When looking for work as a Legal Secretary, one of the first things that we advise our Members to do is to ensure their CVs are tailored for Legal Secretary positions. We receive many CVs from people who want help in securing employment and we often notice that people are not including the information that recruiters need to see.

Your CV is your first impression on a potential employer so it is essential that you get it right. Recruiters sometimes receive a great deal of applications for an advertised vacancy, so your CV needs to stand out and highlight your Legal Secretary skills.

Coming from a completely non-legal background, Hollie Nixon was unsure of the best way to start her career as a Legal Secretary. Upon hearing about ILSPA through a fellow student on her Open University degree, she decided to take the plunge and enrol for our Diploma. Now, less than a year later, Hollie has secured her first Legal Secretary position. We caught up with her to find out why she believes her Diploma was so important during her job search, and what advice she would give to other people looking to start working in the profession.

How did you hear about ILSPA?

Last autumn we considered the impact of a 2018 ruling by the Supreme Court about the state of relationships in Britain. Specifically we reviewed how the law on civil partnerships was to be changed to allow couples of the opposite sex who did not wish to get married to have some legal recognition. In the case, the Supreme Court made a declaration that the current law was not compatible with Human Rights legislation. As a result, the government confirmed that it would change the law to allow any couple to register as civil partners. Unfortunately the rules contained in the Civil Partnership Act 2004 (CPA 2004) have not yet been changed.

Personal relations and the connections that you make can define your career: they can help you secure roles in particular firms; effect who you end up working alongside; they can even help you win or lose your firm clients. Whether you enjoy it or not, law demands that you network.

Networking is really a skill in itself, and it is one that those wishing to enter the legal profession at any level would do well to master. It is normal to be worried about what to talk about in front of other professionals at first, but it’s easy to become a networking pro with a little bit of preparation and practice. Simply Law Jobs have set out this simple guide to help you ease into networking and fine tune these essential skills. 

1. What’s it all about?

When embarking on a career as a Legal Secretary or advancing your expertise within your role as a Legal Secretary, it will be necessary for you to study a course which provides you with the knowledge and skills needed for the job.

No matter how proactive, organised or positive you are, anyone can have a bad day. Whether it’s a change in schedule for an important piece of work, a busy period in the year or even office politics, sometimes your workday can seem insurmountable.

When you have those days, it is easy to feel completely overwhelmed, but there are some steps you can take to make things more manageable. This article provides some solutions to help you get your day back on track.

Take a step back

It may seem like such a simple thing, but by taking the time to gather yourself and take a deep breath, you will allow yourself to find clarity in a situation. By gathering your thoughts and looking at everything objectively, rather than being caught up in the eye of the storm, you will be able to move on to the next step.

In this age of text-speak and abbreviations, it is quite common for emails to drift into an informal format. When messaging your friends or family, this is completely acceptable; however, it can easily lead to a lazy style of emailing when contacting organisations. This can infer that you don’t care, or be taken as rudeness, and you certainly do not want those connotations within your professional life. This article highlights the key things to remember when writing a professional email. If you follow these rules, you are less likely to make an error in an emailed job application, when contacting organisations, or when sending an email for work. Following the simple rules below will ensure that your emails always represent you in the most professional way.

Format

As part of your job search and to ensure you secure interviews, you should get into the habit of submitting a covering letter alongside your CV, even if is not a requirement. A covering letter is a great opportunity to showcase your relevant skills and attributes in more detail. Today we will share with you our step by step guide on a successful covering letter.

Craig Harris is a multi-award winning Executive Assistant, who currently works for Shelter UK. Some of his recent awards include our trusted partner SecsintheCity’s Social Media PA of the Year 2018 and Pitman’s Super Achiever PA of the Year 2017. Having forged an impressive and successful career as an Assistant, Craig is now working to promote inclusion and diversity within the profession.

In January 2018 he co-founded the LGBT Admin and Assistant Network, and dedicates much of his time to speaking publicly about his aim to be a role model for all Assistants, especially aspiring male Assistants considering making the leap to the profession.

Here is a selection of vacancies from our Legal Secretary Jobs Board this month:

Legal Secretary – Benson Mazure  

Location: London

Salary: £25,000 - £30,000

A well established, small, friendly and busy practice in the heart of the West end are looking to recruit a Legal Secretary.

You will be required to assist the Partners in the practice and work as part of a team.

View the full job description here:          

https://www.institutelegalsecretaries.com/jobs/candidate/job/143532/

Junior Secretary – Judge Sykes Frixou   

Location: London

Salary: Negotiable