Microsoft Office/admin training courses?

[TheBeesBollox]

I'm currently jobseeking after previously working only in service jobs and care. I'd like some kind of admin/office job.

I graduated in 2021 (Psychology BSc) and used Word (tbf have used this for 20 years since school!), Excel, and PowerPoint during my degree. Am also familiar with Outlook.

Haven't used Teams or others. Have used statistical program (SPSS) and another for building an online experiment that involved some coding, so I think I can pick things up pretty easily.

I'd like to refresh my skills in Microsoft Office Suite programs. There's lots of super cheap short courses that are CPD accredited only. Hard to tell what's worth doing! Also Microsoft offer training videos free online, which would probably be best for the actual skills but no evidence I've done it.

Wondering if I should simply brush up on skills, or do something where I can show I've done it?
Also wondering how much CPD accreditation actually means to employers?
Some of the cheapo courses have additional modules on things like minute taking, which could also be useful if it's actually worth doing.

General thoughts and advice welcome!

You don't need a certificate to prove your skills. Just focus on developing your knowledge.

If you want to make the point in a CV that you’re familiar and very competent with Office, but you want to reinforce what you know, I’d just use the free MS tutorials and other free resources.

I’ve never heard of an employer wanting any sort of certificate or CPD accreditation for using Office. Typing speed will be different (as would shorthand, if anyone still uses it).

Teams is just video networking. There’s nothing to learn really. If you think you might need to know how to send invitations, record meetings and manage the chat function, it’s all available online.

Good luck!

I’m not sure many jobs care about typing speed any more, unless you’re in one of the few offices where people still dictate things for others to type.

Most places just assume you’ll be familiar with Office these days. If you used Word / Excel / PowerPoint for your degree, you’ll be competent enough.

Thanks for the advice.

@DigitalDust
Most places just assume you’ll be familiar with Office these days.

I'm not sure they'd assume that as my previous jobs have all been care/waitressing/shop work etc.

If you used Word / Excel / PowerPoint for your degree, you’ll be competent enough.

Yes... and anything I'm unsure about I can put the time in to learn asap! I'm not too worried about actual proficiency, more proving it.

I think you should just put on your cv that you're proficient and spend a few days on YouTube familiarising yourself with Microsoft office. It's all pretty intuitive and if you're used to word you'll pick up the rest easily. I just started using teams, took me a day or so to work it out, you just need to know how to start and end a call, put a meeting in an outlook diary and share your screen. Get a friend to do a teams call with you (the software is free) and fiddle about until you get it.

If you take an admin job in a large company or a council there is usually a free online learning portal with self directed courses in most applications that you can do at your own pace.
If you have a recent BA in psychology you are obviously capable and intelligent, admin jobs can be great if you enjoy organising others but aren't always well paid. If you're worried that your CV/experience isn't enough to secure well paid office based work, there are now some recruitment platforms designed to hire based on ability and aptitude instead of just experience. It's blind hiring where you answer questions and do tasks rather than just submit a cv, then you're invited to interview based on your answers (then they see your cv). One is called applied, if you want to google.

There's loads of free courses on LinkedIn. Well worth looking into and credible.

@likepeddlesonabeach

Thank you for the encouragement! My last job was awful and I was made to feel I wasn't worth more, so it's very much appreciated.

Blind recruitment sounds great, I have come across some companies doing that. Just what I need as I am in my late 30s with a patchy (to say the least) work history pre-degee. I'm already leaving my age/clues to age off my CV due to this! I am capable but also autistic so don't last long in full time service jobs.... not my skill set at all.

We never ask for certificates or courses but dependent on role may ask you to do a task as part of the interview process.

This would be something you'd be likely to do as part of your day to day role like create a spreadsheet or write a complaint response in word.

Microsoft have loads of free courses going from basic level to advanced and I think they give you free access to an office 365 environment to practice so if there's anything you wanted to brush up on I'd start there.