Polytechnic University of the Philippines

Quezon City Campus

Commonwealth, Quezon City

Compilation of Lectures
in
Office Practicum
(OFAD 4016)

BBTE 2-1
AY 2010-2011

Mr. Emerson Aguinaldo

Student Teacher

Professor Marilyn Isip

Office Practicum Coordinator
 Table of Contents

I. Looking for a job: Sources of Job Opening

II. Preparing and Writing Application Letter

III. Preparing for Interview

IV. Reviewing General Office Procedures

V. Routinely: General Office Procedures

VI. The Secretary: Position and Qualifications

VII. Specific duties and functions of the secretary

VIII. Handling Appointments

IX. Filing

X. Handling Meetings and Conferences

XI. Preparation for Meetings, Conferences and Conventions

XII. Duties of Secretary during Meetings, Conferences, and

Conventions

XIII. Taking Minutes of the Meeting

XIV. The Secretary Chairs-In the Meeting

XV. The Secretary in the Personnel Department

XVI. Controlling Records in the Personnel Department

 Chapter 1

Looking for a job

Sources of Job opening
Job Placement Agency

Job placement agencies specialize in providing human resource assistance

to existing businesses, including matching companies with temporary workers
and finding employees for long-term job placement for an outside workplace.

A job placement agency is definitely a great option if you a searching for a

job or thinking of making a career change you need to do your research on the
possibility of registering with a job placement agency. A Recruiting Company or
Job Placement Company can be a great help be sure to choose the ONE that's
Right For You.

Executive Agencies

1. Job placement agencies can also serve as headhunters for companies

searching for executive and senior employees.

Professional Employer Organizations

2. Another type of placement agency is the professional employer

organization that offers human resource management services for a
company after introducing an employee to be hired on. This could include
the job placement agency assuming some degree of responsibility for the
employee and their actions and intervening on their behalf.

Agency Size

3. Agencies specializing in permanent staffing are usually smaller operations

with a more limited number of staff members, especially when compared
to temporary job placement agencies.
 Payment

4. Temporary and professional employer organizations are much more likely

to directly pay employees and collect these wages from the client
business, while permanent placement and executive agencies will not.

Occupations

5. Occupational categories for employees of job placement agencies include

management, business, and financial, administrative and sales teams.

How to Choose a Job Placement Agency

1. 1

Go to Monster.com or Yahoo Hotjobs or Career Builder a do a general

search for the job you are looking for. This will bring up a list of current
job listings in you're area. Job placement agencies use these online job
search tools to list their available jobs.

2. 2

Carefully check the list for Company Name. You will notice that a variety
of the jobs are listed by the same company. These will most likely be job
placement service companies who work with employers to find the right
candidate for their open positions. Job placement agencies and recruiter
sometimes even list a blind ad that gets them additional people on their
roles of available candidates.

3. 3

Now, go back to your favourite search engine and research the job
placement agencies that list jobs in your field. The websites may all look
 like they used the same models and have all of the same customers but
you will be able to see how long they have been around, how many types
of businesses and various positions they fill and get a good idea if they
can help you. Each job placement agency will have a certain specialty but
they may list a unique job for a favourite employer so be sure to
investigate the job placement agencies that specialize in accounting even
if you are not an accountant.

4. 4

After checking that the job placement agencies on your list that have job
listings that you are interested in, Call Them, Set Up and Appointment to
Speak to a Recruiter. It's important to go to them and get a free practice
interview. Face to Face - Eye Contact with them will let you know if you
have chosen the Right Job Placement agency for you.

Disadvantages of Job Placement

1. Job placement agencies may at first glance appear to be a lifeline to those

seeking employment. These agencies tout their benefits as a seemingly
endless list of connections with reputable employers as well as valuable
career advice and more. However, there are also several key
disadvantages to using these types of agencies. Doing thorough research
before signing any contracts or agreements with a job placement agency
can save job seekers a lot of time and wasted money.

High Fees

2. Many job placement agencies tout their great contacts with local
employers, but fail to tell prospective job seekers about the high cost
associated with accessing said contacts. Job placement agencies are
 notorious for charging hundreds in job search fees to not only help a
potential employee look for a job, but also once the individual has actually
landed the position. In some instances, job placement agencies charge a
job seeker as much as 10 percent of their first pay check for several pay
check in a row as fees for services rendered.

Lack of Contacts

3. Some job placement agencies claim to have numerous contacts with local
employers. However, even as they are charging you inordinate fees, they
may not have as many contacts as they say they do, significantly slowing
the job search for the individual contracting their services. In some
instances, a relationship between some employers and job placement
agencies may be sour because of a situation that may not have worked
out, or a breakdown in communication between the two entities.

Strict Guidelines

4. Another disadvantage of using a job placement agency is the strict set of

guidelines they may enforce when you are using their services. This may
include structuring your resume a certain way or dressing a certain way
for interviews. While some job seekers welcome this kind of guidance,
others feel as though it stifles their ability to showcase their individualism
during a job search. Moreover, some job placement agencies will drop you
from their roster if you don't follow their strict rules, which can result in
lost time and money.
 Finding Job through:

Newspaper

A newspaper is a regularly scheduled publication containing news,

information, and advertising, usually printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade
paper such as newsprint.

When it comes to finding a job, you have a number of different options. For
instance, you could use the internet, visit one of your local career help centers,
go to career fairs, or flip through your local newspaper. Although all of these job
finding methods are doable, you may want to closely examine looking in your
local newspapers. Although many do not think so anymore, your local newspaper
or newspapers are great ways to find open, available job listings.

The best part about using your local newspaper to find local job openings in
the area is that newspapers are often free or low-cost.

All you need to do is remember to flip to the back of your local newspaper
and checkout the employment section.

Reason why you should use newspaper when finding

job:

Cheap
Easy to find
Find up to date job listings
Through Friends and Relatives

o The extensive use of informal contacts by both firms and workers

to find jobs and fill vacancies is well known and has already
motivated several studies.

o Talk to your friends and ask them if they know of anyone who's
hiring.

o Family members also work great for networking.

o Make a list of names and numbers of contacts to help your friend

find a job.

o Gives information where if their company is hiring.

o Recruit you to their boss.

Relatives and Friends can help to find a job by giving information

 Help you to make a good resume and cover letter can go a long
way.

 Make suggestions and help you build a strong resume.

 Ask and send their resume. If you want to help a friend get a job,
ask if you can do a little of the work for them.
  If you find a job opening available, ask if you can submit your
friends resume. Ask for permission to give your friends resume to
your family and friends.

 Give pointers if land an interview.

 Give information about the Company.

Others:
Internet
Internet is also a source of information for job seekers. There are many work
posted in different website career sites daily, with many of them being for
legitimate jobs. This way, there'll be less hassle.

Clues for spotting a job scam

1. Never pay to work

A legitimate employer will never ask you to pay anything to work
for their company.
2. Processing Payments Scam
Never give your credit or bank account information. Never open a
bank account for a foreign company.
3. Duplicate Ads on Free Sites
If you see the same ad being posted over and over again online,
avoid it like the plague as it’s probably a scam.
4. Personal Information Requests
If you are asked to provide your Social Security number, personal
address or bank account information you are dealing with a scammer. Never give
out information unless you are offered a legit job, have spoken with an actual
live person and know you are dealing with a real company.
5. Sounds too good to be true
If an ad states you can get rich or make thousands each month by
working part time, you are most likely reading a job ad placed by a scammer.
Avoid being the victim of getting scammed by passing on these get rich quick
schemes.

A. Radio
C. Flyer
D. Job Fair
E. Seminars
 Chapter 2

Preparing and writing

Application l etter
Preparing and Writing an Application Letter.

The Application letter , according to Leggett, Mead and Kramer (1985),

are classified as solicited and unsolicited or prospecting applications. When you
know that an opening for a position actually exists because you have heard
about the vacancy of seen it advertised, you will write a solicited application. In
addition to specifying the position, in this case, identify the advertisement of
mention the source from who you obtain the information about the job opening.

It is also an individual’s personal emissary. It is a means by which an

applicant can sell himself to a prospective employer. An application letter must
therefore be clean (white paper of good quality), neat (typewritten) and free
from errors in spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and grammar.

Parts of a Letter of Application:

The Letter of Application has three parts, namely:

1. Purpose of the letter

An applicant should state the special job of position he is applying for. A

mention of how he found out about the job opening should be made. An
application letter which is in response to an advertisements is called a solicited
letter. A job seeker who walks into an office, trying his luck but not knowing
whether there is a job vacancy or not is submitting an unsolicited letter.

An applicant should also explain in the first paragraph his reason for
wanting a job or position. He should point out that he possesses those qualities
and qualifications that they are looking for. He should impress upon the mind of
the employer that here is an individual who has the capacity, talent, positive
attitude, aggressiveness, and interest for the job.

2. Background Information

The second paragraph should contain the applicant’s educational

background (degree and school where he obtained his degree, the examinations
that he passed and the seminars/trainings he attended and references. In his
letter, the applicant should mention the persons (their names, exact positions
and address) who would vouch for his integrity, honesty and capability. Before
writing their names as references in his application letter.

3. Request for an Interview.

In the third paragraph, the applicant should request for an interview at

the prospective employer’s convenience. He should impress upon the employer’s
mind his desire for and interview and how, where and when he can be reached.
Mechanics of an Application Letter

When you have no direct knowledge that a job opening exists but you
want to be considered if a position is suitable, your application letter is a
prospecting or unsolicited one. In this case you will identify the type of position
you desire and mention why you are writing the letter. In order to gain success
in applying, Guth (1985) gave the following pieces of advice:

1. Be specific about the position for which you are applying for.

2. Stress previous training and practical experiences that you can show to be relevant to
the job.

3. Give your letter character. Establish your identity. 4. Many job applications look very
much the same and the anonymous average applicant has little chance to be
remembered—and to be preferred.
5. If you list references, obtain prior permission from those whose name you will use.

6. If the account of your qualification is extensive, put in on a separate data sheet of

resume.

Personal Data, Bio-Data, Resume

Parts of a Data Sheet/Resume:

a. Heading:
It includes the applicant’s full name, complete address and telephone number.
b. Objective:
After the heading, the applicant’s objectives for that position should
be stated. The objective may be specific or general.

c. Education:

A mention of the applicant’s educational background, the schools

he attended, the seminars/training courses he has taken which are related to the
job applied for, plus the awards and recognition that he received, should be
written.

d. Experience:

The current or most recent employment shall be mentioned first

followed by a list of all previous jobs. For each job, the date of employment, the
specific work, the name and address of the firm and the full name of the
supervisor must be cited.

e. Personal Data:
The age, height, weight, hobbies, interests, special skills and
memberships in organization of the applicant should be stated.

f. References:
List down three to five names of persons (not relatives), their
positions, place of employment or addresses as references.
RESUMÉ

Like the application letter, the resumé should be persuasive. The personal
data included in the resume should contain only that which is pertinent to the
job. To complete the resume, according to Titchy (1988), the following
information should be considered.

1. Personal Data: Name, mailing address and telephone number it any should
be presented briefly and clearly.
2. Position Sought or Type of Position: It gives the job title and the source
of advertisement.

3. Employment Record: Employment should be listed chronologically, current

of most recent position first. Each entry should include the dates and the position
title.

4. Education: Degrees and schooling are usually listed with the most recent first
and the rest following in order.

5. Special Abilities: This is a list of training and skills acquired by the applicant
to strengthen his qualification.

6. References: This presents list of names and addresses of persons willing to

give additional details about the applicant.
 Chapter 3

Preparing for interview

 TIPS ON JOB INTERVIEW

Practice

Practice answering interview questions and practice your responses to the

typical job interview questions and answers most employers ask. Think of actual
examples you can use to describe your skills. Providing evidence of your
successes is a great way to promote your candidacy.

Prepare

Prepare a response so you are ready for the question "What do you know
about our company. Know the interviewer's name and use it during the job
interview. If you're not sure of the name, call and ask prior to the interview. Try
to relate what you know about the company when answering questions.

Get Ready

Make sure your interview attire is neat, tidy and appropriate for the type
of firm you are interviewing with. Bring a nice portfolio with copies of your
resume. Include a pen and paper for note taking.

Be On Time

Be on time for the interview. On time means five to ten minutes early. If
need be, take some time to drive to the office ahead of time so you know exactly
where you are going and how long it will take to get there.
Stay Calm

During the job interview try to relax and stay as calm possible. Take a
moment to regroup. Maintain eye contact with the interviewer. Listen to the
entire question before you answer and pay attention - you will be embarrassed if
you forget the question!

Show What You Know

Try to relate what you know about the company when answering
questions. When discussing your career accomplishments match them to what
the company is looking for.

Follow Up

Always follow-up with a thank you note reiterating your interest in the
position. If you interview with multiple people send each one a thank you note.

SAMPLE QUESTIONS ON JOB INTERVIEWS

1. Tell me about your dream job.

Don't mention a specific job. Say something generic like, "I want a job
where I love the work and the people I work with."

2. What are your strengths?

Sell yourself. Say how you can be a desirable employee for the company.

3. Why should we hire you?

This is your chance to show why working for the company is important to
you and why you think you will fit in. Don't mention other applicants for
comparison.
4. How long would you expect to work for us if hired?
Don't give a specific answer. Say something like, "I plan on staying for
long." or "As long as we both feel I'm doing a good job."

5. Do you think you are overqualified for this position?

Regardless of your qualifications, state that you are very well qualified for
the position. Or you may say something like, "I don't think I am
overqualified, but I am fully qualified."

6. Why do you think you would do well at this job?

Mention your skills, experience and interest.

7. What is more important to you: the money or the work?

You can say something like, "Both are important because everybody
needs money to live but job satisfaction is also important."

8. What qualities do you look for in a boss?

Be generic and positive. Some examples are fair, competent, good
motivator.

9. Describe your work ethic.

Emphasize benefits to the organization. Things like, determination to get
the job done and work hard but enjoy your work are good.

10. What are your activities and interests outside of work?

Say something about your interest and how it can help you on the job
you are applying for. Like basketball can teach you team work, or baking
can teach you accuracy. If you are applying for a job that requires you to
be fit, you may mention physical activities that you do like swimming or
any other sport.
 Proper Grooming, Posture, and Attitude for a Job Interview

Proper Grooming:
• "A picture is worth a thousand words." - It pays to make a great impression
when you get an interview. The picture you create will greatly influence your
chances of being hired. Being well groomed is key to making a strong first
impression and setting yourself apart from less tidy competitors.

• Proper grooming includes:

1. Hair
For men:
Short on the sides and back.
Use a matte styling product for a cleaner look.

For women
Clean
Neatly combed or arranged.

2. Wardrobe
Keep it clean, pressed, and neutral. Find out, if you can, the dress code
for the company you're interviewing with and dress appropriately. Never
overdress your potential boss and don't go too trendy.
The first judgment an interviewer makes, like it or not, is going to be
based on how you look and what you are wearing. That’s why it’s always
important to dress professionally for a job interview, even if the work
environment is casual.
Remember, you are marketing a product — yourself — to a potential
employer, and the first thing the employer sees when greeting you is your attire;
thus, you must make every effort to have the proper dress for the type of job
you are seeking. Will dressing properly get you the job? Of course not, but it will
give you a competitive edge and a positive first impression.

For men:

Suit
Long sleeve shirt (white or coordinated with the suit)
Belt
Tie
Dark socks, conservative leather shoes
Little or no jewelry
Neat, professional hairstyle
Neatly trimmed nails
Portfolio or briefcase

For women:

Suit (navy, black or dark grey)

Coordinated blouse
Conservative shoes
Limited jewelry (no dangling ear arms full of bracelets)
No jewelry is better than cheap jewelry
Professional hairstyle
Neutral pantyhose
Light make-up and perfume
Neatly manicured clean nails
Portfolio or briefcase
Proper Posture:
To give the interviewer wants to hire you:
One eye directed to the recruiter
Legs and arms uncrossed
Feet parallel to the ground
Hands placed before the knees

Proper Attitude:
Communication style: Are you presenting yourself as a college student
just hoping to get a job or an adult eager to enter the world of work? A solid
versus a shaky handshake; appropriate eye contact versus none at all; speaking
clearly versus talking low. If your cues are keeping you from receiving offers, a
career counselor can offer suggestions.

Expectations:

Students sometimes expect job offers to come simply because they have
earned a college degree. Today’s job market is more competitive than ever, and
other attributes such as poise and professionalism can make or break the
interview. After your on-campus interview, the recruiter will meet with 10 more
candidates who are earning the same degree as you. What separates you from
the rest?

Diligence:

Do you send thank-you notes and follow-up correspondence? Are you

approaching your job search as you would a final class project? The amount of
work put into a job search impacts the interviews (both quality and quantity) you
can expect.
Confidence: Your resume may make you the most qualified candidate on paper.
But that’s why companies conduct interviews.

TYPES OF JOB INTERVIEW

A job interview is a process in which a potential employee is evaluated

by an employer for prospective employment in their company, organization, or
firm. During this process, the employer hopes to determine whether or not the
applicant is suitable for the job.

Types of Job Interview

Behavioral

A common type of job interview in the modern workplace is the behavioral

interview or behavioral event interview, also called a competency-based
interview. This type of interview is based on the notion that a job candidate's
previous behaviors are the best indicators of future performance. In behavioral
interviews, the interviewer asks candidates to recall specific instances where they
were faced with a set of circumstances, and how they reacted. Typical behavioral
interview questions:

"Tell me about a project you worked on where the requirements changed

midstream. What did you do?"
"Tell me about a time when you took the lead on a project. What did you
do?"
"Describe the worst project you worked on."
"Describe a time you had to work with someone you didn't like."
 "Tell me about a time when you had to stick by a decision you had made,
even though it made you very unpopular."
"Give us an example of something particularly innovative that you have
done that made a difference in the workplace."
"What happened the last time you were late with a project?"
"Have you ever witnessed a person doing something that you felt was
against company policy. What did you do and why?"

Case

A case interview is an interview form used mostly by management

consulting firms and investment banks in which the job applicant is given a
question, situation, problem or challenge and asked to resolve the situation. The
case problem is often a business situation or a business case that the interviewer
has worked on in real life.

Panel

Another type of job interview found throughout the professional and

academic ranks is the panel interview. In this type of interview the candidate is
interviewed by a group of panelists representing the various stakeholders in the
hiring process.

The benefits of the panel approach to interviewing include: time savings

over serial interviewing, more focused interviews as there is often less time
spend building rapport with small talk, and "apples to apples" comparison
because each stake holder/interviewer/panelist gets to hear the same answers to
the same questions.
Stress

Stress interviews are still in common use. One type of stress interview is
where the employer uses a succession of interviewers (one at a time or en
masse) whose mission is to intimidate the candidate and keep him/her off-
balance. The ostensible purpose of this interview: to find out how the candidate
handles stress. Stress interviews might involve testing an applicant's behavior in
a busy environment. Questions about handling work overload, dealing with
multiple projects, and handling conflict are typical.

Another type of stress interview may involve only a single interviewer who
behaves in an uninterested or hostile manner. For example, the interviewer may
not make eye contact, may roll his eyes or sigh at the candidate's answers,
interrupt, turn his back, take phone calls during the interview, or ask questions in
a demeaning or challenging style. The goal is to assess how the interviewee
handles pressure or to purposely evoke emotional responses. This technique was
also used in research protocols studying stress and type A (coronary-prone)
behavior because it would evoke hostility and even changes in blood pressure
and heart rate in study subjects. The key to success for the candidate is to de-
personalize the process. The interviewer is acting a role, deliberately and
calculatedly trying to "rattle the cage". Once the candidate realizes that there is
nothing personal behind the interviewer's approach, it is easier to handle the
questions with aplomb.

Example stress interview questions:

Sticky situation: "If you caught a colleague cheating on his expenses,

what would you do?"
Putting you on the spot: "How do you feel this interview is going?"
Candidates may also be asked to deliver a presentation as part of the selection
process. The "Platform Test" method involves having the candidate make a
presentation to both the selection panel and other candidates for the same job.
This is obviously highly stressful and is therefore useful as a predictor of how the
candidate will perform under similar circumstances on the job. Selection
processes in academic, training, airline, legal and teaching circles frequently
involve presentations of this sort.

Technical

This kind of interview focuses on problem solving and creativity. The

questions aim at your problem-solving skills and likely show your ability and
creativity. Sometimes these interviews will be on a computer module with
multiple-choice questions.

Telephone

Telephone interviews take place if a recruiter wishes to reduce the

number of prospective candidates before deciding on a shortlist for face-to-face
interviews. They also take place if a job applicant is a significant distance away
from the premises of the hiring company, such as abroad or in another state or
province.
 Chapter 4

Review General Office

Procedures
 Delivering Mails

Function of Delivering Mails

1. Prepare mailing lists
2. Addressing envelopes
3. Operating addressing machines

Mailing list- is a collection of names and addresses used by an individual or an

organization to send material to multiple recipients.

2 Types of Mailing List

1. Tradition - Postal System – announcement list
2. Modern – Electronic Mailing list – Discussion list

Addressing Envelopes
1. Accuracy of Address
2. Placement
3. Addressing letters and packages
4. Return Address
5. Express Mail
6. Military Mail
7.
Addressing Machine – an apparatus used for affixing the addresses on a large
number of missives, such as newspaper, upon which series of names must be
inscribed as the day of issue recurs.
Mail and Message Distribution Occupations

1. Mail Clerks – prepare incoming and outgoing mail for distribution

2. Postal Mail Carriers – sort mail for delivery
3. Postal Service Clerk – perform any combination of tasks in a post
office.
4. Messengers – run errands.

Running Errands

A Short and quick trips to accomplish a specific purpose, as to buy something,

delivers a package, or convey a message, often for someone else.

Save Time Running Errands

1. Plan Your Errands

Take a few minutes before you run out the door to make sure your trip is
most efficient.
2. Plan Your Route
Write down all the places you need to go in order unless you’re sure
you can commit them to memory.
3. Plan What To Bring
Before running errands, set everything together that you’re going to need
on your trip out so that nothing gets forgotten.
 OTHER MESSENGER WORKS

FAX MACHINE
 It is a document sent over a telephone line.

How to Use a Fax Machine with a Phone Number

 If you want to use a fax machine on the same line as a regular phone
number you can easily do so.

 Fax machines have an auto-detect capability that allows them to intercept

incoming faxes.

Instructions:

1. Menu button  to set up your options. Then select

Phone/fax  Receive mode

2. Using a fax machine with a phone has no effect on sending outgoing

faxes except that you cannot send or receive a fax if someone is talking
on the phone using that line.
3. Answer any phone calls within the first couple of rings.
 Group 5

Routinely: General
Office Procedures
 Routinary: General Office Procedures

Transferring and Screening Call

Call transfer
A call transfer is a telecommunications mechanism that enables a user to
relocate an existing call to another telephone or attendant console by using the
transfer button and dialing the required location. The transferred call is either
announced or unannounced. If the transferred call is announced, the desired
party/extension is notified of the impending transfer. This is typically done by
putting the caller on hold and dialing the desired party/extension; they are then
notified and, if they choose to accept the call, it is transferred over to them.
Other terms commonly used for an announced transfer include attended,consult,
full-consult, supervised, conference and warm transfer. On the other hand, an
unannounced transfer is self-explanatory: it is transferred without notifying the
desired party/extension of the impending call. It is simply transferred to their line
by way of a "transfer" key on the operator's phone or by keying in a string of
digits which achieves the same function. Other terms commonly used for an
unannounced transfer include unsupervised, cold and blind transfer.

How to Professionally Transfer a Call

Proper business telephone etiquette can make a positive impression on

your callers. Transferring a telephone call is more than just knowing what
buttons to push on your telephone system. The business telephone etiquette
that you and your employees use directly reflects upon the image that your
business portrays.
1. Explain Why
Explain to the caller why you need to transfer the call. Reasons may
include: the caller reached the wrong department (or wrong number), the caller
has questions that only another department can answer, or you do not have
authority to make the decision the caller is seeking. Regardless, make sure the
caller knows "why" and that you are not just
passing-the-buck.

2. Give Your Info First

First give the caller your name and extension in case you get
disconnected. This will give the caller a sense of importance and that you are
personally concerned about the caller's situation. Secondly, tell the caller the
name of the person (or department) and extension number that you need to
transfer the call to. And, remember to always be pleasant.

3. Ask Permission
At this point, ask the caller for permission to initiate the transfer. This will
give the caller a chance to ask any other questions and give them a feeling of
control.
4. Wait for an Answer
Do not blindly transfer the call as soon as you hear the other phone ring.
Wait for the other person to answer and explain to them the reason for the
transferred call. This will give the other person a chance to prepare for the call
and the caller will not have to explain the situation all over again.
5. Make an Introduction
Return to the caller and announce the name and/or department that you
will be transferring the call to. Thank the caller for their patience and ask if there
is anything else that you can do.
6. Complete the Transfer
 At this point you can complete the transfer by connecting the caller and
the other person or department. Remember to end your connection by hanging
up the phone or disconnecting your head set.

Call Screening

A digital "answering machine", replacing voice mail, which plays an

announcement and records messages on the phone. The user can listen to a
caller while they leave a message, and optionally answer the phone. Unlike voice
mail, the recipient's airtime is used while the caller is leaving the message.

Call screening is the process of evaluating the characteristics of a

telephone call before deciding how or whether to answer it.

Some methods may include:

• listening to the message being recorded on an answering machine or voice
mail
• checking a caller ID display to see who or where the call is from
• checking the time or date which a call or message was received

Sorting Files and Greeting Visitors

1. Project professionalism.

Remember that you're one of the company's most important assets. As

receptionist, you're a gatekeeper, but you're also charged with giving visitors
their first taste of the office culture. By projecting a professional, capable
demeanor, you imply that guests' experience with the business as a whole will
follow suit.
 2. Greet all visitors loud and clear. While it seems self-evident, plenty
of front-desk workers mumble their salutations. Saying "Good morning" or "Good
afternoon" in a steady, audible tone imparts an air of capability sure to be
appreciated by all office visitors.

3. Ask visitors whom their appointment is with

. Assuming a guest is there to see the wrong person suggests inefficiency,

something no one in your business wants that person to feel going into a
professional exchange with your company.

4. Ask for the visitor's name and note the pronunciation.

This way, when you alert a member of your office that their visitor is on
site, you'll also guarantee they know how to address the visitor, in case he or
she has a name with a unique pronunciation.

5. Keep the visitor informed.

After you've notified a colleague that their visitor has arrived, let the
visitor know you've done that — i.e., "Mr. Fox will be with you shortly."

6. Offer refreshments.

If your colleague tells you they are tied up on a call or stuck in a meeting
and might be delayed in greeting their visitor, offer the guest any refreshment
that you might have on hand. Simple acts of hospitality, such as offering a glass
of water or a cup of tea, can be a simple gesture that serves to mitigate any
frustration a waiting visitor might have.

7. Know the lay of the land.

As the person sitting behind the front desk, you'll be the one who's asked
where the restroom is, where supplies are located, and myriad other basic
questions regarding the office. Be sure you're able to easily give directions to the
basic parts of the office: lavatory; drinking fountain; copy and fax machines;
supply closet.
 8. Keep your cool.

As the person charged with handling those who come in and out of an
office, it's likely that you'll be thrown into the occasional stressful situation:
multiple visitors at one time; several phone lines ringing simultaneously;
questions you might not have answers to. Remaining calm throughout any
situation is key in providing top-notch assistance. Visitors to your office, as well
as your colleagues, will keep the faith even if you ask that they wait their turn
for your assistance, so long as you always project a professional, can-do manner.
Asking people to hold on while you find the answer to a difficult question or
tackle a high-priority task is perfectly acceptable — remember that you get to
regulate the order and manner in which things get done in the front office. By
governing the situation, you'll be sure not to let it rule you. Check out Reducing
Stress in the Workplace for some good pointers.

9. Know when to ask for help.

Though you're the one charged with offering assistance, as the previous
examples show, one person cannot always be all things to all people. Therefore,
ensure that your supervisors let you train another colleague on the phones and
other front-desk tasks in case you need to step away from the area or recruit
assistance in the midst of a high-traffic time. Sometimes just knowing that
backup is available if needed can help you perform your job more capably.

10. Diversify whenever possible.

Though you're the one ensuring office visitors get what they need from
the experience, don't feel confined by that role. Any workplace can benefit from
an employee willing to assume more responsibility than asked. Fill downtime with
projects that can assist your colleagues, and not only will your stock with them
rise, but you'll be sure to continue developing yourself as an asset to your
company
Importance of Sorting Files
1. Effective Knowledge Management.
When you create a joint data usage system within your company
bringing together various divisions and their individual data, materials,
books, files and knowledge you're effectively creating a knowledge
management system for your company or organization which helps
with production and planning and which does not incorporate the
impossible, the wasteful or the irregular and instead leads your
company to greater achievement.

Through a fast and reliable access structure we can get the

information needed to the people who need it, when they need it, and
through this create a structured knowledge management system for
your company.

2. Put an end to time wasted searching for what you need

Office staff spend on average 30% of their working hours searching for
the data that they need. With a well structured data arrangement system, the
information your staff need can be searched for quickly and easily.

3. To standardize document management practices

Through successful document arrangement systems you can create

standards for deciding on whether to preserve or scrap documents or data.
Through determining rules on preservation periods for data you can determine
standard practices for handling materials.

4. For better executive management

Taking an exhaustive look at previous management's numbers, data and

visual aids can help present management by shedding light on many aspects of
the company's present and future position. By gathering the valuable
experiences of previous management into one place you can make it more
accessible to current management
Typing a Rough Draft and Receipts
A receipt is a written acknowledgment that a specified article or sum of
money has been received as an exchange for goods or services. The receipt is
evidence of purchase of the property or service obtained in the exchange [1].

Creating Receipts

For all your regular customers, you should create a customer account. The
advantages of customer accounts are numerous - but you may well have a
number of customers who are unlikely to order from you again - a passing
salesman, a mail order campaign etc - and you would not want to clog up your
system with lots of redundant account codes.

To create a Receipt Address, click on the Receipt Button in the top left
hand corner of the Invoice Creation Window, or press Ctrl + R (press R whilst
holding down the Control key) to open the Receipt Address Window. The rest of
the window is self-explanatory, as with all addresses in the software, the correct
address layout is selected when you choose a country from the country drop
down selection box. To change the address layout see Country Settings.

If you are re-supplying an existing Receipt Customer, typing a name in the

name section of the software shows all available matches in the text area at the
bottom of the window - double clicking an existing entry will automatically
populate the address section, saving time and typing.

When complete click on the Save & Exit button to return to the Invoice
Creation Window. You can, however, at any time, convert a receipt customer to
a full-blown account customer. You may have a customer who starts off
purchasing from you infrequently, but as time passes, they order more and more
goods from you. By right clicking one of their receipts in the Account Book, you
can select 'Convert Receipt Customer to Customer Account', enter a customer
account code and the software will automatically create an account for that
customer, importing all their previous receipts, payments etc.

Rough Draft

A rough draft, or 'rough', is an initial draft of written or graphic work,

intended to produce raw materials for the layout. Rough drafts are comprised of
basic materials, used to assess content and form. In graphic art the method also
relates to production issues, sizing, and technical aspects of the process, in
which a final product has to be created in several stages. In writing, rough drafts
are used as quality controls on content, often derived from original notes.

RETRIEVING and INDEXING FILES

Retrieving Files

 It is the process of recovering and retrieving information or data

 To get or find back files
 To get back; regain.
 To bring back again; revive or restore.
 To find and carry back; fetch

Indexing Files

 Something that serves to guide, point out, or otherwise facilitate

reference, especially:
a. An alphabetized list of names, places, and subjects treated in a printed
work, giving the page or pages on which each item is mentioned.

b. A thumb index.

c. A table, file, or catalog.

d. Computer Science A list of keywords associated with a record or

document, used especially as an aid in searching for information.

 an alphabetical list of persons, places, subjects, etc., mentioned in the

text of a printed work, usually at the back, and indicating where in the
work they are referred to
 Chapter 6

The Secretary-Position
and qualification
The Secretary – Position and Qualifications

A. The Secretary Position

1. Secretary defined
Secretary is an assistant who handles correspondence and
clerical work for a boss or an organization. She provides
personal administrative support to management and the
company through conducting and organizing administrative
duties and activities including receiving and handling
information.

2. Nature of Secretarial Work

a. Factors affecting the nature of Secretarial Work
Ability- possession of the qualities required to do something;
necessary skill, competence, or power

Standard- that which is established as a rule or model by

authority, custom, or general consent; criterion; test.

Knowledge and Skills- a skill, knowledge or ability is something a

worker knows or can do that enables the worker to successfully
perform the duties of the job.

Feedback- describes the situation when output from

(or information about the result of) an event or phenomenon in the
past will influence an occurrence or occurrences of the same (i.e. same
defined) event / phenomenon (or the continuation / development of
the original phenomenon) in the present or future. When an event is
part of a chain of cause-and-effect that forms a circuit or loop, then
the event is said to "feed back" into itself.

Environment- is a set of properties and characteristics of the

environment, either generalized or local, as they impinge on human
beings and other organisms. It is a measure of the condition of an
environment relative to the requirements of one or more species and
or to any human need or purpose.

Motivation- is the driving force which help causes us to achieve

goals. Motivation is said to be intrinsic or extrinsic. The term is
generally used for humans but, theoretically, it can also be used to
describe the causes for animal behavior as well. This article refers to
human motivation. According to various theories, motivation may be
rooted in a basic need to minimize physical pain and maximize
pleasure, or it may include specific needs such as eating and resting,
or a desired object, goal, state of being, ideal, or it may be attributed
to less-apparent reasons such as altruism, selfishness, morality, or
avoiding mortality. Conceptually, motivation should not be confused
with either volition or optimism. Motivation is related to, but distinct
from, emotion.

b. Specialized Secretarial Work

1. Medical
Perform secretarial duties utilizing specific
knowledge of medical terminology and hospital,
clinic, or laboratory procedures.

Job Tasks:
 Schedule and confirm patient diagnostic appointments,
surgeries and medical consultations.
 Compile and record medical charts, reports, and
correspondence, using typewriter or personal computer.
 Answer telephones, and direct calls to appropriate staff.
 Receive and route messages and documents such as
laboratory results to appropriate staff.
 Greet visitors, ascertain purpose of visit, and direct them
to appropriate staff.
 Interview patients in order to complete documents, case
histories, and forms such as intake and insurance forms.
 Maintain medical records, technical library and
correspondence files.
 Operate office equipment such as voice mail messaging
systems, and use word processing, spreadsheet, and
other software applications to prepare reports, invoices,
financial statements, letters, case histories and medical
records.
 Transmit correspondence and medical records by mail, e-
mail, or fax.
 Perform various clerical and administrative functions,
such as ordering and maintaining an inventory of
supplies.
 Arrange hospital admissions for patients.
 Transcribe recorded messages and practitioners'
diagnoses and recommendations into patients' medical
records.
 Perform bookkeeping duties, such as credits and
collections, preparing and sending financial statements
and bills, and keeping financial records.
  Complete insurance and other claim forms.
 Prepare correspondence and assist physicians or medical
scientists with preparation of reports, speeches, articles
and conference proceedings.

2. Legal
Perform secretarial duties utilizing legal terminology, procedures,
and documents. Prepare legal papers and correspondence, such
as summonses, complaints, motions, and subpoenas. May also
assist with legal research.

Job Tasks:

 Prepare and process legal documents and papers, such

as summonses, subpoenas, complaints, appeals,
motions, and pretrial agreements.
 Mail, fax, or arrange for delivery of legal correspondence
to clients, witnesses, and court officials.
 Receive and place telephone calls.
 Schedule and make appointments.
 Make photocopies of correspondence, documents, and
other printed matter.
 Organize and maintain law libraries, documents, and case
files.
 Assist attorneys in collecting information such as
employment, medical, and other records.
 Attend legal meetings, such as client interviews,
hearings, or depositions, and take notes.
 Draft and type office memos.
  Review legal publications and perform database searches
to identify laws and court decisions relevant to pending
cases.
 Submit articles and information from searches to
attorneys for review and approval for use.
 Complete various forms, such as accident reports, trial
and courtroom requests, and applications for clients.

3. Technical
Reports to the Administrative Assistant and maintains
close working relationships with administrative and other
personnel, outside agencies, and the general public.

Job Tasks:

 Prepare technical documents from written draft.

Prepares resolutions, ordinances, contracts, and misc.
legal documents, and coordinates review with legal
counsel.
 Respond to public or other inquiries regarding
department policies and procedures, also responds to
citizen complaints.
 Assist the Administrative Assistant with updating and
maintaining current legal requirements for required public
notifications under bid procurements; public hearing
process; road closures, emergency closures, etc.
 Serve as receptionist for the department as needed.
 Establishes and maintains filing system, controls records
and indexes.
Chapter 7

Specific duties and

functions of the
Secretary
Making a Call
Be an attentive listener, don’t do other jobs at the same time.
Don’t interrupt while the other person is speaking. Use common courtesy.
Use the person’s name. Its music to their ears.
If they have to put on hold, ask if you can call them back rather than keep
them waiting indefinitely on the line.
If they would like to wait on the line get back to them every 30 seconds
to update them and give them another opportunity to be called back.
Seriously bad news should be delivered face to face if possible and not
over the telephone.

Receiving a Call
Answer your phone promptly to save them having to ring again.
Greet the caller pleasantly. Don’t be too busy to be nice.
If you have company, let the caller know that you must be brief or that
you will call back later.
Take messages or others clearly and politely.
Be sure to pass on the message.
Always return telephone calls and do so as soon as possible.
If it is necessary to transfer the call, first TELL the caller that you are
transferring the call and THEN do it.
Let the caller be the one to end the call first.
Remember to farewell the caller with, ―Good bye‖ or something similar.
Hang up the phone gently.
 Time Management Telephone Tips for Inbound
Phone Calls

1. Answer your telephone with a proper business phone greeting.

For instance, when answering the phone say something such as, ―Cypress
Technologies. Susan speaking. How may I help you?‖ This not only lets the
caller know that they’ve reached a business, but puts the onus on him to answer
the question, saving time on exploratory questions such as, ―Is this Cypress
Technologies?‖, and idle chit chat.

2. Think and Prioritize as you speak.

Is the call best handled right now or later? Many of the telephone calls
businesses receive are quick inquiries that are easily answered, such as, ―how
late are you open?‖ but others involve more complex and time consuming
answers. If that’s the case, tell the caller so, and ask when it would be
convenient to call her back to discuss it.

3. Use techniques such as paraphrasing and summarizing to keep

phone calls on track.

If you’re speaking to someone on the phone who seems to want to chat or stray
from the point, say something such as, ―So what I hear you saying is…‖ or ― So
the key points are…‖ or ― Is a fair summary of what you were saying?‖ its hard
to be chatty with someone who refuses to chat.
 4. Get in the habit of closing each inbound phone call with a
summary of whatever action you and the caller have agreed to take.

While this will only take seconds in most cases, it can save you a lot of time by
avoiding errors and the need to double-check. For instance, after a conversation
during which you arranged a meeting with a client, you might say, ―Good. I’ll
meet you at your office at 10 a.m tomorrow and we’ll go over the samples
together.

Summary

Telephone greetings are powerful part of doing business. To be successful, keep

phone greetings simple. Practice a ritual to be pleasant. Remain unscripted. Be
brief.

Phone Greetings

• Phone greetings need to be pleasant

• Phone greetings need to be sincere

• Phone greetings need to be brief

Handling Callers

Telephone Callers

Speak with a friendly

 Welcoming voice that will encourage the caller to speak calmly
during her call. If a caller senses irritability in your voice, she is
likely to become irritated and take up more call time.

Ask questions that require a short “yes” of “no”

 If you ask an open question, you are likely to get an answer that is
much longer than necessary.

Repeat the caller’s questions to provide clarification

 But also to direct him back to the original concerns.

Accept responsibility
 If a caller understands that you are willing to take the blame, she is
likely to concede rather than continue with her complaint or
argument.

Telephone Operator’s Duties

A telephone operator is vital to the success of a business. The impression that

she makes upon the customer is typically the first impression of the business.
The telephone operator can have many duties that she must juggle at one time.
 1. Answering Calls
The telephone operator needs to be able to ascertain in a short amount of
time what the need of the caller is, and direct that person to the correct
personnel. She must be able to designate which calls are priorities.

2. Taking Messages
He must be able to jot down telephone numbers and important messages
under stressful situations and make sure they are correct.

3. Assist Customers
His job duties may include greeting all who enter the business and calling
the individual departments and announcing that their guest has arrived.

4. Clerical Duties
The telephone operator may handle a variety of clerical duties. This may
included sorting, passing out the mail, filing, or the overflow from the
other workers such as secretaries, or administrators.

Office Callers

Take control of the call when the caller first calls. A professional telephone
operator gains and remains in control of the call. The telephone operator must
remain confident and courteous in all situations especially with irate callers.
Remaining calm expedite finding a solution to the customer’s concerns.

1. Accept Responsibility
 Operators are taught not to take the irate tone personal.
They should accept responsibility for the problem and initiate a solution.

2. Control Call

After collecting the details, they should do their best to offer the caller a
solution.

3. Call Escalation

If the caller keeps asking for a supervisor, operators are advised to tell the
caller they will be transferred to a supervisor immediately.

Types of Callers

Help me caller- these callers are pretty polite. They don’t complain a lot
and they don’t talk a lot. Also, they don’t ask many questions, they just
agree and follow whatever they make them to do as long as they are able
to solve their concern.

Irate Caller- these callers get so irritating. They can easily get into ones
veins. No matter how agents are so polite.

Kid Caller- these types of calls are not too long because most of the time
they cannot verify what they need and what will they do is to call back.

Ghost Callers- or what did they call dead air. No one speaks on the
other line so they end the call.

I-Don’t-Trust-You Callers- these callers don’t trust callers they are

speaking. The calls always end when these callers don’t give the
 important details the agents are asking. So what happened is that they
transfer her call to the manufacture of the phone.

The Whisperer- these callers are like whispering. They are in a vey low
volume of voice and when they ask them to make their voice louder, they
get angry. But most of the time, and through observation, they are first
time callers and maybe they are too shy and afraid.

Supervisors- ― I want your supervisor‖ that is their first line when agents
answer the call. Of course agents will help them first but if they still want
a supervisor, agent will give it to the supervisor and let them handle the
caller.

Racist Callers- this is very common. These types of callers are so

irritating. They even forget their concern and take on the agents
nationality.

Telephone Techniques

Telephone tips:

 Write a script. Your script should include the name of hrte person you
are calling and your relationship to them, the purpose of your call, and
what main points you need to discuss. The script will keep you on track
and minimize the chance of forgetting some important information.
 Ask “permission” to interrupt them. Find out if this is a good time to
call. If not, schedule a better time and try to get a direct line or extension
to avoid the telephone operator.
 Eliminate all distractions. Turn off the radio, television or anything else
that can distract you. Call from a quiet location and avoid using a cellular
telephone. You don’t want to be cut off in the middle of a conversation.
  Listen Carefully. Be aware of the persons tone of voice to determine
how willing they are to help you, take notes a capture important
information.

Seven Steps in Handling Incoming Calls:

1. Answer telephone calls promptly.

2. Always have the writing tool.

3. Identify yourself courteously.

4. Screen the caller.

5. Offer to help the caller.

6. Terminate the call courteously.

7. Accomplish a message slip.

 Chapter 8

Handling Appointments
 Handling Appointments
Appointment - an arrangement to meet a person or be at a place at a
certain time, it is most often be made by phone, occasionally in person or
through a correspondence.

The executive assistant/secretary who works for a single boss or

multiple bosses may record pre-scheduled appointments either in appointment
calendar. The secretary should maintain a duplicate record on his or her
calendar.

Some secretaries, particularly the private secretaries or the executive

assistant will be responsible for:

1. Making appointments requested by the employer or

2. Making appointments for others to see an executive.

Important secretarial procedures for making or giving

appointments:

1. Be sure of the scope of authority the executive has delegated to you.

When are you to act independently and when must you confer with the
executive before making appointment commitments.
2. If your received a request for an appointment, check your boss’ calendar
before committing him confirm a date and time when the boss’ calendar
shows that he is available. Write everything and make sure that you have
entered the appointment on boss’ calendar as well.
3. Know preferred times for scheduling appointments. The day before the
executive leaves for a business trip, the day before a complex report is
due, the early or late hours in the workday, Mondays, or the day after a
holiday are often inconvenient times to keep appointments.
4. If the executive desires a list of appointments, prepare a typewritten
memorandum.
 5. When materials from the files or records will be needed during an
appointment, assemble them far enough in advance so that there is no
question of availability at the required time.
6. Information that should be recorded when making appointments are:
who? (name, tel. no. of person making the appointment); when? (day and
time it will begin and approximately when it will end); where (location of
meeting including floor and room no.; Why? (purpose of appointment).
7. If it’s necessary to cancel appointment, do so in advance so that
schedules can be adjusted. It would embarrassing to cancel an
appointment once the party concerned comes for the meeting. Give an
honest explanation for the cancellation.
8. If an appointment must be refused, emphasize the legitimate reason for
the refusal. Suggest an alternative date.

Maintaining Calendar

A calendar is a system of organizing days for social, religious, commercial, or

administrative purposes. This is done by giving names to periods of time,
typically days, weeks, months, and years. The name given to each day is known
as a date.

Uses of Calendars

1. The primary practical use of a calendar is to identify days: to be informed

about and/or to agree on a future event and to record an event that has
happened. Days may be significant for civil, religious or social reasons.
2. Calendars are also used to help people manage their personal schedules,
time and activities, particularly when individuals have numerous work,
school, and family commitments.

3. Calendars are very useful in managing the appointments made.

Calendars that can be used in recording appointments:

Desk Calendars

Yearly Calendar
Monthly Calendar
Weekly Calendar
Daily Calendar

Calendar Software

AcePlanner
Chandler (PIM)
Citadel/UX
Contactizer on Mac OS X
Google Calendar
iCalServer
Microsoft Exchange
Microsoft Outlook
Mozilla Sunbird
Netscape Communicator
Chapter 9

Filing
 Filing
 Means keeping documents in a safe place and being able to find them
easily and quickly.

 A filing system is the central record-keeping system for an organization.

1. Why should organizations have a good filing system?

 By filing, documents are cared for will not easily tear, get lost or dirty.
 It helps the file to be organized, systematic, efficient and transparent.
 It also helps all people who should be able to access information to do so
easily.
 It is always a pleasure when someone looks for something and is able to
find it without difficulties.

2. Important things to know about filing

What do we file?

 We file documents that are sent to us by other people or organizations.

We also file records of all our organizational activities. These can be
letters, memos, reports, financial records, policy documents, etc.

When do we file?

 This depends on how busy your office is. In very busy organizations filing
is done at least every day and usually first thing in the morning. In a small
or less busy office you could file once or twice a week.
 Basic filing system and procedures

Why should organization have a good filing system?

Filing means keeping documents in a safe place and being able to find
them easily and quickly. Documents that are cared for will not easily tear, get
lost or dirty.

What is filing system?

A filing system is the central record-keeping system for an organization. It helps

you to be organized, systematic, efficient and transparent. It also helps all
people who should be able to access information to do so easily.

Important things to know about filing

What do we file?

We file documents that are sent to us by other people or organizations. We also

file records of all our organizational activities. These can be letters, memos,
reports, financial records, policy documents, etc.

When do we file?

This depends on how busy your office is. In very busy organizations filing is done
at least every day and usually first thing in the morning. In a small or less busy
office you could file once or twice a week.
 Equipment used for filing

Filing Cabinet - It is used to keep flat files and suspension or hanging files
Steel Cabinet - It is used to keep big files that need to be locked up
Date Stamp - It is used to date stamp documents that are received on daily
basis so that they are filed in chronological order and so we have a record of
when we received the document
Register - It is used to record files taken out and files returned
Filing shelves - It is used to file box files
Box file - This is a big file that is used to keep big documents that cannot go
into a filing cabinet. They are kept in shelves.

Methods of filing, there are 5 methods of filing:

1. Filing by Subject/Category

2. Filing in Alphabetical order

3. Filing by Numbers/Numerical order

4. Filing by Places/Geographical order

5. Filing by Dates/Chronological order

How to set up a filing system?

a. Filing Categories

To make a filing system more useful, we can group files into CATEGORIES. A
category is a group/collection of things that belong together.

b. How to form categories?

1. Sort all your documents out into piles that you think belong together.
2. Give each pile a category name.
3. Make a list of categories.
4. Look at your list critically: Ask yourself: Can we combine any categories?
Should we break up a category into two categories? What sub-categories do we
need? Do we need to have alphabetical files within a category? Make sure you
don't have too many categories.

Filing key

Once you have decided on your categories, you will have to draw up a filing
index so that everyone can understand the system you used and find the
information they want. This index is called a filing key.

New files

Don't create new files unless you are absolutely sure the information does not
logically fit into an existing file. Put the new file in the correct category and write
it in the filing key immediately. Give everyone a copy of the new categories as
soon as possible.

Filing Correspondence

All letters must be filed in 2 places

Incoming mail

1. The original letter together with a copy of your answer goes into the SUBJECT
FILE.
2. A second copy of the letter goes into the CORRESPONDENCE IN file.

Outgoing mail

1. One copy of the letter goes into the SUBJECT FILE. Any letters in answer to
your letter must go into this file; and all future correspondence about the
subject.
2. One copy goes into the CORRESPONDENCE OUT file.
Filing Rules There are two basic rules underlying filing:

Alphabetical filing - filing according to the letter of the alphabet

Date filing - most recent files on top

Alphabetical filing rules

Rule 1: File by name in terms of the first letter

Example: African Eagle
Becker
Duncan & Co
Greenfield

Rule 2: If the first letters are the same, file in terms of the second letter.
Example: Clarence
Coetzee
Curnow
Cyril

Taking files out - [Use the filing key]

Making sure you don't lose files

When people take files out of the filing system, or they take documents out of a
file, we must ensure that they don't lose them or forget to bring them back.
People must never take the suspension files out, they should only take out the
flat folder inside the file. To keep track of files we need a record of all the files or
document that people borrow.

To do this we can use:

A file-out book - a file-out book is simply a book in which we write

· Who borrowed the file or document?

· Name of the file or document

 · When they borrowed it

· When they returned it

Example:

NAME FILE DOCUMENT DATE TAKEN OUT DATE

RETURNED
Ms. Mariño Reports file 10-02-2010 12-02-2010
Mr. Mascariñas Finance file 23-01-2010 23-01-2010

The person responsible for maintaining the system can us the file-out book to
check who has which files an remind them to return it.

Filing procedure, maintenance and safety

Filing procedure

Step 1: Receiving the document - If it is a letter or document that came

through the mail, you record it
in the "mail received" register and write the date received or date stamp it

Step 2: Action - Forward the letter/document to the person that has to deal
with it.

Step 3: Follow up - Check that the letter has been dealt with.

Step 4: Collecting Documents to be filed - All documents and two copies of

the replies must be collected in a filing tray.

Step 5: Filing - Choose a regular time to file every day so that you are never
left with a huge pile of loose documents. Use a sorter to help you file and
remember to file by date order.
 Filing key

Once you have decided on your categories, you will have to draw up a filing
index so that everyone can understand the system you used and find the
information they want. This index is called a filing key.

Write up a filing key by listing all the categories and sub-categories in the order
they are filed in. Make sure it is laid out so that everyone can understand it. Put
it on the filing cabinet and also put a key for each drawer on the front of the
drawers. Give everyone a copy of the whole filing key.
Make sure that everyone who does filing understands the key and uses it for
filing.

New files

Don't create new files unless you are absolutely sure the information does not
logically fit into an existing file. Put the new file in the correct category and write
it in the filing key immediately. Give everyone a copy of the new categories as
soon as possible.
Filing Correspondence

All letters must be filed in 2 places

Incoming mail

1. The original letter together with a copy of your answer goes into the SUBJECT
FILE.
2. A second copy of the letter goes into the CORRESPONDENCE IN file.

Outgoing mail

1. One copy of the letter goes into the SUBJECT FILE. Any letters in answer to
your letter must go into this file; and all future correspondence about the
subject.
2. One copy goes into the CORRESPONDENCE OUT file.

Filing Rules

There are two basic rules underlying filing:

ALPHABETICAL FILING - filing according to the letter of the alphabet

DATE FILING - most recent files on top

These rules are basic because they apply to all filing systems. When we file by
name, subject and area we should always file alphabetically and by date.

Alphabetical filing rules

Rule 1: File by name in terms of the first letter

Example: African Eagle
Becker
Duncan & Co
Greenfield

Rule 2: If the first letters are the same, file in terms of the second
letter.
Example: Clarence
Coetzee
Curnow
Cyril

Taking files out - [Use the filing key]

Making sure you don't lose files

When people take files out of the filing system, or they take documents out of a
file, we must ensure that they don't lose them or forget to bring them back.
People must never take the suspension files out, they should only take out the
flat folder inside the file. To keep track of files we need a record of all the files or
document that people borrow.

To do this we can use:

A file-out book - a file-out book is simply a book in which we write

 Who borrowed the file or document?

 Name of the file or document

 When they borrowed it

 When they returned it

Example:

NAME FILE DOCUMENT DATE TAKEN OUT DATE

RETURN
ED
12-02-
Ms Modise Reports file 10-02-2001
2001
Mr Ngwenya Finance file 23-01-2001

The person responsible for maintaining the system can us the file-out book to
check who has which files an remind them to return it.
A file-out card - file-out cards are used in a filing cabinet. They are the same
size as the files and are put in the place of the file, which has been borrowed.
On the file-out card we write the same information as in the book, i.e.

 Who borrowed the file or document?

 Name of the file or document

 When they borrowed it

 When they returned it

Finding information

Keeping information in files is only useful if we, and everyone in our

organization, knows how to find the documents we need. We file information so
that we can find it easily. Finding information that is in the files is called
retrieving information.

Everyone who needs to use the files should be able to find information quickly
and easily. This means that they must know the method of filing we use.

A filing method book could be a small book that we use to explain how we file
documents. For example:

 All letters are filed under correspondence

 All membership cards are filed under number

 Reports are filed by subject

An index book can also help us to find files. The name of each file can be written
on the page with that letter. For example:
The MINUTES file is written on the M page. Then we can write where that file is:
"MINUTES - filing cabinet 1 drawer 2 or lever arch file 4"
 Filing procedure, maintenance and safety

Filing procedure

Step 1: Receiving the document

If it is a letter or document that came through the mail, you record it

in the "mail received" register and write the date received or date stamp it

Step 2: Action
Forward the letter/document to the person that has to deal with it.

Step 3: Follow up

Check that the letter has been dealt with.

Step 4: Collecting Documents to be filed

All documents and two copies of the replies must be collected in a filing tray.

Step 5: Filing
Choose a regular time to file every day so that you are never left with a huge
pile of loose documents. Use a sorter to help you file and remember to file by
date order.
 Maintaining the filing system

One of the most important reasons why we file is to keep document safe. It is
therefore very important to make sure that all papers and files are kept in good
condition. Here are some ways that we can do this:

 Keep documents that are waiting to be filed in trays, do not leave

them lying about on desks or shelves.

 File documents away at least once a day, or if your organisation is

very small you can do it once a week.

 Do not put too much in files or folders

 Put new covers on old files which get a lot of use and have become
worn or torn.

 Box files and lever arch files can hold more than simple folders.

 Never allow filing drawers or shelves to become too full. Acquire

new filing cabinets when necessary.

Good housekeeping and safety

At the end of every day you should:

 File all the documents you can

 Put away those you cannot file in filing trays

 Lock up all confidential documents

 Place all waste paper in rubbish bins

 Leave desks tidy

 Filing Equipment and Supplies

Filing Equipments
These are the equipments used for storing, shelving, or keeping your files
for your future reference.

Examples:

Letters and Legal Filing

X-ray Filing

Supply Cabinets

Lateral, Vertical, & Roll –out Drawers

Rotary

Forms/Literature

Microfilm/Microfiche

Fireproof

Blueprint/Architectural

Tambour Door Cabinets

4-Post Shelving

Archival Record Storage

Library
Filing Supplies:

Is the generic term that refers to all supplies regularly used in offices by
businesses and other organizations, from private citizens to governments,
who work with the collection, refinement, and output of information
(colloquially referred to as "paper work").

Examples:

Paper Clips

Post-it Note

Staple (Fastener)

Hole Punch

Binder

Laminator

Pen

Paper
 Types of files

The types of files recognized by the system are either, regular, directory,
or special. However, the operating system uses many variations of these basic
types.

The following basic types of files exist:

Regular Stores data (text, binary, and executable)

Directory Contains information used to access other files
Special Defines a FIFO (first-in, first-out) pipe file or a
physical device

All file types recognized by the system fall into one of these categories.
However, the operating system uses many variations of these basic types.

Regular files

-are the most common files and are used to contain data. Regular files
are in the form of text files or binary files:

1. Text files are regular files that contain information stored in ASCII format
text and are readable by the user. You can display and print these files.
The lines of a text file must not contain NUL characters, and none can
exceed {LINE_MAX} bytes in length, including the newline character.

The term text file does not prevent the inclusion of control or other nonprintable
characters (other than NUL). Therefore, standard utilities that list text files as
inputs or outputs are either able to process the special characters or they
explicitly describe their limitations within their individual sections.
Binary files

2. Binary files are regular files that contain information readable by the
computer. Binary files might be executable files that instruct the system to
accomplish a job. Commands and programs are stored in executable,
binary files. Special compiling programs translate ASCII text into binary
code.

Text and binary files differ only in that text files have lines of less than
{LINE_MAX} bytes, with no NUL characters, each terminated by a newline
character

Directory files

-contain information that the system needs to access all types of files,
but directory files do not contain the actual file data. As a result, directories
occupy less space than a regular file and give the file system structure
flexibility and depth. Each directory entry represents either a file or a
subdirectory. Each entry contains the name of the file and the file's index
node reference number (i-node number). The i-node number points to the
unique index node assigned to the file. The i-node number describes the
location of the data associated with the file. Directories are created and
controlled by a separate set of commands.

Special files

-define devices for the system or are temporary files created by

processes. The basic types of special files are FIFO (first-in, first-out), block,
 and character. FIFO files are also called pipes. Pipes are created by one
process to temporarily allow communication with another process. These files
cease to exist when the first process finishes. Block and character files define
devices.

Every file has a set of permissions (called access modes) that determine who can
read, modify, or execute the file.

To learn more about file access modes, see File and directory access modes.

Sorting Documents

What is sorting?

Sorting is any process of arranging items in some sequence and/or in

different sets, and accordingly, it has two common, yet distinct meanings. Many
times, when we say sorting, we either mean ORDERING or ORGANISING.

When we say ORDERING, we usually mean that we are arranging items of the
same kind, class, nature, etc., in some ordered sequence.

By ORGANISING, we usually mean that we are grouping and labeling

items with similar properties together.

In reality, the main purpose of SORTING is to arrange information in

order that its usefulness is optimized. When one can find the material he needs
easily, then the energy can be used more for processing the information rather
than for finding these data.
How do we sort?

In sorting, we usually employ two techniques known as the WEAK

ORDER and the STRICT WEAK ORDER. In the first, we simply use the logical
order of things. We group them in a way that one has to come after the other in
terms of logic. An example of this is that papers that came in on Monday must
take precedence over the papers that came in on Tuesday.

On the other hand, when we use the second technique, we are to decide
how things are to be ordered. This is strict because the decisions that usually
governed by company policies. Examples of this are when a correspondence
coming from a certain Mr. Santos must take precedence over the
correspondences of Mr. Ramos.

What are the most common methods of Sorting?

Though there is no real standard way to sort information, most of the sorting is
done through the following:

L – Location

A – Alphanumeric

T – Time

C- Category

H – Hierarchy
Sorting by Location

In this system, documents are sorted from their point of origin. This is mainly
used for Central Offices with a high number of correspondences from their
regional offices.

Sorting Alphanumerically

In this manner, documents are arranged upon their alphabetical arrangement.

This is mainly used when the company mainly relies on names. One fall back is
that alphabetical arrangement varies from one place to another, e.g. : in Spanish
speaking areas, Chico comes after cuna; llama comes after Luna.

Sorting by Time

In this manner, documents are arranged from the time they enter. This is mainly
used for companies with first-in-first-out (FIFO) or last-in-first-out (LIFO) policy.

Sorting by Category

In this manner, documents are arranged using arbitrary qualifications, e.g. For
Legal, For Administration, For Finance; etc. This is mainly used in large
companies with many different departments

Sorting by Hierarchy

In this manner, documents are arranged by arbitrary hierarchy (which is more

important?). This is mainly used in conjunction with groups with specific target,
e.g.: Meeting with the President of Smart and the City Mayor (which is more
important?).

What are the most efficient methods of Sorting?

The most efficient method of sorting depends on the specific needs of the
specific office. Each department within an office may need different forms of
sorting their documents.
 Chapter 10

Handling meetings and

conference
HANDLING MEETINGS AND CONFERENCES

Business meetings, conferences, and conventions

1. Meeting

a. The act or process or an instance of coming together; an

encounter.

b. An assembly or gathering of people, as for a business, social,

or religious purpose.
2. Conference

a. A meeting of individuals or representatives of various bodies for

the purpose of discussing and/or acting on topics of common interest.

b. A meeting of representatives of a corporate body that

constitutes its legislative or governing body.

3. Conventions

a. A formal type of Meeting that is attended by Groups or at least 1

member of different Organizations.

Differences of Formal and Informal Meeting

Formal meeting

 Is a preplanned meeting. It has a predetermined set of topics that one

wishes to discuss along with a set of objectives that one wishes to achieve
at the end of the meeting. At a formal meeting, generally it is a senior
executive who presides over the affair. The members of the meeting are
often given a considerable period of notice before the meeting, preferably
through formal means such as memos. As the title suggest, the
atmosphere in such meetings is generally somber, formal.
Informal meetings

 Are generally not planned well in advance. The members are not notified
through formal means. They generally take place in neutral surroundings,
for example in a restaurant rather than a boardroom.

Location of Meeting
 Executive’s Office – Informal Meeting (Such as: staff or committee
meeting)

 Company’s conference room – Larger meetings of department heads,

branch managers or an executive committee.

Careful selection:
 Location

- A central location, easily accessible by all modes of transportation

should be chosen. Airport hotels are popular because of their proximity
in commuting and traffic time is not a factor.

 Service

- Poor service, slow meals, lack of personnel, or poor attitude of

employees will make for an unproductive conference. The attitude and
morale of attendees will be low.

 Facilities

- Such as microphones, overhead projectors, multimedia equipment,

screens, comfortable tables and chairs.

 Cost

- Many hotels offer corporate rates and if food is served, the use of the
room is free
Major Classifications of Business Meeting
In-House Meetings
 In-house meetings discuss all the issues plans or completion within the
company.
 Mostly the upper boss or department heads are attending this kind of
meetings.
 It is a private meeting of the main department involved and with an open
forum.
 There are concerns or topic of the company that only the department
heads or upper bosses have the rights to know on what are these
concerns.
 Chapter 11

Preparation for
Meetings, Conference,
and conventions
 Preparation for Meeting Room Materials

Meeting Room materials depend on what type of meeting is being held. Such
materials or equipments are being tested before the meeting is held for any
replacement.

Materials:

- Microphones

- Overhead Projectors
- Screens

- Tables
- Ashtrays

- Speaker’s Lectrum
 Other Materials:

- Water Pitcher and Glasses

- Lighting and Ventilation
- Camera-ready
- Cassette Tape
- Video Tape
- Laptops/ Computer

Local Arrangements for Section Meetings

Special Arrangements for services

A. The Local Arrangements Committee

The section chair should appoint a local arrangements committee and a chair of
that committee far in advance of a section meeting. The committee members,
and especially the chair, should be faculty members of the host institution, or
they should at least reside close to the physical facilities to be used for the
meeting.

These guidelines provide a resource and a guide for the local arrangements chair
and committee. Local arrangements chairs are encouraged to also consult
programs from recent meetings, past local arrangements chairs, members of the
section executive committee, and long-time section members. Certain details of
the local arrangements vary from site to site, but any major departure from
section traditions should be discussed with the section officers. In some sections,
some of the following duties may be assigned to other section officers; but every
task should be assigned to someone.

The local arrangement committee must make arrangements and

reservations as early as possible, a year or more in advance of the
section meeting.

B. The Host College or University

In general, section meetings are held on the campus of a college or

university, which provides an appropriate setting for the meeting and helps to
reduce costs of the meeting. The section should expect the host institution to
offer the use of its facilities without either direct or indirect charges such as
charges for custodial staff. The host institution usually absorbs costs for
secretarial work, printing the program, the folders, and any postage. Sometimes
the institution also provides refreshments. The institution as a result benefits
from exposure and publicity while it provides a service to the larger academic
community.

C. Responsibilities of the Local Arrangements Committee

n the list of responsibilities that follows, the assumption is made that the
meeting takes place on a college campus, but some section meetings may be
held at other locations, such as a hotel. In any event, the local
arrangements committee should work to minimize the cost of the
meeting and must make sure that all financial arrangements are
discussed in advance and are obtained in writing.
The local arrangements committee is responsible for:

Obtaining from the program committee, as early as possible, specific

information about the planned section meeting, including:
1. The date of the meeting;
2. The precise time for starting and ending the meeting;
3. The approximate number of persons expected to attend the
meeting;
4. The rooms required for the meeting;
5. The required special equipment, such as overhead projectors, slide
projectors, movie projectors, computers, and other audiovisual
equipment, as well as all appropriate and requested software; and
6. Specific details on requirements for any luncheon, dinner, reception
or overnight accommodations;
Obtaining approval and support from appropriate campus administrators
to hold the meeting; acknowledging all discussions, keeping all
correspondence, and keeping records of any discussion of special funding
for the section meeting;
Contacting the campus facilities office about any needed special
considerations or arrangements such as custodial service;
Reserving the rooms and equipment needed for the talks and other
program features immediately when requirements are known;
Arranging for the spatial and support needs of any special activities such
as executive committee meetings, section NExT and ACCCESS programs,
student competitions or poster sessions, a book sale, and planned social
events including refreshments, luncheons and banquets;
Arranging for parking for the meeting, including parking for the
handicapped, and obtaining any required parking passes, to be distributed
upon arrival rather than through the mail if possible;
Meeting with campus security to discuss the arrangements for any needed
security protection during the meeting and providing the security office
with a copy of the meeting schedule;
Making arrangements with the campus security office or the facilities
office to ensure that buildings and rooms are unlocked and properly
heated or cooled during the meeting;
Checking the rooms for readiness just prior to the meeting;
Making sure that meeting facilities are accessible to all attendees;
Planning all the necessary meals and snacks, including location, menu,
and cost, checking the food service’s hidden costs and extra charges for
off-campus groups, which may be avoided through department
sponsorship and being careful not to violate any contracts with the food
service;
Checking the college’s policies for any (cash) bar to be held at the
meeting so that the section does not violate college policy, or the law;
Arranging for refreshments and trying to obtain support from a book
representative or from an on-campus entity, such as the mathematics
department, dean, alumni association, career services office, or any
campus program that seems to have money available;
Developing a list of area hotels and motels with addresses, phone
numbers, and prices as well as arranging for on-campus housing in the
residence halls; making reservations up to a year in advance of the
meeting; keeping costs down by using hotels with special arrangements
with the college, consulting AAA materials, and asking for discounts based
on the number of people; considering special features such as a free
continental breakfast or van transportation between the hotel and
meeting site;
Providing the newsletter editor and webmaster with any needed
information: a description of the college, directions to the college from all
directions, a campus map with buildings and parking facilities to be used
clearly indicated, room locations for program events, cost of meals and
meal options for the banquet, the list of area hotels and motels with
addresses, phone numbers and prices, as well as the cost of any available
on-campus housing;
Sending letters to area schools to invite local teachers to the meeting;
Obtaining from the program committee the titles, abstracts, and
biographical information of speakers as well as the schedule for the
meeting from the program committee and all the coordinators of special
sessions for contributed papers, student papers, and NExT and ACCCESS
activities; discussing with the program chair the format of the meeting
program and types of files to be sent; then creating and printing copies of
the meeting program for all the participants;
Preparing folders for meeting attendees with the program, a badge
(preferably the plastic hanging type) with the person’s name and
affiliation, a campus map, a list of pre-registered participants with
affiliation and e-mail addresses, and possibly other materials such as
paper, pen, and information about the host college; keeping costs down
by seeking subsidy from a college dean or president and by comparison
shopping for materials;
Helping the section member in charge of book sales with the following:
contacting MAA to arrange for books and sample copies of journals to be
sent for the meeting; contacting local book representatives to arrange
displays (generally for a fee for display space) and donations of books;
Appointing a section member to take special responsibility for each guest
speaker, to confirm travel and accommodation plans, arrange local
transportation between airport, hotel, and meeting; and generally act as a
good host;
Contacting software companies to arrange displays, demonstrations, or
donations for a raffle;
Arranging for someone to handle the book sales during the meeting;
Arranging for the president, dean, or other college official to give
welcoming remarks at the beginning of the meeting;
Administering pre-registration and on-site registration; keeping careful
records (in a spreadsheet preferably) of registrants and their payments;
organizing a group of students and faculty to assist with registration at
the meeting; keeping all checks and cash in a lockable box until
deposited; using a two-copy receipt book for on-site registration;
Sending the section secretary-treasurer all registration forms, receipts for
expenses, cash, and checks after recording each check number on the
person’s registration form and copying all checks;
Placing signs leading from the edge of campus to the parking lots and
from the parking lots to the registration site;
Attending to any local travel arrangements for speakers from outside the
section, including obtaining information on transportation from the airport
and on rental cars as well as finding a volunteer to transport the speaker
where needed;
Dealing with any local arrangements issues that arise during the meeting;
Providing faculty and students to help with on-site registration, set up and
clean up book and technology displays, monitor workshops and sessions
for possible problems, and generally provide help as needed;
Arranging for technology help from the mathematics department or
computer services department to be available during the meeting and
providing alternatives if insurmountable technology problems arise;
Arranging publicity with local media and campus publications possibly with
the help of campus college relations or alumni offices;
Maintaining communication with the program committee, which includes
the local arrangements chair, particularly with regards to the room and
equipment needs for the meeting; and
Contacting the national MAA office to deal with any insurance matters if
the local institution requires proof of MAA insurance.
D. Rooms Required for a Section Meeting

The space needs of the meeting largely depend on the program and should be
communicated by the program committee to the local arrangements committee
well in advance of the meeting so that reservations can be made. The required
rooms include the following:

A large lecture hall to accommodate all the participants of the meeting;

Several classrooms ideally located close together for concurrent sessions
such as contributed paper sessions and student presentations;
Computer labs if needed for the program;
A registration area, frequently a lobby area;
A place for refreshments, preferably near the registration and exhibits
areas; an exhibit area located near registration and refreshments and
provided with tables for the publishers, software companies, and MAA
book sales; and
A dining area for meals.

Every room reserved for talks and workshops should have an overhead projector
as well as a blackboard or whiteboard with chalk or whiteboard with markers and
erasers. The local arrangements committee should work with the program
committee to learn of requests for computers, PowerPoint, projection capability,
mathematical software and Internet access, and then these requests should be
accommodated.
 Planning and Preparation of Meetings

Questions to Consider

Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?

 Why have a meeting?

 What type of meeting do you want to have?

 Who do you want to attend?

 How many people do you want?

 Where are you going to meet?

 Who will have the power and authority to make decisions?

 How much time will you allow?

 Will there be presentations?

 What are the desired outcomes of the meeting?

 HOUSE MEETINGS
A house meeting is a small gathering of ten to fifteen people who are invited to
the home of someone they know and trust to discuss issues of shared concern
and develop ways to work together.

The comfortable setting is an ideal forum for getting to know people, sharing
information about an organization and its issue campaigns, listening to what
people have to say, and encouraging them to become involved. Common
purposes for house meetings include getting people to commit to take a specific
action on an issue or agree to hold a house meeting, and recruiting new
members. Organizations often hold house meetings in a series, which can lead to
significant growth by expanding membership into new social circles.

Purpose of House Meeting

a. Build Relationships
b. Look for New Leaders
c. Identify Potential Issues

Preparing for a House Meeting

A team approach works well for house meetings, with one member hosting the
meeting, and another, the leader, representing the organization. The host holds
the meeting at his or her house, invites his or her friends, and facilitates the
meeting. The leader makes the presentation and answers questions. With the
team method, the host and leader can learn from each other, especially if one is
a more experienced leader, and back each other up to help make sure that
everything runs smoothly. A house meeting should be planned about two weeks
in advance. The host and leader should meet to set goals for the meeting, such
as eight new members, twelve letters to the governor or three people to hold
house meetings. They should also plan the agenda, decide who to invite, choose
a date and time for the meeting and plan other details. Turning people out is
critical to the success of a house meeting, so the host and leader should pay
Northern Plains Resource Council photo special attention to the turnout plan. The
host should invite friends, neighbors and family who he or she thinks will be
concerned about the issue and interested in becoming involved in the
organization. It is important that the host get a commitment from each person
who is invited. When inviting guests, the host should tell them what will happen
at the meeting, who will be there and how long the meeting will last. The host
and leader should meet a second time to prepare for the house meeting. The
host should tell the leader something about each person who has committed to
come, and they should practice their presentations and give each other
feedback. They should also plan what they will say to set the tone of the meeting
and how they will make sure that each guest has an opportunity to participate.
They should try to anticipate problems that might come up and think through the
best way to solve them.

Running a House Meeting

The meeting should last no more than an hour and a half. As guests arrive, the
host should greet them and introduce them to each other. Once everyone has
arrived, the first agenda item should be another round of introductions with a
short ―icebreaker‖ to help people get to know each other and feel more
comfortable. Next, the host should briefly describe the agenda and let people
know what time the meeting will end. Before the leader begins the presentation,
the host should introduce him or her again, telling the guests a few things about
the leader to add to his or her credibility. The introduction example, they might
call or write a public official, come to the organization’s next meeting or host
another house meeting. The host and leader should try to get commitments from
the guests without pushing too hard. Some people may need time to think the
request over, and the host can follow up with them later. However, the host and
leader should be prepared to accept a membership check if someone agrees to
join on the spot. They should have on hand any materials they might need if
any guests want to get involved right aw ay, such as a sample letter, a flyer with
information about the next meeting, or the house meeting coordinator’s name
and phone number. At the end of the meeting, the leader or host should
handout some materials with more information about the issue and the
organization, such as newsletters, membership forms and action alerts. By saving
handouts until the end of the meeting, people will not be distracted by them
during the presentation and discussion. Finally, the host should thank everyone
for coming and invite them to stay for refreshments and socializing. Northern
Plains Resource Council photo can be simple, such as, ―I go to church with John.
I became involved with this group when he encouraged me to go to a Board of
Supervisors hearing on the safety of the bridge.‖ The presentation should be as
brief as possible.
 Chapter 12

Duties of Secretary during meetings,

Conference and Conventions
 What are the Secretary Duties and
Responsibilities?

Let's start off with the basic duties of a secretary. These duties come with the job
and have to be dealt with, without fail.

Schedule meetings - This includes informing the respective members about the
meeting and taking confirmations about the same. The secretary needs to prepare
the memos for informing the required members as well.

Prepare agenda - A meeting without an agenda is a disaster. All secretaries need

to know that. The agenda needs to be created by the secretary on the basis of the
issues that need to be discussed. A smart secretary will also keep the nature of the
attending members in mind while creating the time line of the agenda.

Prepare minutes of the meeting - During the meeting, it is mandatory for the
minutes of the meeting to be kept. These minutes are the official record of the
happening of the meeting and are, mostly, maintained by the secretary.

Take care if correspondence, as directed - The secretary needs to make sure that
required mail is sent out. Many organization send out daily greetings to key clients.
This job is mostly done by the secretary.

Keep in touch with clients or key customers, as expected - The secretary has to be
aware that customers and clients need to be pampered to a certain extent, for
best results. As such, it is one of the duties of the secretary to keep in touch on a
regular basis with key clients.

All of these are the secretary's responsibilities that everyone knows about. No
surprises there. Obviously, ordering the donuts and making the calls are a part of
the duties of a secretary too, but, I am sure I don't need to explain those
secretary duties.

What are the Skills Required to Perform the Duties of

a Secretary?

For all you your who thought that being a secretary of a walk in the park, think
harder. There are skill sets that a person needs to have to make a good secretary.

Typing - It is very important to be able to type, as a secretary does have to

partake in document making and correspondence

Workplace Communication skills - A secretary has to perform excruciatingly large

amounts of communication. Not that it's a bad thing. Nonetheless, a secretary
needs to be above average when in comes to communication.

Self Grooming - More often than not, the secretary has to be the face in front of
the task. As such she absolutely can not be an "Ugly Betty". A secretary should be
able to look good (not sexy or provocative) at all times.

Computer Skills - Like any other profession today, computer skills are required in
order to perform the duties of a secretary in an organization. Be it word, excel,
powerpoint, internet or what so ever. A secretary should know enough to help her
upgrade herself easily when needed.

Diplomacy - Yes, this is very important. Diplomacy is extremely vital for a

secretary. A secretary is often stuck in a sticky opinion based situation, this is
where the diplomacy will help out.

These skills will help a secretary in performing a task with greater ease. Let's not
forget, learning is always possible, but upgrading is much easier.
 Checklist of arrangements for outside meetings:

1. Tables and chairs are properly arranged.

2. Place name cards on table.

3. Chalkboard, whiteboard, or flip chart is read, if needed.

4. Overhead projector is ready and in working order.

5. Other equipment is ready and in working order.

6. Appropriate refreshments are ready and available.

7. Breaks have been scheduled at appropriate intervals.

8. Have a smoking policy in place. Best to have no smoking if possible.

9. You have all handouts, paper, sharpened pencils, and other materials are ready.

Tasks and Responsibilities

In charge of managing correspondence, reports and documents

Responsible for coordinating meetings, conferences and travel
arrangements
Types and distributes minutes of every meeting
Acts as a liaison with internal and external contacts
Coordinates the flow of internal and external office communication
Operates office equipment
Arranges and confirms appointments
Implements and maintains office system
Follow up after meetings, conferences, and conventions.

Meeting Follow-up can be best defined as the action made after a

gathering discussion. For a company the main goal is success in business. It
provides a system to help regulate the order of business and such order helps
the achievement of success. A company will use tools in their system and keep
the order sustained, to maintain a vivid focus on its goal.

A. The Secretary’s Duties During Meetings

· During club and board meetings, the secretary should be

prepared to document all club and board meeting activity by
maintaining an attendance log and transcribing minutes. The
writing of minutes is described below.

· A form to document meeting and project attendance should be

created. Record each time a member attends a club meeting or
project. When a member participates in a service project,
document on a service hour report the number of hours he/she
participated.

· The secretary also is responsible for assisting the club president

in developing meeting agendas. The secretary, with the president,
should identify topics that need to be addressed during each
meeting.

· The secretary should be prepared to present a secretarys report

during board meetings, as well as present the monthly report for
approval by the board. The club secretary is a voting board
member and should vote on all issues presented by the board of
directors
 B. Preparing for Conferences Correspondents.

1) Take notes, but not in a way that distracts from your listening.

2) Go to a session that is outside of your ―comfort zone.‖ It’s human nature

to flock to that which we already know and love, but that may also
limit growth.

3) Enjoy yourself. Conferences always fly by and most people look back at
them and wonder if they ―got enough out of it.‖ For a conference to be
profitable, you need to take time to talk about ideas, get to know other
people, eat and drink well, take time for play, and renew your energy
through the company other educators.

4) Oh, and here’s the really practical one – get directions to the conference,
pack enough clothing, be sure you actually have plane tickets and a hotel
room, and bring a toothbrush.

Preparing for Report Meetings

1. Ask yourself whether it is necessary or not.

2. Prepare a notice, this should include the date, time, agenda, and venue of
the meeting.

3. Attach the minutes of the previous meeting (if there has been one)

4. Get basic items in place.

 5. Call the meeting to order.

6. Pass around the attendance book or sheet of paper and ask everyone
attending to sign their names at the beginning of the meeting.

7. Ask the minutes secretary to write down the main points of the meeting for
typing up later.

8. Ask if anyone has any other business, known as AOB, at the end of the
formal meeting.

Discussion

This topic is all about how the secretary works in a meeting. Their duties
and activities in the meeting, and how to prepare conferences correspondents,
report meetings and notations. And last is on how to make a follow up letter
after meetings, conferences, and conventions. We learn the steps on how to
make an effective meeting. And how the secretary be successful in meeting. And
how she can prepare good conferences correspondents, report meetings, and
notations. That’s all.
 Chapter 13

Taking minutes of the

meeting
 Knowledge of Meeting Procedures
1. Opening the Meeting ( Introduction)

Quorum – It is the number of members who vote to start the meeting.

2. Approval of Meeting Minutes

3. Date, Time, Agendas was recorded.

4. Report of the Officer.

5. Committees.

6. Unfinished Business.
7. New Business.
8. Closing the Meeting.

Optional Heading
1. Opening Ceremonies
2. Roll Call
3. Congent Calendar
4. Announcement

Typing minutes

Minute taking can be a daunting, difficult task for any business

professional. There will never be a perfect first draft of minutes. They require
careful proofreading, which may be better handled with another person's eye.
Essential Information

There are a few key pieces that must accompany every set of minutes of
minutes, regardless of where a person works.

1. Date
2. Time
3. Place of the meeting
4. Attendees
5. Agenda

KEEPING BOOKS OF THE MINUTES

Minute books usually contain

The corporate by-laws,

Articles of incorporation,
Information about the share structure,
Director and shareholders resolutions,
Agreements, share certificates, financial information,
Annual returns,
And just about anything else you can think of that relates to corporate
structure or governance.

Maintaining the minute book is well worthwhile. It can save many back-
end fees, such as when it comes time to sell the corporation, amalgamate, or
change the share structure.
 Chapter 14

The Secretary Chairs in

the Meeting
 Introduction to Robert's Rules of Order

1. What is Parliamentary Procedure?

2. Why is Parliamentary Procedure Important?
3. Example of the Order of Business
4. Motions
5. Types of Motions
6. How are Motions Presented?
7. Voting on a Motion

Robert's Rules of Order

is the short title of a book containing rules of order intended to be

adopted as a parliamentary authority for use by a deliberative assembly

What Is Parliamentary Procedure?

It is a set of rules for conduct at meetings that allows everyone to be

heard and to make decisions without confusion.

Why is Parliamentary Procedure Important?

Because it's a time tested method of conducting business at meetings and
public gatherings. It can be adapted to fit the needs of any organization.
Today, Robert's Rules of Order newly revised is the basic handbook of
operation for most clubs, organizations and other groups. So it's important
that everyone know these basic rules!

Organizations using parliamentary procedure usually follow a fixed order of

business. Below is a typical example:
 1. Call to order.
2. Roll call of members present.
3. Reading of minutes of last meeting.
4. Officers reports.
5. Committee reports.
6. Special orders --- Important business previously designated for
consideration at this meeting.
7. Unfinished business.
8. New business.
9. Announcements.
10. Adjournment.

The method used by members to express themselves is in the form of moving

motions. A motion is a proposal that the entire membership take action or a
stand on an issue. Individual members can:

1. Call to order.
2. Second motions.
3. Debate motions.
4. Vote on motions.

There are four Basic Types of Motions:

1. Main Motions: The purpose of a main motion is to introduce items to the

membership for their consideration. They cannot be made when any other
motion is on the floor, and yield to privileged, subsidiary, and incidental
motions.
2. Subsidiary Motions: Their purpose is to change or affect how a main
motion is handled, and is voted on before a main motion.
3. Privileged Motions: Their purpose is to bring up items that are urgent
about special or important matters unrelated to pending business.
4. Incidental Motions: Their purpose is to provide a means of questioning
procedure concerning other motions and must be considered before the
other motion.

How are Motions Presented?

1. Obtaining the floor

a. Wait until the last speaker has finished.
b. Rise and address the Chairman by saying, "Mr. Chairman, or Mr.
President."
c. Wait until the Chairman recognizes you.
2. Make Your Motion
a. Speak in a clear and concise manner.
b. Always state a motion affirmatively. Say, "I move that we ..."
rather than, "I move that we do not ...".
c. Avoid personalities and stay on your subject.
3. Wait for Someone to Second Your Motion
4. Another member will second your motion or the Chairman will call for a
second.
5. If there is no second to your motion it is lost.
6. The Chairman States Your Motion
a. The Chairman will say, "it has been moved and seconded that we
..." Thus placing your motion before the membership for
consideration and action.
b. The membership then either debates your motion, or may move
directly to a vote.
c. Once your motion is presented to the membership by the
chairman it becomes "assembly property", and cannot be
changed by you without the consent of the members.
7. Expanding on Your Motion
 a. The time for you to speak in favour of your motion is at this point
in time, rather than at the time you present it.
b. The mover is always allowed to speak first.
c. All comments and debate must be directed to the chairman.
d. Keep to the time limit for speaking that has been established.
e. The mover may speak again only after other speakers are
finished, unless called upon by the Chairman.
8. Putting the Question to the Membership
a. The Chairman asks, "Are you ready to vote on the question?"
b. If there is no more discussion, a vote is taken.
c. On a motion to move the previous question may be adapted.

Voting on a Motion:
The method of vote on any motion depends on the situation and the by-
laws of policy of your organization. There are five methods used to vote
by most organizations, they are:

1. By Voice -- The Chairman asks those in favor to say, "aye", those opposed
to say "no". Any member may move for a exact count.
2. By Roll Call -- Each member answers "yes" or "no" as his name is called.
This method is used when a record of each person's vote is required.
3. By General Consent -- When a motion is not likely to be opposed, the
Chairman says, "if there is no objection ..." The membership shows
agreement by their silence, however if one member says, "I object," the
item must be put to a vote.
4. By Division -- This is a slight verification of a voice vote. It does not
require a count unless the chairman so desires. Members raise their hands
or stand.
5. By Ballot -- Members write their vote on a slip of paper; this method is
used when secrecy is desired.
There are two other motions that are commonly used that relate to voting.

1. Motion to Table -- This motion is often used in the attempt to "kill" a

motion. The option is always present, however, to "take from the table",
for reconsideration by the membership.
2. Motion to Postpone Indefinitely -- This is often used as a means of
parliamentary strategy and allows opponents of motion to test their
strength without an actual vote being taken. Also, debate is once again
open on the main motion.
3. Parliamentary Procedure is the best way to get things done at your
meetings. But, it will only work if you use it properly.

1. Allow motions that are in order.

2. Have members obtain the floor properly.
3. Speak clearly and concisely.
4. Obey the rules of debate.

HOW IS BUSINESS BROUGHT BEFORE AN ASSEMBLY?

A "motion" is a formal statement of a proposal or question to an assembly for
consideration and action.

A motion is brought before the assembly with three steps:

1. A member makes the motion.

("I move that . . . .")

2. Another member seconds the motion.

Second does not need to be recognized.
3. The chair states the question.
"It is moved and seconded that (or to) . . . ."

Once properly before the assembly, a motion is considered in three

steps:

1. Members debate the motion (unless un-debatable)

Preference in recognition:
(a) Member who made motion
(b) Member who has not yet spoken a first time
(c) If possible, alternate for and against

2. Chair puts question to a vote

"The question is on the adoption of . . . ."

(Voice vote)

"As many as are in favor of the motion, say aye."

"Those opposed, say no."

(Rising vote)

"Those in favor of the motion will rise [or "stand"]. Be seated."

"Those opposed will rise [or "stand"]. Be seated."

3. Chair announces result of vote

"The ayes have it and the motion is adopted." (or)

"The noes have it and the motion is lost."

"The affirmative has it and the motion is adopted." (or)

"The negative has it and the motion is lost."
HOW DO MOTIONS WORK TOGETHER?

Many specific motions such as amend, recess, and adjourn, have become
defined under parliamentary law. For convenience and description, these various
motions may be classified into five broad categories. These classes of motions
are as follows:

(1) MAIN MOTIONS -- a main motion brings business before the assembly. It
can only be made when no other motion is pending and ranks lowest in the
order of precedence of motions (see next page).

(2) SUBSIDIARY MOTIONS -- subsidiary motions assist the assembly in

considering or disposing of a main motion (and sometimes other motions).
Subsidiary motions fall into the order of precedence. (See below).

(3) PRIVILEGED MOTIONS -- privileged motions do not relate to the pending

business, but have to do with special matters of immediate and overriding
importance which, without debate, should be allowed to interrupt the
consideration of anything else. Like subsidiary motions, the privileged motions fit
into an order of precedence. (See next page).

(4) INCIDENTAL MOTIONS -- incidental motions deal with questions of

procedure arising out of other motions or business. They have no order of
precedence among themselves. Instead, they arise incidentally and are decided
as they arise.

(5) MOTIONS THAT BRING A QUESTION AGAIN BEFORE THE

ASSEMBLY -- these motions do not quite fit in any other category and rarely
arise. They do not fit within the order of precedence and can only be made while
no business is pending.
Not every motion is in order at any given time. Instead, motions are proposed,
considered, and disposed of in a priority of order known as "precedence." The
purpose of assigning a rank or order to each commonly used motion is to enable
an assembly to consider each motion without confusion. The order of precedence
from the highest ranking to the lowest ranking is as follows:

Privileged Motions
1. Adjourn
2. Recess
3. Question of privilege

Subsidiary Motions
4. Lay on the table
5. Previous question (end debate)
6. Limit or extend debate
7. Postpone to a certain time (or "postpone" definitely)
8. Commit or refer (to committee)
9. Amend
10. Postpone indefinitely

Main Motion

"Precedence" can be defined with two basic rules:

(1) When a motion is being considered, any motion higher on the list of
precedence may be proposed, but no motion of lower precedence may be
proposed.

(2) Motions are considered and voted on in reverse order to their proposal. The
motion last proposed (and highest on the list) is considered and disposed of first.
WHAT ARE THE PRINCIPLES OF PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE?

As with any area of the law, a little knowledge of parliamentary procedure is

often a dangerous thing. Some people view parliamentary law as something to
be learned so that they can manipulate the rules to their advantage. However,
any intent in using parliamentary procedure that is other than constructive, such
as to confuse or confound, is an abuse of rules. "The purpose of parliamentary
procedure is to facilitate the transaction of business and to promote cooperation
and harmony." Sturgis, p. 7.

Since rules are not always appropriate in every situation, recourse may be had to
the fundamental principles of parliamentary law as stated by Sturgis:

All members have equal rights, privileges, and obligations.

The majority vote decides.
The rights of the minority must be protected.
Full and free discussion of every proposition presented for decision is an
established right of members.
Every member has the right to know the meaning of the question before the
assembly and what its effect will be.
All meetings must be characterized by fairness and by good faith.
 How to Amend a Motion at a Meeting Using Simple
Parliamentary Procedure

The use of the rules for running a meeting, parliamentary procedure, results in
efficient meetings where everyone has a chance to give opinions and vote. The
main motion is a tool to introduce, debate, and vote on a topic. But at times an
additional tool may be required to run a productive meeting. A tool for changing
a motion may be necessary.

1. To begin discussion of a topic at a meeting, a member makes a main

motion. A main motion begins with the words, 'I move...." An example of
a main motion is, 'I move that our club hold a car wash next Saturday at
the Ace Grocery Store parking lot." The motion is seconded and debate
begins.

2. During the debate, it is clear to the members some parts of the motion
should be changed. To officially change parts of a motion (but not the
overall intent), the motion "amend" can be used. A member is recognized
by the chair and states, "I move to amend the motion by ..."

3. There are three basic ways to amend a main motion. The first is to add
something to the motion. For example, "I move to amend the motion by
adding the words, "and bake sale". The president asks for a second on the
amendment and restates the motion with the proposed new wording. "If
passed, the main motion would read, the club to hold a car wash AND
BAKE SALE next Saturday at the Ace Grocery Store parking lot." The
president asks for debate on the amendment. Once debate has finished,
the president asks for a vote. If a majority of the membership favor the
 amendment, the wording of the original motion is changed. More debate
on the amended main motion may occur and then a vote is take.

4. The second way to amend a motion is to substitute. An example is, "I

move to amend the main motion by substituting Friday for Saturday. If
the amendment passes, the motion would read, "I move that our club
hold a car wash next FRIDAY at the Ace Grocery Store parking lot."

5. The third way to amend a motion is to take something out of the original
motion. For example, "I move to strike out the words at the Ace Grocery
Store parking lot." If the amendment passes, the motion would read, "I
move that our club hold a car wash next Saturday."

HOW DO MEMBERS GET THEIR SAY?

They make motions! A motion is a proposal that the assembly take

certain action.

Members can:

A. Present motions — make proposals.

B. Second motions — express support for discussion of other

member's motions.
C. Debate motions — give opinions on the motions.
D. Vote on motions — make decisions.
(Life members may not make motions or vote at board meetings unless
they are also members of the board.)
FOUR TYPES OF MOTIONS THAT ARE GENERALLY MADE DURING A
MEETING

A. Main Motion — It introduces subjects to the assembly for

consideration. This motion cannot be made when another motion is
before the assembly and it yields to privileged, subsidiary and
incidental motions. Example: ―I move that we purchase. . .―

B. Subsidiary Motion — It serves two possible functions, (1) may change or

modify the main motion, and/or (2) may dispose of the main motion
temporarily (postpone, table) or permanently. It changes or affects how a
main motion is handled and is voted on before the main motion. Example:
―I move that we amend Jane Jones' motion by striking out. . ." or ―I
move that. . .be referred to the finance committee." However, subsidiary
motions must relate to the subject as presented in the main motion.

C. Privileged Motion — This motion is an urgent one because it is about a

special or important matter that does not relate to pending business.
Example: A motion to recess the meeting to secure information or to
allow informal consultation.

D. Incidental Motion — An incidental motion is used when a question of

procedure arises and must be considered. Example: When a member thinks that
the rules of the assembly are being violated, they can make a "Point of Order,"
thereby calling upon the chair for a ruling and an enforcement of the rules or
bylaws.
PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
1. What is a majority vote?
A simple majority vote is more than half of the votes cast by
persons legally entitled to vote, excluding blanks or abstentions, at
a regularly or properly called meeting at which a quorum is
present. For example, if 19 votes are cast, a majority (more than 9
1/2) is 10.

2. What is a plurality vote?

A plurality vote is the largest number of votes cast for a given
candidate. In such a case, the candidate that receives the most
votes (even though less than a majority) is elected by a plurality
vote. For example, if there are 4 candidates for a directorship and
one receives 10 votes, one receives 8 votes, one receives 7 votes
and one receives 6 votes, the candidate receiving 10 votes is
declared the winner even though they did not receive a majority of
the 31 votes cast.

Planning ahead the Meeting

Planning ahead is essential when it comes to planning a move, whether it is for

the office or home. The point of the LAP meeting is to establish a plan that can
be accomplished that closely matches what should be accomplished to meet the
overall objectives of the project. It is a meeting that the would-be performers
attend. Those would-be performers look for the conditions of each up-coming
task that would keep them from making a reliable promise at the time that a
promise is needed. The lean project community calls those conditions
constraints.
There are four objectives for the LAP meeting:

Establish the basis for weekly work planning — promising — in the coming
week including identifying workable backlog.
To surface constraints.
To secure and manage the promises for removal of constraints.
To introduce the performers to the coming work.

A usual look-ahead plan has a six-week horizon. The meeting starts with a
review of the coming week. Care is given to assess any remaining conditions
(constraints) that would keep someone from making a reliable promise on the
coming week's work plan. The project manager reviews any remaining
constraints, the promises for removal, and then with the performers authorizes a
set of requests for the coming week.

Next up is looking at week two on the LAP to see what work can be made
available as workable backlog. The group evaluates what unconstrained work
could be performed early if either a performer gets ahead or if there is some
reason that would prevent the performer from doing the work as promised. The
planning conversation ends by authorizing some subset of the second week's
work as workable backlog. The group understands only the work authorized in
the group conversation is to be workable backlog. This keeps people from doing
work that could be out of sequence that would cause difficulty or rework for
themselves or others.

The conversation then moves to a review of weeks three through five. There are
two keys in this part of the meeting. The first is to review the completion of the
promises for removing constraints. The second is to surface more constraints.
The process of reviewing the coming work for six weeks has the effect of
sharpening the group's attention. Invariably, no sooner has the group removed
all the known constraints for a set of tasks than someone comes up with more
constraints. During this conversation people are asked to make clear promises
including completion dates for removing the constraints. People report complete
on previous promises. The project manager updates the plan marking those
tasks with no constraints "Ready for Promising".

Finally, the new sixth week of the plan is introduced to the group. For many of
the performers they will be quite familiar with the new details because they were
involved in establishing those plan details. The project manager highlights
interactions of performers in the new work and asks them to identify constraints.

The meeting ends with a Plus-Delta (+Δ) — what produced value? and what
might produce more value?

Secretary Addresses the Audience

Secretary

- must always be the most comprehensive and efficient and effective worker in
an office or environment. Secretary is an official who presides over an
administrative department of state.

Audience

- a group or assembly of listeners, viewers, or spectators; a formal interview with

a person of importance, hence, those present at such an interview

*If an event or happenings occurred in an office, it is the secretary's

responsibility to address the office staffs or audiences. might as well the
governance of an office takes the risk of failure if the secretary isn't effective.
 ***Example of the secretary addressing audiences. "Our management is
now having a problem financially. The director wants us to go for the
adjustments like working more effective and efficient, faster but consistent, and
most of all, the accessibility of every one else’s here."

-a characteristic of a secretary in addressing must be in a contingent manner:

A good Management Committee Secretary will:

• be methodical, with a good eye for detail

• be well organized, with an orderly mind

• bring objectivity to the proceedings

• deal promptly with correspondence

• be able to take accurate notes of meetings

• make sure members receive all the necessary material

• bring the necessary material to the meeting

• work well with the Chairperson

• ensure quorum is met for meetings

• have knowledge or experience of committee procedures

Last but not least, convincing not only in words and action, but best
before all is the appearance. -
 Chapter 15

The Secretary in the

personnel Department
 FUNCTION OF PERSONNEL MANAGMENT

Personnel Management

Personnel Management is thus an administrative record-keeping function,

at the operational level. Personnel Management attempts to maintain fair terms
and conditions of employment, while at the same time, efficiently managing
personnel activities for individual departments.

Functions of Personnel Management

Following are the four functions of Personnel Management:

1. Manpower Planning
2. Recruitment
3. Selection
4. Training and Development

Administrative Works of a Secretary of Personnel Department

1. Receiving Job Applicants

2. Interviewing the Applicants

3. Administering Tests

4. Maintaining certified and classified personnel files for the purpose of

providing an up-to-date reference and remain in compliance with
regulations.

Performs other duties as assigned for the purpose of ensuring the efficient and
effective functioning of the work unit.
 Duties and Responsibilities of Personnel
Department
Duties and Responsibilities of a secretary in a personnel department

 Recruitment of various categories of personnel for the whole organization

etc.
 Promotion, confirmation, transfer and posting of officers and employees of
various departments of organizations.
 Maintenance of all records related to establishment matters, including
rosters of reservation.
 This includes technical, professional and administrative fields.
 He/ she required to deal with Trade Unions in respect of establishment
matters of various categories of post.
 Furnishing various statistical information to Government regarding
recruitment, promotion, reservation. Etc.

The Office of Public Liaison has been responsible for communicating and
interacting with various interest groups. Under President Richard Nixon, Charles
Colson performed public liaison work. President Gerald Ford first formalized the
public liaison office after he took office in 1974, giving Nixon administration
veteran William J. Baroody, Jr. a mandate for OPL to become "an instrument for
projecting the image of a truly open administration (in contrast to Nixon’s) and
to secure Ford’s reelection. Under Baroody’s direction, the office incorporated
outreach efforts with consumers and women that had been located elsewhere in
the White House, and the overall staff grew to approximately thirty. At the core
of its activities was an aggressive campaign of regional conferences that enabled
the nation’s first un-elected president to tour the country in a campaign-like
atmosphere and prepare the way for an eventual reelection campaign."[4]
 Some OPL heads used the office to push their own agendas. Midge
Costanza used her time at OPL to broaden the influence of gays and lesbians in
White House policy Faith Ryan Whittlesey used her time at OPL to increase the
influence of the religious right and anti-communist groups, such as the Contras in
Central America.

Future cabinet secretary and U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole headed OPL under
President Ronald Reagan from 1981-1983. Directors during Bill Clinton's
administration included future cabinet secretary Alexis Herman, Maria Echaveste,
Minyon Moore and future John Kerry campaign manager Mary Beth Cahill.[7]

Under the Obama administration, the Office of Public Engagement has

been referred to as "the front door to the White House, through which everyone
can participate and inform the work of the President." In May 2009, Obama
continued this theme and renamed the Office of Public Liaison the Office of
Public Engagement.]

In April 2009, actor Kal Penn was named an associate director in the
Office of Public Engagement. His role was said to include outreach to the Asian
American and Pacific Islander communities and the arts community Prior to the
appointment, he was a permanent cast member in the television series House,
and his acceptance required him to be written out of the series.
 Chapter 16

Controlling Records of
Personnel Department
 Records management
Records management, or RM, is the practice of maintaining the records of an
organization from the time they are created up to their eventual disposal. This
may include classifying, storing, securing, and destruction (or in some cases,
archival preservation) of records.

A record can be either a tangible object or digital information: for example, birth
certificates, medical x-rays, office documents, databases, application data, and e-
mail. Records management is primarily concerned with the evidence of an
organization's activities, and is usually applied according to the value of the
records rather than their physical format.

Managing physical records

Managing physical records involves different disciplines and may draw on a

variety of forms of expertise.

Records must be identified and authenticated. This is usually a matter of filing

and retrieval; in some circumstances, more careful handling is required.

Identifying records

If an item is presented as a legal record, it needs to be authenticated. Forensic experts

may need to examine a document or artifact to determine that it is not a forgery, and
that any damage, alteration, or missing content is documented

Storing

Records must be stored in such a way that they are accessible and safeguarded against
environmental damage. A typical paper document may be stored in a filing cabinet in an
office. However, some organisations employ file rooms with specialized environmental
controls including temperature and humidity. Vital records may need to be stored in a
disaster-resistant safe or vault to protect against fire, flood, earthquakes and conflict.
records

Circulating records

Tracking the record while it is away from the normal storage area is referred to as
circulation. Often this is handled by simple written recording procedures. However,
many modern records environments use a computerized system involving bar code
scanners, or radio-frequency identification technology (RFID) to track movement of the
records. These can also be used for periodic auditing to identify unauthorized movement
of the record.

Disposal of records

Disposal of records does not always mean destruction. It can also include transfer to a
historical archive, museum, or private individual. Destruction of records ought to be
authorized by law, statute, regulation, or operating procedure, and the records should
be disposed of with care to avoid inadvertent disclosure of information.

Managing electronic records

The general principles of records management apply to records in any format.

Digital records (almost always referred to as electronic records) raise specific
issues. It is more difficult to ensure that the content, context and structure of
records is preserved and protected when the records do not have a physical
existence.

Particular concerns exist about the ability to access and read electronic records
over time, since the rapid pace of change in technology can make the software
used to create the records obsolete, leaving the records unreadable. A
considerable amount of research is being undertaken to address this, under the
heading of digital preservation. The Public Record Office Victoria (PROV) located
in Melbourne, Australia published the Victorian Electronic Records Strategy
(VERS) which includes a standard for the preservation, long-term storage and
access to permanent electronic records. The VERS standard has been adopted by
all Victorian Government departments. A digital archive has been established by
PROV to enable the general public to access permanent records.

Recordkeeping - Managing personnel records

Personnel records documenting the management of employees are important

records in all organisations. Some of these need to be maintained for long
periods of time, often after an employee has left the organisation, in order to
protect ongoing rights and interests of the employee and the organisation.
Personnel records that contain information about individuals are also likely to be
highly sensitive and personal and must be adequately protected from
unauthorised access. This document suggests some strategies for effective and
efficient management of personnel records.

Commonly, personnel records include:

personnel files for each employee - often known as personal or employee

files (organised by name or position number)
non-employee-specific personnel files (organised by activity or topic) eg.
procedural or policy files
personnel database systems, either generic packages or custom built for
the organisation, and
integrated database systems with some personnel components.
Achieving efficient management of personnel records

Effective and efficient management of personnel records can be achieved by:

*Establishing policies and procedures for managing personnel records in

accordance with the organisation's regulatory framework

It is good management practice for an organisation to understand the regulatory

framework it is subject to for personnel records, and to establish policies and
procedures to communicate requirements to relevant action officers, supervisors
and managers.

*Designing personnel records systems so that records with short retention

periods can be destroyed while retaining records with long retention periods

Retention periods and privacy considerations are two factors which should
influence the design of paper and electronic recordkeeping systems.

Recordkeeping requirement: retention periods

Basing records systems and filing practices (paper and electronic) on authorised
retention periods can help to ensure that records are only kept for as long as
needed and then promptly destroyed.

*Designing personnel records systems so that sensitive records can be kept

secure and protected to meet privacy management obligations, and

Records created to support personnel functions often contain information of a

personal nature. Public offices should ensure that such records have appropriate
levels of security and that access is restricted to authorised users.

*Creating and maintaining adequate summary records of employees.

Creating adequate summary records of employment and service can make the
management of personnel records more efficient and effective. Summary records
are records that summarise the content of other records. Many organisations
have kept summary records in the past, such as staff service cards. Increasingly,
organisations are using human resource management databases or other
automated systems that can provide a similar summary record of employment
and service history.

RECOMMENDED CONTENTS OF PERSONNEL FILES

Employment

Request for application

Employee's original employment application
Pre-screening application notes
College recruiting interview report form
Employment interview report form
Education verification
Employment verification
Other background verification
Rejection letter
Employment offer letter
Employment agency agreement if hired through an agency
Employee Handbook acknowledgment form showing receipt of Handbook
Checklist from new employee orientation showing subjects covered
Veterans/Disabled self-identification form
Transfer requests
Relocation offer records
Relocation report
 Security clearance status

Payroll

W-4 Form
Weekly time sheets
Individual attendance record
Pay advance request record
Garnishment orders and records
Authorization for release of private information
Authorization for all other payroll actions

Performance Appraisals

New employee progress reports

Performance appraisal forms
Performance improvement program records

Training and Development

Training history records

Training program applications/requests
Skills inventory questionnaire
Training evaluation forms
In-house training notification letters
Training expense reimbursement records

Employee Separations

Exit interview form

Final employee performance appraisal
Exit interviewer's comment form
Record of documents given with final pay check
Benefits

Emergency Contact Form

Medical/Dental/Vision coverage waiver/drop form
Vacation accrual/taken form
Request for non-medical leave of absence
Retirement application
Payroll deduction authorizations
COBRA notification/election
Hazardous substance notification and or reports
Tuition reimbursement application and or payment records
Employer concession and or discount authorization
Annual benefits statement acknowledgment
Safety training/meeting attendance/summary forms

Wage/Salary Administration

Job description form

Job analysis questionnaire
Payroll authorization form
Fair Labor Standards Act exemption test
Compensation history record
Compensation recommendations
Notification of wage and or salary increase/decrease

Employee Relations

Report of coaching/counselling session

Employee Assistance Program consent form
Commendations
Employee written warning notice
 Completed employee suggestion forms
Suggestion status reports

WHAT SHOULD NOT BE IN A PERSONNEL FILE

Medical Records

Physician records of examination

Diagnostic records
Laboratory test records
Drug screening records
Any of the records listed above in the discussion on HIPAA
Any other medical records with personally identifiable information about
individual employees

Investigation Records

Discrimination complaint investigation information

Legal case data
Accusations of policy/legal violations

Security Clearance Investigation Records

Background investigation information

Personal credit history
Personal criminal conviction history
Arrest records

Insupportable Opinions

Marginal notes on any document indicating management bias or

discrimination (e.g.: "This guy's too fat. He'd never make it," or "She's too
old for this job.")
- 1998-2009 The Management William H. Truesdell Advantage, Inc

How to Receive Telephone Calls

How an inbound call is received can influence the success of a customer-agent

conversation. Agents should be to clearly demonstrate how different they are
from automated answering services.

Gary Case and Patrice Rhoades-Baum offered the following useful tips on
receiving a call, in their publication: ―How to Handle Difficult Customers,‖
published by the Help Desk Institute (HDI) in 2004:

Answer by third ring

Greet the customer
Speak clearly and audibly
Give the client your undivided attention
Identify yourself and your department
Smile because the consumer can feel it from the agent’s tone and voice
Offer help when it is needed and
Note the person's name and use it when need be.

―Start out on a positive note—those first few seconds set the tone for your entire
conversation,‖ Case and Rhoades-Baum advise.
Handling a Phone Conversation

Once a conversation starts on a positive note, the agent has to ensure that it
continues successfully and satisfactorily till the end. An essential element for
ensuring this is effective listening. ―The first technique is to listen for the central
idea and to concentrate on what they are saying to you …listen between the
lines,‖ Case and Rhoades-Baum, recommend. It is important for an agent to
remain calm, unemotional and enthusiastic during a conversation irrespective of
how provocative a customer may be.

Case and Rhoades-Baum also recommend that agents need to ignore disruptions
or uncomfortable surroundings, ask questions, respond to questions with short
messages, repeat or paraphrase messages and try to visualize the customer’s
problem.

How to End a Call Positively

―Ending a telephone call can seem to be a simple matter. Yet, when it comes to
customer satisfaction, you need to place as much emphasis on concluding a
telephone call as you do on your initial greeting,‖ said Case and Rhoades-Baum.
There is a need to maintain the positive and friendly attitude with which a call
was received. Case and Rhoades-Baum emphasize that it is important to use the
customer’s name, review plans of action, offer a further assistance, thank him or
her for calling and finally making sure that the consumer is finished and hangs
up before the agent does. When these tips are followed, calls from customers
can always be ended positively and successfully
In the field of business, consumers are the most important people and call center
representatives need to know how to effectively handle calls from the point of
receiving, the conversation process and how to end positively. It is when these
phone manners are mastered that there can be a difference between agents and
answering machines or software.

Handling a Phone Conversation

Once a conversation starts on a positive note, the agent has to ensure that it
continues successfully and satisfactorily till the end. An essential element for
ensuring this is effective listening. ―The first technique is to listen for the central
idea and to concentrate on what they are saying to you …listen between the
lines,‖ Case and Rhoades-Baum, recommend. It is important for an agent to
remain calm, unemotional and enthusiastic during a conversation irrespective of
how provocative a customer may be.

Case and Rhoades-Baum also recommend that agents need to ignore disruptions
or uncomfortable surroundings, ask questions, respond to questions with short
messages, repeat or paraphrase messages and try to visualize the customer’s
problem.

How to End a Call Positively

―Ending a telephone call can seem to be a simple matter. Yet, when it comes to
customer satisfaction, you need to place as much emphasis on concluding a
telephone call as you do on your initial greeting,‖ said Case and Rhoades-Baum.
There is a need to maintain the positive and friendly attitude with which a call
was received. Case and Rhoades-Baum emphasize that it is important to use the
customer’s name, review plans of action, offer a further assistance, thank him or
her for calling and finally making sure that the consumer is finished and hangs
up before the agent does. When these tips are followed, calls from customers
can always be ended positively and successfully

In the field of business, consumers are the most important people and call center
representatives need to know how to effectively handle calls from the point of
receiving, the conversation process and how to end positively. It is when these
phone manners are mastered that there can be a difference between agents and
answering machines or software.

Scheduling Interviews for job applicants

Define interview- interview is a process to select the most qualified

candidate for a current job opening by using multiple varied criteria.

The main objectives of an interview- The main objective of interview is

to evaluate a series of candidates to find the one most suited for the current job
opening.

What is an interview schedule-? An interview schedule is an interview

with pre-coded question to produce quick, cheap and easy quantitative data
which is high in reliability but low in validity. These methods are favored by
Positivists but shunned by Interactionists.

How to schedule job interviews- If you've decided that it's time to start

hiring people at your new business, you have to get familiar with the recruiting
process. The process includes placing advertisements for open positions and
fielding calls from potential candidates. One of the most time-intensive steps of
the process is scheduling and conducting job interviews.
Reminders: Schedule the interview at least a few days after the call to allow

candidates time to prepare.

The following tips are can use as a guideline to save some of your time in
preparing your own interview schedule:
The Opening
The Body
The Closing
Topics Assigned and Group Members

Group 1: Looking for a Job – Sources of Job Opening

Gaspar, Rewin Floren
Bordeos, Maria Ruffa
Santiago, Lynel
Vigan, Grachel Joy

Group 2: Preparing and Writing Application Letter

Asuncion, Janina Ana
Garcia, Kristime
Invina, Charmaine Anne
Villanueva, Gretchen Margarette

Group 3: Preparing for Interview

Dungo, Ma. Elma
Go, Mabelle
Mamauag, Joey
Sagnep, Jezrel

Group 4: Reviewing General Office Procedures

Martinez, Robert
Plasencia, Genelyn
Quirante, Maylene

Group 5: Routinely: General Office Procedures

Azarcon, Ariane
Co, Daniel
Narvasa, Mara Aloha
Piedad, Eliza Marie

Group 6: The Secretary: Position and Qualifications

Abaño, Claire Anne
Familaran, Joshua
 Jayoma, Luz Brigette Margareth

Group 7: Specific duties and functions of the

Secretary
Arguilles, Leah
Garcia, Maricris Donita
Maala, Jessa Beth Claire
Martinez, Wenilyn
Group 8: Handling Appointments
Alimpolos, Dennis
Gesmundo, Rinalyn
Maglantay, Babyliza
Tapiz, Tresia

Group 9: Filing
Lusares, Ma. Dieva Lyn
Mariño, Maria Mica
Mitra, Ian Darryl
Nebre, Edward
Raon, Cliejferwyn Dane
Tambong, Mary Ruth

Group 10: Handling Meetings and Conferences

Abila, Vien Vee Vic
Ignacio, Shirley
Salar, Adrian
Taipen, Mark Mar

Group 11: Preparation for Meetings, Conferences and

Conventions
Mascariñas, Jamie Scott
Soriano, Dawn
Vargas, Lady Lee
Veloso, Emanuel
Group 12: Duties of Secretary during Meetings,
Conferences, and Conventions
Reyes, Russel Jerico
Legaspi, Lorenzo

Group 13: Taking Minutes of the Meeting

Galletes, Jozalie
Panso, Trisha Mae
Socito, Sheela Mae
Soria, Kenneth

Group 14: The Secretary Chairs-In the Meeting

Dela Cruz, Arlyn
Mascariñas, Juno Israel
Tarnate, Mary Ann

Group 15: The Secretary in the Personnel

Department
Angeles, Ma. Cristina
Caballero, Jonalyn
Lauden, Mary Rose
Luga, Joy Eliza

Group 16: Controlling Records of Personnel

Management
Lim, Melissa
Rodriguez, Rose Marie
Sicat, Jerrylyn