Knowing how to start your CV is bound to set you apart from the rest.

There it is – the job opportunity you’ve been waiting for. The criteria reflect your experience; the responsibilities excite you and the benefits are just the cherry on top.

There’s just one problem: your CV hasn’t been updated in quite some time and could certainly do with a rewrite. If recruiters spend an average of six seconds looking at a CV before deciding whether to read on or skip to the next one, first impressions are paramount to your success. Faced with an empty template, there’s a good chance you’re wondering how to start your CV. Fortunately, we’ve broken the process up into seven easy steps you can follow to create a winning professional resumé:

1.    Pick a simple format

Writing your personal statement can certainly be tough, but this easy how-to should help.

It’s the first thing a prospective employer will read when they open your CV – for that reason, it’s also the first thing many ambitious job hunters struggle with when making their application.

On the surface, the task of writing a summary of your value as an employee seems straightforward: it’s only a few lines, after all. Yet, considering the competition in the market and the fact that even one spelling or grammar mistake can cause your resumé to be discarded, there’s a lot resting on the profile section of your CV.

Credibility, the quality of being trusted and believed in. One of the most valuable and buildable assets that all Assistants must treat as pivotal to their professional success.

While it is essential to embark on your own journey of continuous professional development, it is important to remember one thing; credibility cannot be learnt in a classroom or over night. Credibility in the workplace is an essential professional asset developed and utilised by the most successful people in the office. Combining a strong set of hard skills with a robust set of soft skills, your level of credibility ultimately defines you as either simply proficient or as a bona fide A-game Assistant. 

ILSPA has put together some guidance to help you adapt to the current situation you might be in. If you are working from home, you will find some suggestions on how to work effectively during this time.

Staying Productive

As this may be the first time that you have had to schedule your working day from home, start with getting ready for the day like you would if you were going into the office. Set a morning routine of getting dressed, making your breakfast at a set time and doing whatever else you need to do to be ready for the day ahead.

Confidence in the workplace is a combination of what you know, what you’re willing to learn, and your own internal belief. Focus on developing yourself in all three areas and you will be well on your way to feeling and acting as the confident and dependable professional you know you are. Do it correctly and it can lead to promotions, salary increases, access to new projects, and a better work/life balance.

So how do you do you build your confidence in the workplace? Take a look at our six tips to get you on the right track.

SELF DEVELOPMENT

Ten years ago, the role of a personal assistant was heavily centred around administrative skills – typing, minute taking, diary management and so on. Now, as we enter a new decade, it is safe to say that the role of the PA has evolved along with technology and a shift in working practices.

Today, the duties of a Personal Assistant stretch far beyond admin – they are now taking on more and more responsibility in the lives of their bosses, clients and the companies they work for.

The role of a modern PA is constantly changing, and no one knows it better than PAs themselves. In this article, we highlight some key skills and top tips that will help you excel as a PA in 2020.

Project Management

This month, we will consider how you can go about conducting your own legal research and the approach taken by some lawyers for this common legal task.

Where to research the law

There are two main categories of materials you can consider when researching a legal question:

1. Primary sources of the law

2. Secondary sources

Legal case management systems (CMS) are software programs that are designed to help lawyers and law firms manage their cases. They provide the firm with one central location to store and track all client data. This includes things such as contact information, case notes and documents, appointment scheduling and history, client communications, and billing.

If you are a Legal Secretary working in a law firm, you may find a large part of your work is associated with one of these programs. Programs will differ from firm to firm depending on the company’s specific needs, so rarely are two programs exactly the same, although there will be similarities.

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

Team Secretary – Sherrards

Location: St Albans

Salary: Up to £28,000

Sherrards are looking for a full-time Property Team Secretary to join the team in their St Albans office.

This is an excellent opportunity to join a collaborative team, supporting Partners and Heads of Departments.

View the full job description here:          

https://www.institutelegalsecretaries.com/jobs/candidate/job/171257/

Legal Secretary Immigration – David T Wade & Co 

Location: London

Salary: £18,000

As the cost of the services of a talented Solicitor or Barrister skyrockets, and a reduction in legal aid continues, fewer consumers are finding that they can afford costly legal services. They are searching for an alternative.

Paralegals are emerging as that alternative, but the profession still remains an unknown quantity to all but the professional Paralegals themselves, particularly in the eyes of qualified lawyers, who believe Paralegals are simply “would-be Solicitors”.