Administrative, Personal Assistant & Secretarial Duties

·Covered in this Diploma Program include:

Module 1 - The Private Secretary

·The working relationship between the private secretary/PA and executives or the boss

·The roles and work of a private secretary/PA

·Personal Attributes and Skills Needed

·Adapting to change and the criteria for success

Module 2 - Secretarial Work-Environments

·The modern commercial world and types of business enterprises,

·Office functions, location, planning and layouts, furniture, equipment

·Safety, accident prevention, the working environment

·Office personnel, supervision and harmony

Module 3 - Information, Records and Filing, Computer Systems and Databases

·Records and sources of information

·Collating, analysing and presenting information in the required format

·Filing systems, references, record retention policy

·Computer systems, databases and data security

Module 4 - Oral Communication, Forms, Business Documents

·Principles of effective communication

·The importance of good communication and the need for a two-way flow

·The purposes of internal communication

·Oral and unspoken communications, written communications, forms and documents

Module 5 - Business Letters

·The purposes and features of business letters

·Layouts of business letters and their appearance

·Planning and drafting business letters

·Note-taking, shorthand, dictation

Module 6 - Memoranda, Reports, Word Processing, Computer Mediated Communication

·Internal vertical and horizontal communication and organization charts

·Memoranda, routine reports, special reports

·Telecommunications, email, computers, viruses

·Desktop publishing and computer mediated communication

Module 7 - Meetings

·Written confirmation and records of informal discussions, decisions and agreements reached

·Formal meetings: preparations required, notice, agendas, conduct of meetings

·Minutes of meetings, notes, rules, writing-up, distribution, confidentiality

·PA work involved in event management, conferences and conventions

Module 8 - Incoming and Outgoing Mail, Post and Dispatches

·Receipt of mail, opening and PA actions on behalf of the executive

·Centralised despatch departments or post-rooms, equipment, postal rates

·Methods of postal transmission, classifications of mail, couriers

·Preparing typed letters and documents for despatch, checks to make

Module 9 - Reception Work, Visitors, Appointments, Travel Arrangements

·The reception, importance to the organisation, reception furniture, decor, appearance

·The appearance and personal attributes of good receptionists

·The main types of reception work, handling visitors

·Making appointments, the appointments book, making travel arrangements

Module 10 - Money, Banking & Financial Matters,

·Manual and computerised bookkeeping and accounting, principles of double-entry bookkeeping

·The ledger, the debit and credit sides, the cash book, sales book, purchases book, returns books

·Banking, cheques, checking and paying bills, petty cash

·Ordering and storing stationery, literature and other items, checking incoming deliveries

Module 11 - Supervision of Office Personnel (1): Recruitment, Interview, Selection, Induction, Training

·PA/private secretary involvement in internal and external recruitment

·Job analysis, job descriptions, employee specifications

·Advertising vacancies, sorting application forms, employment interviews, selecting candidates

·Probationary periods, induction, training, mentoring, job redesign

Module 12 - Supervision of Office Personnel (2): Management, Teams, Counselling, Promotions

·The 5 key functions of management, the PA/secretary as office supervisor

·Workgroups and building a cohesive team, styles of leadership

·Discipline in the office, employee counselling, dealing with arguments, resignations

·Preparing for promotion to supervisory and managerial posts