the dumbing down of the secretarial profession. Why?

A fairly large amount of supporting admin type work that used to be part of a secretarial role has been added to managers' job descriptions in many companies. 20 yrs ago my DHs role would definitely have had a PA/secretary attached to it, but now it doesn't and he manages his own diary, travel bookings, inbox, etc. Any secretarial support he'd get is very low level admin - ie someone is responsible for ordering stationery for the whole office, answering phones etc. This has contributed to the downgrading of that kind of role.

Also a lot of the status accorded to secretarial roles used to be attached to the post they supported - in my old work (financial services) executives' secretaries used to have some perks (including an executive secretaries Christmas lunch that you had to attend with your boss )

In the professions, eg legal, medical the docs and solicitors still dictate the majority of their notes and correspondence so the role has remained relatively unchanged.

I had a similar experience with an intern Sports. My role had two secretaries attached and an assistant. I found that the older secretary was incredible in her role and took it seriously, the younger one was less qualified and didn't take their role as seriously (reflected in review). Take from that what you will. I had a meeting with an intern sitting in (younger male) where another professional found themselves in the embarrassing situation of backtracking after addressing the intern as if the roles were reversed. I do think that was down to gender. Strange thing was that agenda paperwork was clear as to the roles folk had.

At one time I had a male secretary. Most people, on being introduced to us by name only the first time, assumed he (a good 15 years younger than me) was the boss. Daft buggers.

"Secretaries used to be really respected and have a really good general education and be able to speak more than one language. Also, historically it was reasonably well paid.[...]Before the first world war almost all secretaries were men (obviously sexism), now most secretaries are women and it is a job which is really little respected"

I think the answer is there ^, it's really that simple.

I think organisations and sectors that have "secretaries" tend to have very defined roles and professions - legal, medical, academic etc...- however good you are as a secretary you won't progress to become a doctor, lawyer or professor.

Sectors and jobs that are more about general management, marketing, budgeting, people management etc... tend to have "assistants" and there is more chance to progress from assistant to boss.

In my anecdotal experience you get a mix of young men and women in assistant roles but mainly women in career "secretary"'jobs.

The secretaries I know are drawn to it because they like to take care of people and feel needed. I think that appeals more to women than men (because of socialisation messages).

I am a secretary (medical). I'm not a graduate and the job is quite challenging, mostly because as fast as I learn one way of doing something the ruddy nhs go and change it again

I work in an open office with three other secretaries and largish pool of receptionists. Without fail every single one of these people is a woman which baffles me a bit. It seems in my work place the men either work at the top (doctor) or at the bottom (caretaker). There isn't a single man in the admin department either on the floor or in management. Someone once suggested to me that this was possibly because the wages aren't brilliant so men as the primary providers for a family ( ) go elsewhere where they can earn more. I reckon that's bollocks because if that were true then how come men are working as caretakers where the wages are lower than the admin staff?

I've never worked anywhere with secretaries, I think the modern equivalent is PA which is generally considered to be an important role which can earn you a lot of money.

In the places I have worked it has been "admin" that has been the bottom of the ladder, and that roles seems to have been a mix of men and women.

Maybe you are thinking of a different industry? I've mainly worked in large financial sector type companies. Would be interesting to hear where you have been working as it sounds very different.

Most secretaries that I know are degree educated. I was previously an Executive Assistant, PA and Office Manager and every job I have applied for or done has required a degree. The status has been similar to any other graduate type role within the company.

However, since I've moved to a new role within the same organisation I have found that I am still the go to for any admin type requests - even things like birthday collections, arranging drinks for visitors etc. It seems once a secretary, always a lowly member of the team regardless of title.

I suppose it's seen as a support role and that anyone with the brains should be running the business themselves (I don't agree with this, obviously).

Maybe nurses are seen in a similar light?