A department secretary is an administrative professional who works in one particular department in a larger business or organization. Hospitals or medical facilities, for example, as well as schools, will often have department secretaries to assist in running different departments efficiently. In order to become a department secretary, you will typically need to have certain administrative and office skills, such as the ability to use office equipment like computers and multi-line phone systems. It is important to be knowledgeable about the particular department in which you will be working if you become a department secretary as well, because you may need to answer questions if people stop by or call.
If you decide you want to become a department secretary, the ability to multi-task and keep track of a number of different responsibilities is very important. This is because unlike executive or legal secretaries who will work one-on-one with a business executive or lawyer, a department secretary will generally provide administrative support to all of the different people who work in a particular department. Before being hired for a position like this, employers will generally expect you to have had some secretarial work experience in a busy office environment.
Some people who want to become a department secretary will find it helpful to take some administrative assistant classes at a local college or continuing education/vocational school. It may be possible to earn a two-year degree or a certificate in this field of work, which will show employers that you are serious about this career, and possess the office skills that are necessary to succeed. An individual who wants to eventually progress from a department secretary to a higher-paid executive-level secretary will often find that this type of higher education can be very useful.
Otherwise, if you want to become a department secretary you will need to ensure that you have all the required skills, including the ability to use different types of office software programs on the computer, various types of office equipment such as a fax machine, copy machine, and phone system; a friendly and professional demeanor is essential too. The department secretary represents the department as well as the business overall, so employers will want to hire someone who will always present a favorable image. It is important to learn about the particular department you want to work in, and be able to demonstrate this knowledge in a job interview.
