CAREER PATHS OF SECRETARIAL PRACTITIONERS AND FUTURE ADVANCEMENT

Abstract

Despite preconceptions that the work of secretaries could be extinguished due to technological advancements,
secretaries are still relevant n modern offices more than ever as technology has provided new sources of
information and its management. The secretaries are the biggest support for the administrators in all levels of
management and they are considered as the office workers with the superiority of office competencies. The main
purpose of this work was to critically examine the career paths of secretarial practitioners and future
advancement. The work examined among other skills requirement for secretarial practitioners, the future of
secretarial profession and the challenges of the profession. The work concluded that advances in information
and communication technology and increased computerizations, changes in organizational cultures and
organization theories have greatly influenced moves towards redefinition of the secretarial role and skill
requirements; hence the secretarial roles should expand to accommodate rapid organizational change and
business needs. It was recommended among others that secretarial practitioners should understand that for job
advancement to the top that personal skills trump technical ability, hence one of the ways forward lies in honing
ones soft skills which will likely help one to stand out from the crowd.