrative assistant's work is far above clerical jobs

In my view, a Secretary in addition to reporting to her/his superior performs an overall function of a Secretary and an Administrator.  It all depends on the Company and the job description.  Administrators do have certain powers to administer a certain area or a department within the limits of authority levels assigned.

Role of a Secretary is so vast depending on designation.  For example a Board Secretary who reports directly to the Board of Directors of a company acts in terms of certain rules, acts and guidelines has more powers and authority levels usually than any other secretary.

 

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