Redefining secretarial profession

Technical advances over the years in India and the impact of globalisation has redefined the role of secretary and administrative profession. Considered earlier to be quick way to start a career, being a secretary has become a multi-tasking and super efficient task.

How do you become a secretary? What is it like a career option? What are the expected earning potentials? These are some of the questions that still bother those who are on the threshold of choosing a career, said Geeta Rao, who is one of the founding member of the Indian Association of Secretaries and Administrative Professionals (IASAP) Pune Chapter, which is a women’s forum.

Gathered at their monthly meeting, the Pune Chapter of IASAP organised a presentation by Avinash Bartakke, founder-director of city-based Neural Space, on November 26 at the Taj Blue Diamond. 

Bartakke who provides customised brain training programmes ‘BrainRx’ with a licence from LearningRx, a reputed brain training institute in the US, spoke on how one can enhance mental skills.

“An efficient secretary is a most valued asset for any business or the person in charge. People who handle back-end support face constant challenges and it is necessary for them to enhance their cognitive skills, which cannot be taught but mastered through training,” said Bartakke, inspiring the IASAP members with his presentation.

Explaining the role of a secretary, who needs to work hard and always be super efficient, Franey Parelwala, one of the senior most members of IASAP Pune Chapter, said, “I started in the profession when I was 18 and today I am 77 years old and still working as a secretary. There has been a transition from typewriters to computers, but the basic work of a secretary has still remained the same. Though today’s technology of cellphones and laptops has made bosses a bit self-reliant but they are still dependent on us.”   

From the younger generation, 33-year-old Assunta Christy, who has been a secretary for the last 8 years, said, “In India, there are no recognised channels or available courses for getting trained in secretarial practices. If one is good at interpersonal skills, presentations, technology savvy and multitasking skills, it offers an opportunity for a very lucrative career. Pay scale is based on experience and performance.”