PA/ Secretarial advice, please

I have noticed a lot of secretarial jobs wanting an ECDL qualification or RSA - typing/administration etc. type qualification.

Not sure about PA jobs though. I did an ECDL course a few years ago and found it quite good.

Are there courses that you could maybe do that could be free. I'm in Scotland and if you earn under a certain amount, ILA give you so much towards a course.
I'm now doing a book-keeping course, which was free. There will probably be something similar in England.

I think it would really depend upon what's required on the job. Typing is essential but i've been in the same job since I was 16 and I only have RSA I, II, III in Typing and Word Processing and IBT levels 1,2,3. I've never even heard of a PA Diploma, I would think the experience would be key to the employers.

Hi Orly,

I work in HR and recruit a fair few PAs/secretaries - It would probably depend on the area you're looking to work in, we're in the media/creative sector so don't have much call for traditional PA skills ie shorthand, audio typing etc but do need people with really good powerpoint, diary management etc. But industries such as law/accounting etc probably have more call for traditional skills.

We generally look more for experience than particular qualifications so £3k does sound like an awful lot of money, unless you don't really have the basic skills (typing etc) at all at the moment. But I can't speak for other industries who may look for these - might be worth calling a few recruitment agencies and asking what kind of qualifications employers in the sectors you're interested in generally need?

I'm a secretary/PA, and I've only done 2 courses - a day for minute taking, and a day of powerpoint - both within organisations when the chance came up rather than independent courses IYSWIM. My typing speed is approx 50 wpm just from years of computer use (ie at university). I have only been in one temp role where shorthand would have been really useful (I've never learnt it), but it really depends on the job. This was a role where the MD had very long meetings which needed minuting and the PAs were also asked to sit in on disciplinaries and take notes, for which you needed to be VERY accurate.

I also got my first London job which had audio typing as a main requirement having never used the machine before.

TBH, if you have the time and money, then these courses can probably help boost your CV, but if you are fairly confident typing and using Office then I would try your luck getting a job first. In every job I've learned a new skill - audio typing, Lotus notes, diary management, etc - just by doing.

Good luck!

Hi Orly, I do the job that you are interested in and I can say for a start that I don't have any secretarial training whatsoever! It's very true what CB says about diary management and microsoft platforms. Before I worked as a PA I also did customer service type roles - administration in an insurance company and coordination within medical engineering. It's really about tailoring your CV to show your talents in the best light I think - also some places often advertise 'entry PA' level roles - learning on the job really is the best experience. If you can get some training gratis then it's worth doing, but I definitely would not say it's a pre-requisite for being able to get a role as a PA.

If it helps I can email you my CV to give you an idea of how I identified transferable skills within my own experience. Ironically I too am looking for a new job at the moment (my commute is becoming unbearable and our company is restructuring) so it's very up to date and getting good feedback (an interview tomorrow and some calls to return, so that's encouraging).

I was a legal secretary for about 8 years before I qualified as a Legal Exec. I did evening classes at college to get my RSA qualifications and didn't really need anything else that I couldn't learn on the job. £3k seems an awful lot of money to spend on a course and as someone else said, experience is probably more important.

Best of luck with whatever you end up doing!

Gem

x

CB & SLD are right there is no substitute for learning on the job. It is important to be able to type accurately and quickly, to be good on the telephone, to stay calm under pressure, be personable with people yet not let them walk all over you, be organised and able to organise someone else is important as is being able to prioritise. Everything else (computer systems etc) generally vary from company to company so i think as long as you have a good general knowledge of using computers I wouldn't get too hung up on learning exactly how different programmes work - although Outlook, Word & Excel will no doubt stand in you very good stead.

I've been a legal secretary/PA for coming up to 9 years now and still i'm learning new things everyday!

Good luck with it all, i'm sure you will be a great success in your new career.?

Hi Orly,

I'm a PA - worked in several industries but the last 6-7 have all been in financial sector.

I've only faced 1 job that wanted a secretarial qualification. Most jobs these days want a-levels or a degree however, especially for the more senior roles.

If you have a decent typing speed (above 40 appears to be classed as decent by agencies - they fall off their chairs at my nearly 80wpm), can spell (again, I get full marks on spelling tests which is a rarity), and can use word, powerpoint & excel then you'll be fine.

It's all about experience and being able to learn on the job, as SLD said. When I started I had no experience apart from computer skills and a level head.

If you want advice on good agencies to register with I'm more than happy to give you some. But personally I would save your £3K and maybe buy a guide to MS Office packages - I got one for about £15 when I first moved to London and it was a fantastic aid.

The place I'm currently contracting is looking for a PA for the CIO. This is the person spec, for a job paying 20-25k plus 3k london weighting.

Essential

Desirable

Education & Qualifications

Degree or equivalent qualification /experience in management/business administration

ECDL qualification

RSA level 3 or ability

Experience

Five years general office experience plus a minimum of three years experience in a similar senior level position

Familiarity with NHS organizational structures and processes

First-hand experience of servicing formal boards and committees

Knowledge of programme management control

Experience of working in a dynamic environment and demonstrable ability to deliver to tight deadlines

Experience of supervising tasks/people

Experience of running effective administrative systems and processes

Ability to use a variety of information and reporting systems and produce presentation material independently.

Skills & Abilities

Excellent verbal and written communication skills

Shorthand

Ability to produce high quality reports and other documentation: well presented, relevant, accurate and succinct

Familiarity with document management systems e.g.File CM

Excellent organizational and prioritization skills

A high degree of accuracy with numbers and an eye for detail

Creative and lateral thinking abilities

Skilled in the use of MS Office, Outlook, and other standard windows applications, including use of the Internet website

Minimum 50 wpm typing speed

An eagerness to learn new skills, technologies and to undertake training as appropriate

Personal Qualities

Ability to work under pressure often without direct supervision, to tight deadlines and/or a complex workload

Ability to manage and prioritise workload appropriately

Excellent interpersonal skills, including ability to dovetail with the activities of staff members

Confidence, credibility, tact and diplomacy in dealings with all levels of people across a range of organizations

To maintain discretion and confidentiality as appropriate

Flexibility in approach, adaptable to organizational change

Energy, enthusiasm and initiative

Patient, helpful and approachable

Team player

I don't know how that compares with your skills / experience but it might be helpful as an idea of what some organisations may be looking for,

Thanks everybody for your comments, and I'm so glad it's not just me that thinks 3K is a lot of money. (I've found others that are cheaper - but I'm still not 100 convinced). I think I'll be better doing the ECDL, a typing course of some sort and possibly shorthand. I agree that experience is better than a set of certificates - but until I get another job, then I can't get any more experience - so it's a bit of a catch 22 situation at the moment.

SLD, if I could see how you've laid out your CV and presented your experience that would be really great, thank you. (My email address is *.*@********.***)

Cherry Bomb & Boop - thanks for pointing me in the right direction of actually researching the job. (Not sure why I didn't think of those things)

Alison76, if you know any good agencies, that would be fantastic, thank you.

Yet again, Hitched rocks. I love this place ! Thank you ?

I didn't work in an office since my YTS. After loads of other jobs, I decided to get back into it. I did the ECDL and went through agencies and got a temp job for a year. then the one I'm in now, which was to cover maternity. I've been here 5 years now.

going through an agency is probably the way to go, to get the experience and in the meantime get some qualifications.

good luck with the job hunting.

I'm a PA /admin manager and got my experience through a combination of on the job training and college courses - I have ECDL / IBT3 / HNC in Business IT as well as a couple of management qualifications. I have no typing qualifications or shorthand qualifications but am self taught in touch typing and Teeline shorthand (much easier than Pitman by all accounts).

As everyone has said experience is a huge part of it and if you're a PA for one individual or a small team is learning their little quirks is key! Which you can only get to know by getting on with it. ECDL would be a good starting point and keep applying for PA or senior secretary roles (experience of the latter can help get into the former). Regarding shorthad courses - I would really recommend Teeline but if you can do it yourself you'll save a few quid - I started to attend a course but all the tutor did was record herself reading from the text book (available anywhere) for you to use as dictation! Waste of money!

Good luck!