This approach often means secretaries assume added responsibilities and are seen as valuable members of a team, but it also contributes to the decline in employment projected for most secretaries. Developments in office technology are certain to continue, and they will bring about further changes in the secretary's work environment. However, many secretarial duties are of a personal, interactive nature and, therefore, not easily automated. Responsibilities such as planning conferences, working with clients, and transmitting staff instructions require tact and communication skills. Because technology cannot substitute for these personal skills, secretaries will continue to play a key role in most organizations.
Secretaries earn slightly more in urban areas.
Salaries vary a great deal, however, reflecting differences in skill, experience, and level of responsibility. Certification in this field usually is rewarded by a higher salary. Beginning salaries were slightly higher in selected areas where the prevailing local pay level was higher. Among them are bookkeepers , receptionists , stenographers , personnel clerks , typists and word processors , paralegals, medical assistants, and medical record technicians. A growing number of secretaries share in managerial and human resource responsibilities.