Professional Secretarial Skills Development 

Objectives and target group

The Professional Secretarial Skills Development course is designed to equip participants with the core competencies to enable them to satisfactorily conduct themselves as professional secretaries. On completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• Develop organizational and time management skills by dealing with competing priorities and handling multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Acquire the use of professional communication techniques—both written communication and verbal communication—to ensure problem-free office correspondence and facilitate effective stakeholder communication.
• Learn how to manage and streamline office procedures, making the work of others easier and freeing up your time from administrative duties.
• Learn office technologies and tools now expected of secretaries in a modern environment: project management for secretaries, office software, and communication platforms.
• Enhance presentation skills to a level that enables them to assist in business meetings and create professional documents.
• Acquire knowledge in the areas of professional relationships, confidentiality of information, and the application of a high level of professionalism at the workplace.

At the end of this program, learners would be able to execute executive support through advanced calendar and office resourcing and communicate well within and outside an organization.

Target Audience/Who Should Attend

The Professional Secretarial Skills Development course would be ideal for any person involved in an administrative role seeking further secretarial skills and wanting to progress to undertake increased responsibility within their organisations. Whether you are newly entering the profession or an experienced executive assistant, this course will provide insights and techniques required for success within the fast pace of today’s workplace.

Executive Assistants

This course will also be of great importance to executive assistants in developing their advanced secretarial skills in the management of busy schedules, correspondence, and providing efficient support to senior leadership. The course will refine their ability to juggle multiple tasks and responsibilities while maintaining a professional demeanor.

Administrative Assistants

The course will be beneficial to an administrative assistant who wants to learn how to optimize office workflow, manage administrative functions more efficiently, and communicate more effectively. Such workers will be equipped with tools and strategies for being more proactive and efficient in their everyday responsibilities.

Personal Assistants

This course will also be helpful for personal assistants who maintain the personal and professional agenda of executives, as it covers time management techniques and communication skills. The practical skills developed will help them excel in managing calendars, making travel arrangements, and facilitating meetings.

Office Managers and Coordinators

Office managers and coordinators who supervise the daily operations of an office will gain valuable knowledge on office procedures, organizing resources, and using technology tools to enhance productivity. This course will help them in enhancing their administrative support to executives and teams.

Aspiring Secretaries

The topics outlined in this course will benefit the entrants into the secretarial profession since it encompasses all foundational areas that a secretary needs in communication, organization, and office management. The course will lay a solid foundation for success in one’s administrative career.

This course avails the participant with practical insight into secretarial roles and responsibilities that enable them to make effective contributions to their organization, be it a corporate office, a non-profit organization, or a government agency.

Course Content

Professional Communication and Correspondence

The bedrock of any successful secretarial career is effective communication. This module deals with both the art of written communication and verbal communication skills. Participants will be taken through how to write business letters, including emails and formal letters, as well as reports. In all these, there will be great emphasis on clarity, tone, and proper use of language. The course will also include telephone etiquette and face-to-face communication strategies to ensure participants have confidence in using formal or informal means.

• Business Writing: Writing clear, concise letters, emails, inter-office memos, and reports.
• Telephoning: How to receive and handle calls, handle phone communication in a businesslike manner.
• Email: How to compose emails that effectively get across an appropriate tone and message.
• Verbal Communication: How to communicate effectively in meetings, presentations, and one-on-one interactions.
• Non-verbal Communication: Knowing the use of body language in communication.

Time Management and Organizational Skills

Secretaries have to deal with several responsibilities at one time. This module presents time management and organizational skills necessary to keep the secretary on top of assigned tasks. Participants will be able to learn how to prioritize, deal with deadlines, and budget time for each critical responsibility to achieve high productivity and time use effectiveness.

• Prioritizing Tasks: How to prioritize tasks by urgency and importance.
• Effective Scheduling and Calendar Management: Ways of effectively organizing meetings, appointments, and travel arrangements.
• Optimization of Office Workflow: How to manage office work in order to reduce wastage of time and resources and enhance productivity.
• Workload Balancing: How to manage workloads during periods of high demand without compromising quality or performance.

Office Technology and Tools

Office technology is a key helper for the secretary in the modern workplace. This course outlines basic office tools and software a secretary should be familiar with to perform their tasks efficiently. Practical experience of office management tools, project management for secretaries, and communication platforms for enhanced organizational efficiency.

• Office Software: Basic knowledge in the use of software such as Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, among other office productivity tools.
• Secretary Project Management: Introduction to basic task and project management software like Trello, Asana, and Microsoft Project.
• Office Tools and Platforms: Learn Slack, Zoom, Skype, among other digital collaboration tools for effective communication with team members and document sharing.

Professional Writing and Document Management

Besides, the general ability to make documents clear and well-structured is a needed skill for any secretary. This section covers professional writing techniques for varied office documents such as reports, memos, and business proposals. Also, it gives an overview of best practices in document management, including how the files should be organized and made accessible.

• Professional Writing: Techniques in writing clear business documents such as reports, memos, and meeting minutes.
• Managing Documentation: This module would focus on the organization of documents both in hard copy and digital form for quick reference.
• Writing Reports: Structuring and writing a business report so it is clear, informative, and persuasive.

Management of Meetings and Events

Secretaries also perform core responsibilities in organizing and coordinating meetings, conferences, and corporate events. This topic will assist the participant in honing their skills regarding meetings and events organization to ensure everything goes according to plan and timing.

• Meeting Organization: How to organize meetings, prepare agendas, and lead discussions.
• Event Arranging: Planning business events includes logistics, selecting venues, and handling attendees.
• Presentation Skills: How to assist in developing and delivering clear and professional presentations.

Customer Service and Stakeholder Communication

Customer service is an important aspect of secretarial work, especially in relating to clients, partners, and stakeholders. This section will cover best practices in engaging with customers, inquiry handling, and professional relationship management.

• Customer Service: Techniques in the management of client relationships and the delivery of excellent service.
• Stakeholder Communication: How to communicate with internal and external stakeholders to support business objectives.

Confidentiality and Professionalism

Many secretaries have access to confidential information, and discretion is a major part of the job. This section will cover how to handle confidential information and how to project professionalism in all areas of work.

• Confidentiality in the Workplace: How to handle sensitive information with discretion and care.
• Professionalism in the Workplace: Techniques for building and maintaining a professional image and managing workplace relationships.

Stress Management and Multitasking

Secretarial roles require handling multiple jobs with strict deadlines. This topic will help the participants establish ways of stress management and multitasking, and how to remain composed and productive under pressure.

• Stress Management: How to remain calm and focused under high pressure.
• Multitasking: How to handle multiple jobs without compromising on quality.