• An executive secretary reviews paperwork with her supervisor.boss and secretary image by Valentin Mosichev from Fotolia.com
  
  Executive secretaries provide administrative support to high-level personnel such as CEO's, vice presidents and managers. Most executive secretaries should expect to organize the executive's calendar, take incoming calls and emails, sort incoming and outgoing mail, make travel arrangements, greet clients and any other duties based on the specific needs of the position. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of May 2009, executive secretaries earned $41,650 per year on average.
  
  

Organize Calendar

• High-level executives often have a schedule full of meetings, lunches, dinners and sponsored events. An executive secretary must keep track of the executive's calendar to ensure that she is prepared for any meetings and does not overbook her schedule. Clients will often contact the executive secretary to find out when an executive is available. It is the secretary's duty to check the calendar, schedule the appointment and let the executive know where and when she is expected.
  
  

Field Incoming Calls and Emails

• An executive secretary is usually responsible for answering phone lines to screen calls and ensure that the executive does not have to deal with any unwanted calls, such as sales or survey inquiries. Some executives also appreciate knowing who is on the line before answering the call. When an executive is away from his desk, the calls continue to roll in and need to be dealt with accordingly. The executive secretary must answer calls and assist clients when possible, or take messages to pass on to the executive when he returns. Executive secretaries are also often tasked with keeping up with the executive's emails. This may entail deleting unnecessary emails, responding to inquiries or ensuring that important emails are brought to the executive's attention.
  
  

Sort Mail

• Executive secretaries must sort incoming mail to filter out unnecessary "junk" mail before handing it over to the executive. Some executives also appreciate their secretary organizing the mail into different categories such as mail that needs a signature, mail requiring immediate attention and mail that is less time-sensitive. Executive secretaries also sort outgoing mail to ensure that forms are signed and any necessary attachments are included. They also ensure that the mail is delivered to the correct person and that time-sensitive items reach the intended recipient quickly.
  
  

Make Travel Arrangements

• Many executives travel out of town for meetings, conventions and other events. It is the executive secretary's duty to make travel arrangements including booking flights, reserving hotel rooms and arranging for any transportation to and from the airport and hotel. International travel often requires additional verification like a passport or work visa. An executive secretary is usually tasked with organizing necessary materials and paperwork before travel begins. Some executives also appreciate their secretary supplying them with maps of the events they are scheduled to attend as well as important phone numbers they might need while traveling.
  
  

Greet Clients

• Executives who invite clients to their office for meetings expect their secretary to greet the clients and ensure they are comfortable before the meeting begins. This often involves offering a beverage or providing the client with any materials needed for the meeting. Sometimes executive secretaries must also give clients directions to the office or meet them in another location and guide them to the room where the meeting will take place.