Bilingual secretaries should be well organised and motivated individuals with the ability to communicate clearly in at least two languages. They are employed by international companies and organisations and combine administration with their language skills.; therefore, they need to be educated to degree level in a language, or are high school graduates who can demonstrate their second language abilities to their employers.
Typical duties involve translating important documents for the management staff or arranging foreign client visits and acting as a translator. The bilingual secretary will spend a large amount of time corresponding with foreign clients over the phone or by email to relay messages to and from their superiors. There is also an aspect of planning overseas visits, using their language skills to book hotels or meeting spaces for senior staff when abroad.
This position requires a solid knowledge of IT systems and software. It is important to be professional and adept at multi-tasking. Depending on experience and the size of the company, the salary for this position is between C
$20,000 and C
$50,000.