Retraining as a secretary

[coffeewithchips]

I have a degree but I would like to retrain in Administration, Secretarial and Office skills as this is the area of work I'm hoping to move into next year.

I've seen a Legal Secretary diploma with ILEX qualification that I'm interested in as it teaches all office skills, shorthand and legal skills. I'm not necessarily hoping to go into the legal admin area (a general PA/secretary office job would be fine too.) Would I be able to apply for secretarial jobs outside law with this diploma or would I be limiting myself?

I'm an EA at one of the big 4... DONT DO IT!

I did actually saying the same thing earlier in the thread, Sleepingbunnies!

Interested to hear your version of why she shouldn't do it.

Hello Coffee

Many years ago I obtained some Pitman typing qualifications
Letter writing
Word processing

When I did agency work, I was tested for typing speed & accuracy

Full time job a few years ago
For a whole department
I have taken minutes in confidential meetings, produced documents, produced templates, provided training to other departments, scheduled meetings, booked hotels, booked hire cars, flights, ordered stationary, entered data onto time sensitive payment systems, organised christmas parties, organised charity events, updated internal sharepoints, attended health & safety meetings, first aider, managed projects within timescales & budgets, manned phones & email boxes. organised presents for birthdays, retirement, babies etc. excel spreadsheets, power points presentations, visio, access databases, word documents, traveled...etc
Basically, being organised, good communicator, excellent grammer, multi task
I did not take work home, but that may not be the case with some PA's

Nobody requested short hand
Suggest develop your own
Some people use dicta phones or record meetings to type up later that day
Some people type directly in meetings via their laptop

In my current office meetings are recorded in real time via webex & emailed immediately - which negates the need for PA - new technolog

Numbers of PA's & secretaries have been decreased
Project managers have increased

Project management suggest Prince & ITIL

I would suggest get some experience !
Basically, if you get a job even if it is a temp job you will be thrown into the deep end and you will learn
Courses & qualifications are ok, but not the same as working day to day in the office

Good luck !

Hello Coffee

I forgot to say

My first work in office was transferring hand written orders onto computer within a set deadline eg data entry, emphasis on accuracy

Next office job was data entry for busy sales team in real time over phone, with associated documentation

I have found that a "can do attitude" goes along way

If someone offers you an opportunity in another department dont turn it down

I have always worked for large companies, so I have been lucky to progress

Large companies also offer free training & encourage career progression

Does this info help ?

Thanks fluffapuss, all very helpful
Lots to think about on this thread. The suggestion about shadowing people is good. I don't think I'm completely clear yet about what I'd like to do so this is a good time to get some experience in a few different areas and see if that helps.

sleepingbunnies You have my sympathy. I do what I can to train the first years to be respectful and honestly the importation of labor from certain countries without culture training is just criminal. I dread to think how they treat the assistants in their home country.

Hello Coffee

I know someone who works for a small company

They deputise for their boss when they are away on holiday

Manage the external & internal websites

Manage marketing material

Manage the company facebook & twitter feeds

On top of their PA duties

Good luck !

My version of why you shouldn't do it is...

I love the partner I work for, that's the only reason in still there, we are given A LOT of responsibility but in my opinion not the money to go with it.

General feeling at the moment is that we are vastly overworked and underpaid.

I don't feel valued enough in my role at all, apart from the partner. He bends over backwards for me, I am very lucky, some people work for absolute shits but mine has always took care of me.

Bonuses out of his own pocket, very generous with Christmas and birthdays