There are a number of different available part-time secretarial jobs for people who are interested in this career path. Many of these are likely to be found in businesses with non-traditional hours. Unlike many office environments, which work a set schedule five days per week, organizations such as schools or hospitals may need employees scheduled for a variety of different shifts, and as a result may have more part-time secretarial jobs available than others. If certain businesses have an especially busy time of day, or portion of the week, they might hire part-time secretaries to cover these times as well.
Most part-time secretarial jobs are relatively similar in assigned job duties. It may involve providing administrative assistance to an executive or a number of other employees. This may include answering the phones, assisting walk-in clients, and maintaining the appearance and function of the office by keeping supplies stocked. Many administrative assistants are also responsible for things like scheduling meetings, updating or maintaining records, and maintaining a filing system. These are just a few of the most common tasks for a part-time secretary, and specific job duties will vary based on the nature of the organization for which he or she is working.
Firms that require administrative assistant coverage only during certain times of the year, or at odd hours such as overnight, are often the most common sources of part-time secretarial jobs. For instance, a school district might need full-time help during the school year, but only part-time administrative assistants during the summer months, when school is not in session. Others might need a part-time secretary to fill in during the early mornings of the school year, such as to assist in taking attendance and answering the phone. Some people who start in part-time secretarial jobs like these at a school are able to eventually progress to full time.
Hospitals or treatment facilities that need to be staffed 24 hours a day also offer part-time secretarial jobs to interested applicants. Usually these secretaries are responsible for covering the desk in certain departments in order to answer the phones or assist walk-in clients. For instance, an emergency room department at a hospital will need to be staffed at all hours of the day, offering a great opportunity for part-time work. Employers in this instance will generally want individuals with a certain amount of qualified experience, since it is a stressful, often fast-paced and challenging environment.