CONGRESSO DE SECRETÁRIAS

Palestra: SECRETARY, WHY LOOSE THE IDENTITY?
What's in a name?

by Karen Nanninga
Executive Chairman
European Management Assistants

Who says that the secretary looses the identity?!

The identity has CHANGED,
that is a different approach!

The image has not changed with it, that is the problem!

The image is still the one of the traditional secretary.

Our Statutes said
already in 1974 .

'To create the image of the top secretary as an essential element of the management team.'

What does not make
promotion easier is .

The fact that the profession of secretary
is to 99.9% performed by women.

Therefore the status of the
secretary is much dependent
of the status of (working) women
in a specific country.

The difficulty with the word 'secretary'

The traditional secretary: a dying breed!

Role has changed: specialisations

Focus on job content and job titles

Confusion: do not mix job titles with professional name!

Secretary: all administrative professionals

Equivalent of 'secretary' is female
in many European languages

ACTION!

A new name for EAPS, European Association of Professional Secretaries

A realistic image - what helps?

Focus on job content

Recognition for different levels of personal performance

Certification of personal competence for advanced level

Improved secretarial education

Courses and training for various levels

More male professionals

Create a gender neutral image

Responsibility of Associations

Promotion of the changed role

Lifelong Learning

Personal development plans and job descriptions

Liaison with training organisations

Fill the training gaps

Our answer?
ACTION!

Only a joint effort can make change work!