How to hire an assistant secretary

How to hire an assistant secretary, step by step

Here's a step-by-step assistant secretary hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an assistant secretary job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new assistant secretary
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an assistant secretary do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your assistant secretary job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find an assistant secretary for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect assistant secretary also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list presents assistant secretary salaries for various positions.

   Type of Assistant Secretary	Description	Hourly rate
   Assistant Secretary	Secretaries and administrative assistants perform clerical and administrative duties. They organize files, prepare documents, schedule appointments, and support other staff.	$18-145
   School Secretary	A school secretary is responsible for performing administrative and clerical duties to support the school's operations and helping the management to develop strategies and techniques to ensure that the students receive the highest quality of learning. School secretaries manage the data management system of the institution, record students' and staff information, and assist with payroll release... Show more	$12-23
   Office Secretary	An office secretary is responsible for performing administrative and clerical duties to ensure the smooth flow of operations and prevent delays with project deliverables. Office secretaries also welcome guests, respond to their inquiries and concerns, and direct them to the appropriate department or personnel for their appointments... Show more	$12-20

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Telephone Calls
   • Payroll
   • Scheduling Appointments
   • Financial Statements
   • Office Equipment
   • Computer System
   • Front Desk
   • PowerPoint
   • Direct Calls
   • Word Processing
   • Federal Agencies
   • Administrative Tasks
   • Travel Arrangements
   • QuickBooks

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage and oversee all STO relate actions task to OSD impacting future and current operations in STO.
   • Assist main accountant with extra jobs and are trained in QuickBooks.
   • Proofread, edit & type legal briefs, business letters, case notes.
   • Book keeping, answer phone calls, run errands and handle billing using Quickbooks.
   • Assist in contacting and informing the parents of upcoming graduates about alumni programs and donations.
   • Serve as first point of contact for students, faculty, and alumni calling or visiting the main administrative office.

   More assistant secretary duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your assistant secretary job description helps attract top candidates to the position. An assistant secretary salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for an assistant secretary in North Dakota may be lower than in Rhode Island, and an entry-level assistant secretary usually earns less than a senior-level assistant secretary. Additionally, an assistant secretary with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average assistant secretary salary

   $107,366yearly

   $51.62 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level assistant secretary salary

   $38,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 31, 2025

   Average assistant secretary salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	District of Columbia	$219,031	$105
   2	Virginia	$162,846	$78
   3	Connecticut	$156,247	$75
   4	New York	$138,642	$67
   5	Wisconsin	$134,174	$65
   6	Florida	$126,572	$61
   7	Washington	$119,906	$58
   8	Georgia	$102,429	$49

   Average assistant secretary salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Elanco	$172,556	$82.96	1
   2	Odyssey Re	$82,989	$39.90
   3	Washington State University	$49,573	$23.83	1
   4	EastHartford Schools	$40,734	$19.58
   5	Staffworks Group	$37,659	$18.11	5
   6	State of Georgia: Teachers Retirement System of Georgia	$30,791	$14.80	33
   7	Georgia Department of Education	$28,393	$13.65
   8	Auburn-Washburn USD 437	$25,997	$12.50

4. Writing an assistant secretary job description

   An assistant secretary job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of an assistant secretary job description:

   Assistant secretary job description example

   Secretarial/Clerical/Secretary - 9.5-10 Months
   
   Date Posted:
   9/13/2022
   
   Location:
   Bozeman High School
   
   Date Available:
   10/2022
   
   Closing Date:
   Open until filled Salary Range: Classified Grade E, $16.27 - $17.62/Hr. or current placement on Salary Schedule, Benefits available .
   
   Description:
   SUMMARY:
   Under the supervision of the principal and the close direction of the executive secretary, assist in the efficient operation of the school or department office and perform clerical and secretarial functions as assigned. The person in this position serves as auxiliary secretary and works closely with the administrative team and executive secretary in tasks assigned. The Main Office Assistant Secretary may be called upon to fill in for absent secretaries.
   
   ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES (other duties may be assigned):
   •Act as receptionist, either on telephone or in person, for office or department and assists students, parents, teachers and other visitors who have business with the office or department.
   •Manages all aspects of substitute teaching assignments; review substitute list, review leave requests, assist substitutes in check in process and provide with necessary materials including keys, teacher schedules, and directions; distribute, collect, and review substitute timesheets. Secure substitute or available teacher to fill in for teachers as needed throughout the day; confirm availability as specific substitutes are requested.
   •Assists in planning, preparation, and coordination of commencement activities. This responsibility includes ordering caps and gowns and collecting money from students; ordering and review of diplomas; preparation of press releases; preparation of commencement programs for printing; communication with dignitaries for ceremonies; organizing seating, stage, and accessory arrangements; schedule and attend graduation practice.
   •Process classified staff timesheets.
   •Manage school message system; maintaining the school's calendar and website, coordinating daily school wide announcements, delivering messages to students.
   •Monitor building entrance, visitor check-in and building and student deliveries.
   •Prepare communications, correspondence, reports, bulletins and other documents and complete clerical duties at the direction of the administrative team or executive secretary.
   •Assists with all attendance-related tasks including receiving and documenting attendance calls.
   •File and retrieve office records in an orderly and systematic fashion.
   •Screen and distribute building mail.
   •Manage voice mail message service throughout the day and relay messages to teachers and other staff.
   •Perform duties relating to students, such as attendance and tardiness, administering medications or minor first aid, and temporary supervision of students sent to the office for disciplinary, illness, or other reasons.
   •Fill in for absent secretaries as needed and perform other responsibilities as assigned by principal or executive secretary.
   •Communicates with other District offices, departments, or personnel regarding daily activities.
   •Account for and record petty cash and/or monies for various activities which may include fines or graduation caps and gowns.
   •Coordinate homework requests from students, parents, principal, or counselors with teachers.
   •May provide guidance to student assistants and volunteers.
   •Treat all matters of school business in a confidential manner.
   
   Qualifications: High School diploma or GED. Positive experience dealing with public. Computer experience required.
   
   Application Procedure: Apply online

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right assistant secretary for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with assistant secretaries they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit assistant secretaries who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your assistant secretary job on Zippia to find and recruit assistant secretary candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with assistant secretary candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new assistant secretary

   Once you've decided on a perfect assistant secretary candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new assistant secretary. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire an assistant secretary?