Become a Recording Secretary
A recording secretary's duties, whether for a business or an organization, include taking minutes during meetings, corresponding with board members, keeping all records and files, and tracking attendance and voting records. In order to become a recording secretary for a group, you must be highly organized and proficient in the bylaws for a club or business. While the recording secretary is not an office of authority, the person holding this position is very important to a business or organization. The following tips will help you learn how to become a recording secretary.
Steps
- Familiarize yourself with the responsibilities and duties of a recording secretary. During a meeting, the recording secretary records attendance and takes notes about the issues discussed, both on and off the agenda. When meeting attendees vote on a matter, the votes are recorded in the minutes of the meeting. Minutes must be approved by boards, and if not approved, are often amended for acceptance. Amending the minutes is a duty of the recording secretary. Filing the minutes and keeping all legal documents organized is another responsibility. The recording secretary also issues all correspondence about upcoming meetings and other issues important to board members.
- Become an expert on the bylaws or guidelines under which the business or organization operates. Other members of the board may not know the details, but they will defer to the recording secretary for guidelines. If a recording secretary doesn't know the bylaws, he should have them readily available for review at all times.
- Hone your secretarial skills. This includes typing, letter and document formatting, taking notes or dictation, and filing. Take typing tests. Review all the rules for creating a business letter and memos. Learn to write an agenda. Each of these skills is significant to the job of recording secretary.
- Fill in as a temporary recording secretary. If the recording secretary must be absent at a meeting, offer to be a substitute. This gives you practice in taking the minutes, attendance and voting records at a meeting without the rest of the responsibilities all at once. This gives you a good opportunity to not only see if you have what it takes, but it also gives you the chance to determine if you like the work.
- Apply for the position. If you belong to a club, group or organization, let the board of directors know that you are interested in the position next time it becomes available. If you are looking to become employed as a recording secretary, submit your resume highlighting your skills to businesses, schools and universities. Watch the classified employment listings for any vacancies and put in your application.
Tips
- In the case that the president and vice-president are absent from a meeting, the recording secretary calls the meeting to order.
