What is the difference between an Administrative Assistant and a Secretary?

Question

I am doing a project for my last week of school and I need to know what the difference between an Administrative Assistant and a Secratary is. I also need to know what their roles were, are, and will be (past, present, future). Anyone help?

Answer 1

well, some companies still have it as the same thing. Mostly though, an administrative assistant will usually carry a little more responsibility in becoming more of an assistant to the ceo/etc, and plan appointments, vacations. The pay is usually a little larger, not by much. A secretary in the traditional form, was only for an answering phones, typing letters. The job has expanded sort of as right wing for someone. But like I said, only at some companies.

Answer 2

Secretary – one who provides clerical support; answers phone, takes messages, keeps the boss's schedule, arranges travel, does filing and other menial tasks.

Assistant – does the same as secretary, but also does portions of the boss’s job too; more right-hand administrators, than receptionist/file clerks.

Because an assistant performs a range of tasks that far exceed that of a secretary, much of it requiring skill and experience in a particular business, it is extremely insulting to refer to them as a secretary.  It is derogatory, dismissive and negates their contribution to the company.

There are many assistants who are like the old-school secretary, but so many are closer to the description above and most are full-on administrators.

It’s not like changing stewardess to flight attendant, or garbage man to sanitation worker -- those titles changed, but their jobs didn't.  Secretary and Assistant are two distinctly different job descriptions.  The confusion is that they both have desks outside and exec’s office.  

So, want to p**s off the gatekeeper to an important exec?  Just call them a secretary!

Answer 3

Nothing.  Administrative Assistant was deemed more politically correct, and makes the AA feel more important than being called a Secretary.

In the past, the used to mainly be responsible for answering phones, taking messages, taking dictation, and typing.  Automated phone systems and voicemail has replaced the need for them to do that work a lot of the time, and the majority of executives now type their own messages.

Now they seem to be more responsible for keeping the Executives schedules, acting as a travel agent (arranging the executives travel), and do some light spreadsheet and data organization type work.  Sometimes they will prepare presentation slides and things like that as well.