A secretary certificate is a professional document that attests to a candidate’s completion of coursework designed to prepare him or her for the duties and responsibilities of a secretary or administrative certificate. The secretary certificate may focus on a broad base of knowledge in some cases, or it may focus on a specific type of secretarial work in others. Medical secretary certificates, for example, will prepare a student to work as a secretary in the medical field by providing both general and industry-specific training. A legal secretary will also need to obtain a certificate in that field of expertise.
To obtain a secretary certificate, a candidate must first obtain a high school diploma or an equivalent qualification. Basic math and communication skills will be required, though the training for a secretary certificate will often focus on helping the student further develop these abilities. The certificate can take anywhere from a year to two years to complete, after which the student will be better prepared for a job in the industry of his or her choice. Having a certificate boosts your resume and makes you a more valuable job candidate.
To be considered for a job, some employers will require a potential employee to obtain a secretary certificate. This is particularly true in the medical and legal fields. In such situations, a secretary will typically need basic medical or legal knowledge in addition to the skills needed to be an effective secretary. In the medical field, the secretary will almost always need to take a class that teaches him or her basic medical terminology, as he or she will be exposed to a lot of it on the job. Legal secretaries will also have to deal with correspondence and other documents that contain a lot of legal jargon.
A secretary certificate may also entitle the holder to higher pay and benefits. Although entry-level secretarial positions may not pay well, earning a certificate will increase a job candidate’s chances of getting a higher salary. As a secretary’s career progresses, he or she may be able to earn a certificate, which will give the secretary more credentials for a higher level position, better pay, and benefits, among other things.