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The job of personal secretary, also sometimes known as an executive secretary or administrative assistant, is an integral one in any company's success. The personal secretary is often responsible for the smooth, efficient flow of the office.

Tasks may include managing work flow, setting up process and procedures, and disseminating staff and client information. Because some personal secretaries may take on the role of communications and information manager, the job requires a person with excellent social skills along with the highest quality organizational and computer skills.

Other duties might include making travel arrangements, planning special company events and meetings, maintain digital libraries, and even some desktop publishing. The highly qualified and successful personal secretary has a wide knowledge base and is constantly learning new skills to enhance his or her value and competency levels.

Personal secretary salary and job outlook

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts the job outlook for executive secretaries will increase by about 11 percent between 2008 and 2018, which is about average growth compared with all occupations. The BLS predicts the health care industry will see the largest increase in hiring of personal secretaries.

The pay for personal secretaries and administrative assistants varies greatly depending on where you live and the industry in which you are employed. The national mean average wage for personal secretaries in May 2009 was $44,010. Similarly, GlassDoor.com notes the nationwide average salary for an executive/personal secretary as $44,843. The area you live in can play a large part in your earnings, however. For starters, take a look at the BLS' top three highest-paying states for personal secretaries:

• New Jersey = $53,950
• New York = $51,890
• Maryland = $50,330

A comparison of Sacramento, Calif., versus Newark, N.J. on Salary.com's cost-of-living calculator reveals that while New Jersey is one of the top-paying states for personal secretaries, the cost of living is 1.8 percent lower than Sacramento, with pay averaging 10.2 percent more in New Jersey. Other areas with higher salaries relative to cost of living for personal secretaries, with BLS salary data and cost of living information provided by the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center, include:

• Springfield, Ill.: Annual mean wage of $49,530; Illinois was ranked number 20 in 2010 in the ACCRA cost of living list.
• Philadelphia, Pa: Annual mean wage of $47,880; Pennsylvania was ranked number 31 in 2010 in the ACCRA cost of living list.

Training for a career as a personal secretary

Personal secretaries should have strong computer skills, which can be obtained by taking computer training online or on campus. The BLS reports while entry-level secretary jobs may not require formal education beyond high school, to move into an executive or personal secretary position may require postsecondary education, perhaps even a bachelor's degree. There are many online courses, such as computer software, project management and bookkeeping, which can be helpful. Personal secretaries should also have excellent written and verbal communication skills and good organizational ability.

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