Don't confuse the job of a hotel secretary with that of a hotel concierge or receptionist. While hotel secretaries might answer phones or help make appointments, people in this position are typically not the ones who work with hotel guests or sit in a visible location within the hotel. Instead, they'll work behind the scenes, ensuring the smooth operation of the facility.

Who They Work For

Hotel secretaries might work with any number of administrative professionals within a hotel. In a smaller hotel, the secretary might be the support staff member for the general manager and the restaurant manager, as well as any other administrative staff. In a larger hotel, secretaries might be in more nuanced roles, working in the hotel's finance department, assisting the marketing manager, or serving under the catering department manager, for example. Some jobs will require only a high school diploma, while others might require more advanced secretarial training or specialty training in hotel or restaurant management. In any case, the secretary's job will generally be to answer phones, manage documents and communication, and take care of office logistics.

Customer Service

All secretaries need to have strong interpersonal skills to do their jobs well. While they usually don't work at the hotel's front desk, secretaries still need to be ready with a smile and a warm greeting for visitors to the hotel office. As the first person clients or vendors often encounter in the office, secretaries need to be able to answer questions or handle people's concerns. Secretaries are also often responsible for answering the office phones and directing clients and vendors to the appropriate managers or departments within the hotel.

Handling Communication

Managing communication is big piece of a secretary's job. She might read and respond to general inquiries that come into the hotel office email system and forward the messages to the appropriate person. She might also review the daily logs to determine whether any VIP guests are expected that day, and then communicate with the rest of the staff about how to handle those guests. If the hotel managers have specific messages or newsletters that go out to the rest of the staff, the secretary might be the person to write and distribute those communications. The communication part of the job requires computer skills, often including Microsoft Word and Excel and any internal communications or booking systems the hotel uses.

Scheduling and Office Maintenance

Office operations and scheduling often fall to the hotel secretary. He might be required to manage the general manager's daily calendar, for example, as well as scheduling employee meetings and sending reminders to staff. The secretary might also be responsible for scheduling the use of internal conference rooms or special event rooms rented by guests. To keep the office running smoothly, the secretary will order supplies such as paper, printer ink or coffee, and monitor the office equipment to ensure it's in good working order.