A STUDY OF JOB PROSPECTS SECRETARIES IN SOME SELECTED BUSINESS ORGANISATION

In order to carry out a meaningful research into the job prospects of secretaries, it may be necessary to attempt a definition of a secretary and the functions he/she is expected to perform. A secretary is someone who assists a top executive in the office by performing his/her secretarial duties, skillfully and who possesses the ability to relieve the executive of certain administrative tasks. Also, Marshal (1973) defined secretary as an Assistant to the executive secretary as an assistant to the executive possessing mastery of office skills and ability to assume responsibility without direct supervision who displays initiative, exercises judgment and makes decision within the scope of her authority.

In the business organization, the secretary is a great asset to her boss, she is his personal organizer.  She uses different typewriters, computers which are her tools in the office.  She takes shorthand dictations and transcribes them to produce mailable letters.  The secretary is generally the life-wire of any organization. The secretary also performs the duties of using different filing systems to file documents,, arrangement and preparation of Board/Management meetings and prepare notices and Agenda of meetings.  She also takes speeches in shorthand at conference, seminars and low courts. She also books appointments for the boss and takes care of his itinerary.  The duties of the secretary is so enormous and vast that listing them will be inexhaustible. These are various categories of secretaries in Business organization before the civil service reform of 1988 namely:

1.  Confidential Secretary IV

2.  Confidential Secretary III

3.  Confidential Secretary II

4.  Confidential Secretary I

5.  Personal Secretary (Principal Secretary Assistant Grades)

6.  Personal Secretary Grade (Principal Secretary 2)

7.  Senior Personal Secretary (Principal Secretary Assistant I)

8.  Principal Personal Secretary (Chief Secretary)

9.  Bilingual Secretary

10.  Verbation/Official Reports

However, the guidelines on the civil service reform of 1988 changed the titles as follows:

Old Titles                                                 New Titles

1.  Principal Personal Secretary                  Chief Secretarial Assistant

2.  Senior Personal Secretary                     Principal Secretariat Assistant I

3.  Personal Secretary I                             Principal Secretarial Assistant I

4.  Personal Secretary II                            Principal Secretarial Assistant III

5.  Confidential Secretary I                        Principal Secretarial Assistant IV

6.  Confidential Secretary II                       Senior Secretarial Assistant

7.  Confidential Secretary III                      Secretarial Assistant I

8.  Confidential Secretary IV                      Secretarial Assistant II

Though secretaries job titles have been harmononized, they do not reach the same position in rank with their bosses because they are subordinates to their bosses.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

The secretary is faced with numerous problems, one of which is uncertainty of advancement in her job in terms of promotion, job training and lack of welfarism. Some business organizations exploit the secretaries by not making the jobs they schedule. In addition, she is not given the necessary incentives thus frustrated in her job. Moreover, secretaries in some business organizations are made to stagnate or “mark time” in a grade level due to lack of promotion given to them.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study is expected to bring out the job prospects of secretaries in area like job remuneration, promotion, welfare and more job training in today’s business organizations. When these prospects are known they will motivate new entrants into the secretarial profession. Recommendations will be made to business organizations on how to motivate secretaries. This will also make secretaries not to change their profession or be forced out of their jobs. Moreover, this study can also serve as a future reference in the library.  It can serve as future reference to both the student and the lecturer.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

1.  To identify employment opportunities available to secretaries in those selected business organizations in Enugu metropolis.

2.  To identify the job prospects open to secretaries in terms of promotion, welfare, job training etc.

3.  To identify these facts responsible, where necessary militating against their job prospects.

4.  To offer suggestions for the improvement of secretarial profession.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1.  Do secretaries receive their promotion when other workers are being promoted in your organization?

2.  What is the highest position a secretary can attain in your organization?

3.  What are the secretaries other employment opportunities apart from office work?