Secretaries

ANZSCO ID 5212

Overview

Snapshot

Employed
36,100
Future Growth
-19.6%
Weekly Earnings
$1,384
Full-Time Share
44%
Female Share
97%
Average age
50

Summary

Secretaries perform secretarial, clerical and other administrative tasks in support of Managers, Legal Professionals and other professionals.

Tasks

  • liaising with other staff to arrange meetings, and to gain and provide information

  • preparing reports, briefing notes and correspondence, and proofreading work for typographical and grammatical errors

  • maintaining appointment diaries and making travel arrangements

  • processing incoming and outgoing mail, filing correspondence and maintaining records

  • answering telephone calls, responding to inquiries and redirecting callers

  • taking and transcribing dictation of letters and other documents

  • greeting visitors, ascertaining nature of business and directing visitors to appropriate persons

  • may implement management decisions and maintain records of meetings

  • may handle bookkeeping and petty cash functions

Characteristics

Job Type
Clerical And Administrative Workers
Skill Level
High skill
ANZSCO Occupation group
Unemployment Rate
Below average
Industries
Pathway(s)
  • Vocational Education and Training (VET)
  • Informal or on-the-job
Interests
  • Administrative
  • Enterprising
Physical Demand
  • Sedentary

Outlook

Employment Outlook

JSA produces employment projections to show where likely future job opportunities may be. The latest data are for the five years from November 2021 to November 2026. Over this period, the number of workers:

  • is expected to decline
  • is likely to reach 36,100 by 2026.
  • Source: Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections to 2026.

    Notes: The number employed includes people who work in this occupation as their main job. People who work in more than one job are counted against the occupation they work the most hours in.

    Employment projections figures are rounded to the nearest 100. Calculations based on these rounded figures may result in differences to the numbers that are displayed on this page. Employment projections data (including occupations) can be downloaded from the Employment Projections page.

Projected Change
-19.6%
(or -8,800 jobs)
From
44,900
in 2021
To
36,100
in 2026

Number of Workers

Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, ABS seasonally adjusted data to November 2021 and Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections to 2026.
Year Employment
2011 75,600
2012 71,300
2013 62,100
2014 49,800
2015 49,900
2016 44,700
2017 47,900
2018 38,600
2019 39,900
2020 30,400
2021 44,900
2026 36,100

Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, ABS seasonally adjusted data to November 2021 and Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections to 2026.


Earnings and hours

Working arrangements

  • Around 46% of people employed as Secretaries work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 20 percentage points below the all jobs average (66%).

    Full-time workers work an average of 41 hours per week in their main job. This is similar to the all jobs average (44 hours per week).

    Median full-time earnings are $1,384 per week, this is much lower than the all jobs median ($1,593):

    • 3 in 4 workers earn more than $1,238
    • 1 in 4 earn more than $1,440

    Median hourly earnings are $36, this is lower than the all jobs median ($41 per hour).

    Sources: Full-time share and full-time hours: ABS, 2016 Census, customised report. Compared to the all jobs average. Full-time median earnings and median hourly earnings: ABS, Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2021. Compared to all jobs median.

Weekly Earnings (Before Tax)

Source: Based on ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2021, Customised Report. Median weekly total cash earnings for full-time non-managerial employees paid at the adult rate. Earnings are before tax and include amounts salary sacrificed. Earnings can vary greatly depending on the skills and experience of the worker and the demands of the role. These figures should be used as a guide only, not to determine a wage rate.
Earnings Secretaries All Jobs Average
Full-Time Earnings 1,384 1,593
Total Earnings 0 0

Source: Based on ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2021, Customised Report. Median weekly total cash earnings for full-time non-managerial employees paid at the adult rate. Earnings are before tax and include amounts salary sacrificed. Earnings can vary greatly depending on the skills and experience of the worker and the demands of the role. These figures should be used as a guide only, not to determine a wage rate.


Industries

Main industries

1
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
36.3%
2
Construction
10.5%
3
Health Care and Social Assistance
9.1%
4
Education and Training
6.9%
5
Other industries
36.8%

Regions

Employment across Australia

NSW

41.8% All occupations: 31.6%

VIC

19.3% All occupations: 25.6%

QLD

18.8% All occupations: 20.0%

SA

6.6% All occupations: 7.0%

WA

10.0% All occupations: 10.8%

TAS

1.7% All occupations: 2.0%

NT

0.5% All occupations: 1.0%

ACT

1.3% All occupations: 1.9%

Employment by State and Territory (% Share)

State Secretaries All Jobs Average
NSW 41.8 31.6
VIC 19.3 25.6
QLD 18.8 20.0
SA 6.6 7.0
WA 10.0 10.8
TAS 1.7 2.0
NT 0.5 1.0
ACT 1.3 1.9


  • Around 60% of Secretaries live in capital cities, similar to the all jobs average of 62%.

    New South Wales has a large share of employment relative to its population size.

    Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Share of workers across Australian states, territories and regions, in this job compared to the all jobs average.


Worker profile

Age and gender

Age In Years
50
All Jobs Average is 40
Female Share
97%
All Jobs Average is 48%
  • The median age of Secretaries is 50 years. This is higher than the all jobs average of 40 years.

    A large share of workers are aged 45 to 54 years.

    Females make up 97% of the workforce. This is 49 percentage points above the all jobs average of 48%.

    Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile and gender share compared to the all jobs average.

Age Profile (% Share)

Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Age Bracket Secretaries All Jobs Average
15-19 1.4 5.0
20-24 5.1 9.3
25-34 11.9 22.9
35-44 17.4 22.0
45-54 26.8 21.6
55-59 13.5 9.0
60-64 11.4 6.0
65 and Over 12.7 4.2
Median Age 50 40

Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.


Employment Pathways

Education, training and experience

Formal qualifications are not essential to work as a Secretary. Although some workers have a certificate III, IV or diploma in secretarial and clerical studies, business administration, legal services or another related field.

Visit

  • My Skills to compare Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, providers and student outcomes.
  • AAPathways website to explore Business Services VET training pathways.

Highest Level of Education (% Share)

Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.
Type of Qualification Secretaries All Jobs Average
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate 3.7 10.1
Bachelor degree 10.8 21.8
Advanced Diploma/Diploma 15.3 11.6
Certificate III/IV 12.9 21.1
Year 12 25.2 18.1
Year 11 8.6 4.8
Year 10 and below 23.6 12.5

Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.


Skills and Knowledge

Employers look for Secretaries who have good people skills, are reliable, trustworthy and responsible, with sound computer skills.

Skills

Skills can be improved through training or experience.

  • 57%

    Active listening

    Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.

  • 57%

    Reading comprehension

    Reading work related information.

  • 55%

    Writing

    Writing things for co-workers or customers.

  • 54%

    Speaking

    Talking to others.

  • 54%

    Critical thinking

    Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.

  • 48%

    Time management

    Managing your own and other peoples' time to get work done.

  • 48%

    Serving others

    Looking for ways to help people.

  • 45%

    Active learning

    Being able to use what you have learnt to solve problems now and again in the future.

  • 45%

    Monitoring

    Keeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.

  • 45%

    Social perceptiveness

    Understanding why people react the way they do.

  • 41%

    Coordination with others

    Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.

  • 41%

    Judgment and decision making

    Figuring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.

  • 39%

    Complex problem solving

    Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.

  • 39%

    Management of personnel resources

    Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, and choosing the best people for the job.

  • 36%

    Instructing

    Teaching people how to do something.

  • 34%

    Learning strategies

    Figuring out the best way to teach or learn something new.

  • 32%

    Negotiation

    Bringing people together and trying to sort out their differences.

  • 32%

    Persuasion

    Talking people into changing their minds or their behaviour.

  • 29%

    Systems analysis

    Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect it.

  • 21%

    Quality control analysis

    Doing tests and checking products, services, or processes to make sure they are working properly.


Knowledge

These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.

  • 86%

    Clerical

    Word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office work.

  • 60%

    Customer and personal service

    Understanding customer needs, providing good quality service, and measuring customer satisfaction.

  • 59%

    Computers and electronics

    Circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

  • 55%

    English language

    English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

  • 44%

    Administration and management

    Business principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.

  • 40%

    Mathematics

    Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.

  • 36%

    Education and training

    Curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

  • 33%

    Communications and media

    Media production, communication, and dissemination. Includes written, spoken, and visual media.

  • 33%

    Personnel and human resources

    Recruiting and training people, managing pay and other entitlements (like sick leave), and negotiating pay and conditions.

  • 32%

    Economics and accounting

    Economics and accounting, the financial markets, banking and checking and reporting of financial data.

  • 28%

    Public safety and security

    Use of equipment, rules and ideas to protect people, data, property, and institutions.

  • 27%

    Law and government

    How our laws and courts work. Government rules and regulations, and the political system.

  • 25%

    Psychology

    Human behaviour; differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; research methods; assessing and treating disorders.

  • 24%

    Production and processing

    Raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and ways of making and distributing goods.

  • 24%

    Geography

    Describing land, sea, and air, including their physical characteristics, locations, how they work together, and the location of plant, animal, and human life.

  • 24%

    Transportation

    Moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road.

  • 20%

    Sales and marketing

    Showing, promoting, and selling including marketing strategy, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

  • 19%

    Philosophy and theology

    Philosophical systems and religions, including their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and impact on society.

  • 17%

    Therapy and counselling

    Diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and career counselling and guidance.

  • 15%

    Telecommunications

    Transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.


Abilities

Workers use these physical and mental abilities..

  • 57%

    Oral comprehension

    Listen to and understand what people say.

  • 57%

    Oral expression

    Communicate by speaking.

  • 55%

    Near vision

    See details that are up-close (within a few feet).

  • 55%

    Written comprehension

    Read and understand written information.

  • 55%

    Written expression

    Write in a way that people can understand.

  • 54%

    Speech recognition

    Identify and understand the speech of another person.

  • 48%

    Sorting or ordering

    Order or arrange things in a pattern or sequence (e.g., numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

  • 45%

    Speech clarity

    Speak clearly so others can understand you.

  • 45%

    Deductive reasoning

    Use general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.

  • 43%

    Problem spotting

    Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, even if you can't solve the problem.

  • 43%

    Categorising

    Come up with different ways of grouping things.

  • 43%

    Inductive reasoning

    Use lots of detailed information to come up with answers or make general rules.

  • 37%

    Selective attention

    Pay attention to something without being distracted.

  • 37%

    Multitasking

    Do two or more things at the same time.

  • 32%

    Brainstorming

    Come up with a number of ideas about a topic, even if the ideas aren't very good.

  • 32%

    Memorization

    Remember things like words, numbers, pictures, and procedures.

  • 29%

    Perceptual speed

    Use your eyes to quickly compare groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.

  • 27%

    Flexibility of closure

    See a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) hidden in other distracting material.

  • 21%

    Far vision

    See details that are far away.

  • 21%

    Finger dexterity

    Put together small parts with your fingers.


Activities

These are kinds of activities workers regularly do in this job.

  • 65%

    Planning and prioritising work

    Deciding on goals and putting together a detailed plan to get the work done.

  • 65%

    Building good relationships

    Building good working relationships and keeping them over time.

  • 59%

    Providing office support

    Doing day-to-day office work such as filing and processing paperwork.

  • 58%

    Communicating within a team

    Giving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.

  • 57%

    Researching and investigating

    Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.

  • 56%

    Collecting and organising information

    Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or checking information or data.

  • 53%

    Working with the public

    Greeting or serving customers, clients or guests, and public speaking or performing.

  • 50%

    Looking for changes over time

    Comparing objects, actions, or events. Looking for differences between them or changes over time.

  • 50%

    Keeping your knowledge up-to-date

    Keeping up-to-date with technology and new ideas.

  • 49%

    Making decisions and solving problems

    Using information to work out the best solution and solve problems.

  • 48%

    Working with computers

    Using computers to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.

  • 48%

    Making sense of information and ideas

    Looking at, working with, and understanding data or information.

  • 47%

    Communicating with the public

    Giving information to the public, business or government by telephone, in writing, or in person.

  • 47%

    Monitoring people, processes and things

    Checking objects, actions, or events, and keeping an eye out for problems.

  • 46%

    Documenting or recording information

    Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

  • 46%

    Negotiating and resolving conflicts

    Handling complaints and disagreements, and negotiating with people.

  • 45%

    Checking compliance with standards

    Deciding whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

  • 44%

    Helping and caring for others

    Providing personal assistance, medical attention, or emotional support.

  • 43%

    Scheduling work and activities

    Working out the timing of events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.

  • 38%

    Coordinating the work of a team

    Getting members of a group to work together to finish a task.


Interests and demands

Learn about the daily activities, and physical and social demands faced by workers. Explore the values and work styles that workers rate as most important.

Interests

Interests are the style or type of work we prefer to do. All interest areas are shown below.

  • 100%

    Administrative

    Following set procedures and routines. Working with numbers and details more than with ideas, usually following rules.

  • 71%

    Enterprising

    Starting up and carrying out projects. Leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes require risk taking and often deal with business.

  • 43%

    Helping

    Working with people. Helping or providing service to others.

  • 19%

    Creative

    Working with forms, designs and patterns. Often need self-expression and can be done without following rules.

  • 19%

    Practical

    Practical, hands-on work. Often with plants and animals, or materials like wood, tools, and machinery.

  • 14%

    Analytical

    Ideas and thinking. Searching for facts and figuring out problems in your head.


Values

Work values are important to a person’s feeling of satisfaction. All six values are shown below.
  • 71%

    Support

    Supportive management that stands behind employees. Workers are treated fairly by their company, they are supported by management, and have supervisors who train them well.

  • 67%

    Relationships

    Serve and work with others. Workers usually get along well with each other, do things to help other people, and are rarely pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong.

  • 55%

    Working conditions

    Job security and good working conditions. There is usually a steady flow of interesting work, and the pay and conditions are generally good.

  • 48%

    Achievement

    Results oriented. Workers are able to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.

  • 38%

    Independence

    Work alone and make decisions. Workers are able to try out their own ideas, make decisions on their own, and work with little or no supervision.

  • 38%

    Recognition

    Advancement and the potential to lead. Workers are recognised for the work that they do, they may give directions and instructions to others, and they are looked up to in their company and their community.


Demands

The physical and social demands that workers face most often are shown below:
  • 98%

    Telephone

    Talk on the telephone.

  • 95%

    Contact with people

    Have contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.

  • 94%

    Face-to-face discussions

    Talk with people face-to-face.

  • 91%

    Electronic mail

    Use electronic mail.

  • 90%

    Unstructured work

    Have freedom to decide on tasks, priorities, and goals.

  • 88%

    Indoors, heat controlled

    Work indoors with access to heating or cooling.

  • 87%

    Spend time sitting

    Spend time sitting at work.

  • 87%

    Teamwork

    Work with people in a group or team.

  • 86%

    Being exact or accurate

    Be very exact or highly accurate.

  • 84%

    Repeating same tasks

    Repeat the same tasks or activities (e.g., key entry) over and over, without stopping.

  • 83%

    Freedom to make decisions

    Have freedom to make decision on your own.

  • 81%

    Letters and memos

    Write letters and memos.

  • 80%

    Time pressure

    Work to strict deadlines.

  • 74%

    Contact with the public

    Work with customers or the public.

  • 73%

    Frequent decision making

    Frequently make decisions that impact other people.

  • 71%

    Impact of decisions

    Make decisions that have a large impact on other people.

  • 71%

    Lead or coordinate a team

    Lead others to do work activities.

  • 69%

    Making repetitive motions

    Spend time making repetitive motions.

  • 61%

    Physically close to people

    Work physically close to other people.

  • 60%

    Angry or unpleasant people

    Deal with unpleasant, angry, or rude people.

Occupational Information Network
O*NET is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.
The skills and importance ratings on this page are derived from the US Department of Labor O*NET Database Version 21.2, 43-6014.00 - Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive.


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