Find a Job You Really Want In
In recent years, the role of a secretary has undergone significant transformation, and many professionals in this field are exploring new career opportunities. As the landscape of work evolves, particularly with the rise of hybrid and remote work environments, former secretaries are successfully transitioning into roles that leverage their skills in diverse and exciting ways.
While the number of students pursuing education for secretarial roles remains stable, there has been a noticeable decline in the overall interest in traditional secretary positions. This shift raises an important question:
What new career paths are former secretaries pursuing?
To find out, we analyzed a wealth of resumes from individuals who previously held secretarial roles. From this extensive data, we identified the top 100 jobs that former secretaries have transitioned into, narrowing it down to the ten most common roles.
Here’s a look at the top ten most popular jobs for former secretaries:
- Administrative Assistant
- Customer Service Representative
- Sales Associate
- Office Manager
- Cashier
- Internship
- Volunteer
- Teacher
- Receptionist
- Office Assistant
While these positions are valuable and play to the strengths that many secretaries possess, they may not fully capture the exciting opportunities available today. To highlight the diverse career paths, we’ve compiled a list of some of the most intriguing roles that former secretaries have taken on:
- Office Administrator
- Human Resources Assistant
- Bookkeeper
- Paralegal
- Front Desk Receptionist
- Medical Receptionist
- Data Entry Clerk
- Program Assistant
- Data Entry Associate
- Administrative Coordinator
While some of these roles may seem conventional, they reflect the evolving nature of work and the potential for former secretaries to find fulfilling careers that align with their skills and interests.
Methodology for Identifying Common Jobs for Former Secretaries
Our analysis utilized resume data from a comprehensive database of over 7 million submissions, focusing specifically on individuals who listed secretary in their work history. We tracked the subsequent job titles that appeared in their employment histories, ranking them based on frequency.
To create our list of interesting jobs, we examined the ranked data to identify positions that:
- Appeared in less than 1% of all job listings
- Were not included in the top 100 most common job titles in our database
Below, you will find the detailed ranking of the most common jobs for former secretaries.
Detailed Ranking of the Most Common Jobs of Former Secretaries
| Job Title | Rank | % |
|---|---|---|
| Administrative Assistant | 1 | 6.62% |
| Customer Service Representative | 2 | 2.7% |
| Sales Associate | 3 | 2.4% |
| Office Manager | 4 | 2.1% |
| Cashier | 5 | 1.98% |
| Internship | 6 | 1.32% |
| Volunteer | 7 | 0.96% |
| Teacher | 8 | 0.94% |
| Receptionist | 9 | 0.92% |
| Office Assistant | 10 | 0.88% |
| Server | 11 | 0.8% |
| Substitute Teacher | 12 | 0.74% |
| Legal Assistant | 13 | 0.73% |
| Manager | 14 | 0.69% |
| Assistant Manager | 15 | 0.65% |
| Executive Assistant | 16 | 0.63% |
| Medical Assistant | 17 | 0.53% |
| Legal Secretary | 18 | 0.51% |
| Certified Nursing Assistant | 19 | 0.5% |
| Research Assistant | 20 | 0.44% |
| Customer Service Trainer | 21 | 0.43% |
| Sales Representative | 22 | 0.43% |
| Billing Specialist | 23 | 0.43% |
| Pharmacist Technician | 24 | 0.42% |
| Assistant | 25 | 0.38% |
| Human Resources Coordinator | 26 | 0.35% |
| Waitress | 27 | 0.34% |
| Clerk | 28 | 0.33% |
| Registered Nurse | 29 | 0.33% |
| Teller | 30 | 0.33% |
| Owner | 31 | 0.3% |
| Home Health Aid | 32 | 0.3% |
| President | 33 | 0.3% |
| Office Administrator | 34 | 0.3% |
| Teacher Assistant | 35 | 0.29% |
| Administrator Secretary | 36 | 0.28% |
| Receptionist Secretary | 37 | 0.27% |
| Accounts Payable Clerk | 38 | 0.27% |
| Associate | 39 | 0.27% |
| Human Resources Assistant | 40 | 0.27% |
| Coordinator | 41 | 0.26% |
| Security Officer | 42 | 0.26% |
| Vice President | 43 | 0.26% |
| Supervisor | 44 | 0.25% |
| Store Manager | 45 | 0.25% |
| Specialist | 46 | 0.25% |
| Bookkeeper | 47 | 0.25% |
| Paralegal | 48 | 0.24% |
| Unit Secretary | 49 | 0.23% |
| Case Manager | 50 | 0.23% |
| Front Desk Receptionist | 51 | 0.23% |
| Tutor | 52 | 0.23% |
| Medical Receptionist | 53 | 0.23% |
| Data Entry Clerk | 54 | 0.22% |
| Program Assistant | 55 | 0.22% |
| Teaching Assistant | 56 | 0.21% |
| Executive Secretary | 57 | 0.21% |
| Administrator | 58 | 0.2% |
| Data Entry Associate | 59 | 0.2% |
| Licensed Practical Nurse | 60 | 0.2% |
| Technician | 61 | 0.2% |
| Hostess | 62 | 0.2% |
| Administrative Coordinator | 63 | 0.19% |
| Preschool Teacher | 64 | 0.19% |
| Medical Transcriptionist | 65 | 0.19% |
| Team Leader | 66 | 0.19% |
| Nanny | 67 | 0.19% |
| Student Assistant | 68 | 0.19% |
| Customer Service Associate | 69 | 0.19% |
| Administrative Specialist | 70 | 0.18% |
| Consultant | 71 | 0.18% |
| Marketing Internship | 72 | 0.17% |
| Crew Member | 73 | 0.17% |
| Accountant | 74 | 0.17% |
| Human Resources Manager | 75 | 0.17% |
| Accounting Clerk | 76 | 0.16% |
| Program Coordinator | 77 | 0.16% |
| Senior Administrative Assistant | 78 | 0.16% |
| Project Manager | 79 | 0.16% |
| Office Clerk | 80 | 0.16% |
| Medical Records Clerk | 81 | 0.15% |
| Operations Manager | 82 | 0.15% |
| Human Resource Specialist | 83 | 0.15% |
| Personal Assistant | 84 | 0.14% |
| Program Analyst | 85 | 0.14% |
| Dental Assistant | 86 | 0.13% |
| Counselor | 87 | 0.13% |
| General Manager | 88 | 0.13% |
| Executive Administrative Assistant | 89 | 0.13% |
| Graduate Assistant | 90 | 0.13% |
| Ship Worker | 91 | 0.13% |
| Instructor | 92 | 0.13% |
| Account Manager | 93 | 0.13% |
| Property Manager | 94 | 0.13% |
| Buyer | 95 | 0.13% |
| Patient Service Representative | 96 | 0.12% |
| Assistant Secretary | 97 | 0.12% |
| Accounting Assistant | 98 | 0.12% |
| Owner/Operator | 99 | 0.12% |
| Graphic Designer | 100 | 0.12% |
In conclusion, while many former secretaries are finding their footing in traditional roles, there are a myriad of exciting career paths available that harness their skills and adaptability. As the job market continues to evolve, it’s essential for professionals to explore new opportunities and embrace the changing landscape of work.
Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
