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Head secretary skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

2 min read

Quoted experts

Dr. Mike Peterson Ph.D.,

Allison White

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical head secretary skills. We ranked the top skills for head secretaries based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 20.0% of head secretary resumes contained appointment scheduling as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a head secretary needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 head secretary skills for your resume and career

1. Appointment Scheduling

Here's how head secretaries use appointment scheduling:

Assisted in appointment scheduling and discharge of clients.
Assisted students, staff, and public visitors with information and appointment scheduling.

2. Payroll

Payroll is the sum of all the compensation that an organization has to pay to employees at a specified time. Payroll is managed by the finance or HR department while small business owners may handle it themselves. Payroll isn't fixed as it varies every month due to sick leaves, overtime, etc.

Here's how head secretaries use payroll:

Communicate employee attendance to the payroll department each week and input student attendance daily into our computer program, Infinite Campus.
Process time sheets and submit payroll for SKIP aides and teachers to North Regional Education Services Commission.

3. Purchase Orders

Here's how head secretaries use purchase orders:

Managed and maintained office organization, including issuing purchase orders.
Processed all purchase orders, travel arrangements, projects as directed by the Chief executive officer and the chief financial officer.

4. Customer Service

Customer service is the process of offering assistance to all the current and potential customers -- answering questions, fixing problems, and providing excellent service. The main goal of customer service is to build a strong relationship with the customers so that they keep coming back for more business.

Here's how head secretaries use customer service:

Communicated effectively and utilized customer service skills to interact with parents, staff, and administration.
Provide superior customer service and assistance.

5. Telephone Calls

Telephone calls are a communication means through which a caller is connected to the called party. The call is done through a telecommunications device called a telephone. The caller can use a landline, mobile phone, or satellite phone to make the call.

Here's how head secretaries use telephone calls:

Interacted with clients through paper intake, telephone calls, and follow up interviews to gather pertinent case-related information.
Received telephone calls, greeted visitors and ascertained the nature of the call or visit.

6. Office Equipment

Here's how head secretaries use office equipment:

Operate duplicating equipment and other office equipment.
Managed daily office operations, maintained and prepared accurate records as well as the maintenance of office equipment.

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7. Travel Arrangements

Here's how head secretaries use travel arrangements:

General secretarial duties for Biotechnology Department Head including typing of correspondence and travel arrangements.
Coordinated travel arrangements for the Associate Director and other professional staff.

8. Word Processing

Here's how head secretaries use word processing:

Operated Word Processing equipment and maintaining diskette files for Supervisor.
Utilized unique word processing software and purchased all equipment and materials for the drawing office.

9. Front Desk

Here's how head secretaries use front desk:

Help the front desk for back to back incoming/outgoing of guests.
Assisted with daily operation of Front Desk.

10. Greeting Visitors

Here's how head secretaries use greeting visitors:

Performed receptionist duties including greeting visitors and answering and directing phone calls.
Managed the receptionist area, including greeting visitors and responding to telephone and in-person requests for information.

11. Office Operations

Here's how head secretaries use office operations:

Directed day-to-day office operations, providing fundamental support to the Head of Agriculture Development Section and other team members.
Directed day- to- day office operations for the President, chief financial officer and all staff.

12. PowerPoint

Here's how head secretaries use powerpoint:

Created PowerPoint s displaying yearly review of Adult Protective Service Department.
Prepared/proofed powerpoint presentations with slides.

13. Meeting Minutes

Here's how head secretaries use meeting minutes:

Coordinated inventory and ordered office supplies, scheduled appointments and meetings for Manager transcribed dictation of Manager's weekly meeting minutes.
Prepared agendas and documentation, recorded and transcribed meeting minutes and coordinated business generated by meetings for the Department.

14. Budget Preparation

Budget preparation is a calculative process between the finance department and the spending department. It indicates the start of the budget process and supervises departments and agencies for developing revised assessments (for the past year) and budget estimates (for the coming year). Budget preparation makes the organization responsible for its expenses, lessens costs, and provides for a worst-case scenario. It works as an assessment tool that can visually explain if you have sufficient funds to operate or to grow.

Here's how head secretaries use budget preparation:

Assisted director in budget preparation and responsible to post expenses to Excel spreadsheet.
Assist with campus budget preparation.

15. Office Procedures

Office procedures are the protocols and standards which define how the staff works together. The office procedures can be a set of rules and regulations which guide the employees and help them run the office operations smoothly. Paperwork, customer interaction, taking messages, handling calls in and out all fall under the office procedures.

Here's how head secretaries use office procedures:

Created/updated financial reports, maintained travel expense reports, reconciled monthly budgets/expense reports, expedited general office procedures.
Managed and coordinated classes, registered clients for programs, managed statistical information and executed general office procedures.

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What skills help Head Secretaries find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on head secretary resumes?

Dr. Mike Peterson Ph.D.

Department Chair and Associate Professor of English, Dixie State University

Writing skills have always been valued by employers, but anything that shows an ability to write, produce, or communicate in digital spaces will stand out. While employers are becoming increasingly comfortable having employees work and collaborate digitally (from home or elsewhere), they may still be reluctant to train employees how to do that. They want to see evidence that applicants will know how to use technology and stay productive without extensive training and without a supervisor having to stand behind them. That isn't to say training won't take place, but employers want to use their valuable time and resources training employees on their own systems, policies, and procedures; they don't want to have to show new-hires how to use Zoom, how to format a memo, how to write an email, or how to co-edit a document using OneDrive.

What hard/technical skills are most important for head secretarys?

Allison White

Associate Professor, Ohio University

In addition to production software skills, including MS Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, we often taught database skills using MS Access. Every employer has an employee database and a customer/client database that requires input and sometimes maintenance by office personnel. Keyboarding (65+ wpm), basic bookkeeping/accounting, and filing skills are a must.

What soft skills should all head secretarys possess?

Allison White

Associate Professor, Ohio University

Employers have told me repeatedly that soft skills are often the most important. They will ask for my reference after I've gotten to know a student and been able to identify their communication, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills. They want someone to take the initiative yet know when to ask questions. Customer service skills and confidentiality were also voiced by our internship supervisors. Verbal and non-verbal communication is a must. The applicant must be able to write well!!

What head secretary skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Anne McConnell Ph.D.

Professor, West Virginia State University

I would encourage someone taking a gap year to branch out, seeking work experiences and employment situations that expose them to new skills and allow them to interact with a diverse set of people. Sometimes we find ourselves in a bubble-communicating with the same people, who tend to share the same ideas-and a gap year provides the opportunity to extend beyond that. Employers value employees who have open, flexible minds, and seeking out experiences that demonstrate that openness can be helpful.

What type of skills will young head secretarys need?

Angela Robbins Ph.D.

Associate Professor of History, Meredith College

History majors are in high demand in government, business, and non-profits because of the knowledge and skills they gain in the classroom. History majors, in particular, are especially good at contextualizing-that is, explaining how an event or discussion fits within the big picture. This includes how things that are going on today-such as the Capitol riot on January 6-connects to the Constitution, the balance of powers, the way democracy works, and related issues such as the implications of propaganda and misinformation. This goes well beyond merely expressing an opinion or debating two sides of an issue. Students of history do their research and practice skills of analysis, collecting and scrutinizing evidence rather than taking something at face value or only relying on a single source. We take sources apart to evaluate the credentials of their creators and search for bias. We examine sources from various creators so we take into account multiple experiences and points of view. Then we synthesize-or bring the sources together-in order to communicate what it all means. These skills are desired by employers and translate well into many careers and work environments. Seeking good evidence to answer questions and solve problems, whether that's in the classroom today or working with clients later, is a skill that employers highly value.

Students are practicing other skills that are necessary to success in the workplace, whether that will be in person or online. Time management, seeing a project through from start to finish, hosting and contributing to meetings, working on a team-whether it's two people or ten-and creating appropriate types of presentations to communicate ideas are all things our students can tell their employers they will come in with so they can hit the ground running. In addition, our majors develop self-awareness, empathy, and an appreciation of diverse opinions and approaches to problems through investigation of the life experiences of historical figures and their classroom discussions with classmates. Certainly, every employer wants you to learn the specifics within their sector, but these skills are fairly universal and will benefit majors as they move from the classroom to career.

What technical skills for a head secretary stand out to employers?

Christi Patton Luks

Professor (NTT) and Associate Chair for Academic Affairs, Missouri University of Science & Technology

I've always felt that the most important thing we teach our students is problem-solving skills. The students who can readily relate the theory to their practical experience to develop new solutions are the most valuable. Engineering students that are active on design teams or took advantage of internships and co-ops are in great position for this.

Do you want to know more?

List of head secretary skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a head secretary resume and required skills for a head secretary to have include:

Appointment Scheduling
Payroll
Purchase Orders
Customer Service
Telephone Calls
Office Equipment
Travel Arrangements
Word Processing
Front Desk
Greeting Visitors

Office Operations
PowerPoint
Meeting Minutes
Budget Preparation
Office Procedures
Administrative Tasks
Bank Deposits
Database Management
Student Attendance
Meeting Agendas

Multi-Line Phone System
Fax Machines
Student Enrollment
Expense Reports
Administrative Functions
Phone System
AS400
Customer Complaints
Student Registration

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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