

Do secretaries have a future? - Jun8
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/27/opinion/27peril.html?_r=1

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Jun8
What I found interesting here was the fact that gains in status that
secretaries enjoyed after 70s, in turn, made them easier to get replaced more
and more with computers (or offshoring):

"... in the 1970s, when the second wave of feminism began to undo the
traditional dyad of male boss and female secretary, more than one secretary
was fired for refusing to make, fetch or serve coffee."

This, of course, was the start of real professionalism for the vocation;
however, with the loss of the human touch, i.e. being reduced to just a
professional function, you _will_ get replaced when/if that function can be
replicated more cheaply.

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lukejduncan
Certainly not for all "secretaries" but depending on the position it may well
be necessary that the assistant prepare coffee for clients. Salesmanship can
be part of the job.

