What qualifications help you get admin jobs?

[leicestershiregirl]

Want to get into admin and was told ages ago that ECDL Level 2 and preferably Level 3 is something a lot of recruiters for admin jobs look for but have never seen any job ads that ask for these specifically, just ones that ask for "IT skills". So are these qualifications worth having?

What about OCR/RSA Level 2 and Level 3? This is something local jobs with the NHS always ask for but I've never seen any other employer ask for it. Or Level 3 courses in Business, e.g. BTEC National Diploma?

Looking in my local FE college's prospectus an Advanced Apprenticeship in Business Administration looks good but I believe at over the age of 25 I'm too old to do an apprenticeship. What is the best way of getting into this field as a mature person?

Do you have IT skills? I think being comfortable with Microsoft Office, having Maths and English GCSE or equivalent and being organised, methodical and proactive are the best attributes you could have for an admin role. What is your employment history / level of education?

Degree level, have worked as a teaching assistant and a nursing assistant.

What's ECDL?!

Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Internet would be a good start along with touch typing. If you master those the world will be your oyster!

Well, in terms of admin anyway!

I wouldnt say you need a specific qualification, then, leicstershiregirl. Maybe sharpen up your IT skills and think about how to sell the administrative side of your previous work experience.

ECDL is that European Driving Licence thing isnt it? Its not an actuall driving licence, but ICT training. Its well thought of, as far as I know, but I would only do it if you really can't find a job without it within a specified period. I'd say more administrators don't have it than do, iyswim.

Not a scooby what ECDL is. You need to be able to type at a level of 50 words a minute or above with minimal mistakes. Pitmans run excellent courses if you need help.

Ensure you are very comfortable with all Microsoft office products. You should be able to use 75% if the features of each via short cuts on tool bars or keyboards. Mail merge on word is usually necessary. Its simple but faffy. You should know how to work around Excel and power point pretty well too.

Best way to find out what you know is to sign up to a temp agency. They often run tests to see how your skills are on all products, typing and spelling. Frankly Ive always found this the best way to find out if I need a brush up. Its free to sign up, just wastes a bit of time.

The rest is frankly marketing and attitude. Best o luck!

ECDL is European Computer Driving Licence - it covers all the Microsoft office products I think. Can use Word, Powerpoint and Outlook but not Excel - am completely self-taught when it comes to computers, have only learnt what I've needed to know. Have been thinking for a while that I need some sort of formal qualification to prove what I can do.

Thank you everybody for your advice. Please do post if you have any more.

I did the EDCL after a very long break from work. I used to work in IT! and had no problems using all the various office products. I did it for several reasons:

• An easy (and relatively cheap) way of showing that I'd taken some steps to getting myself ready for work.
• Even though Jobs ads don't request EDCL, having it on my CV was in your face proof that I really did have those Word skills.
• Despite having degree + previous well paid professional job I didn't think that working through Access + Excel was beneath me.

I do now work for a temping agency and had to do their in-house tests. The in-house software was really shite. I did it online,and in the end I sat there with my dp, drinking wine, trying to complete it. For some context my H has very advanced Excel skills he needs for work. We were both in hysterics, it wouldn't do simple things like accept keyboard short cuts for copying and pasting?! Apparently I don't know how to copy some text and paste it. Even the consultant told me it was useless, we had a laugh how I'd got better results than him.

Anyway at my interview he seemed to take my EDCL as proof I could still use a computer and he could confidently send me off to a client.

If you haven't recently worked in an office environment I think it can be useful to have that bit of paper to prove you can find your way around common office software. Then try and work your CV so that previous work proves that you're methodical etc

Sorry when I said "that bit of paper" I didn't mean just the EDCL but any course that would give the same proof.

There is now no upper age limit on apprenticeships but if you already have a degree the company you work for have to pay your training costs.

Ecdl - European computer driving licence

Admin nvq level 2 or preferably 3