The emergence of remote working has grown from a novel thought to an increasingly sought-after business perk within the legal profession. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic mandating that all types of lawyers at all types of seniority level work from home, is remote working here to stay for the considerable future?
SecsintheCity – the UK’s number one job board for PAs, Secretaries and other office support professionals – has just published the findings of its 2019 Audience Insight Report.
In autumn 2019, 4,000 office support professionals responded to our annual salary survey, providing the details of their daily working lives for a report that allows you to benchmark your current earnings and find out more about the stories and statistics behind your profession.
Responses revealed that, at 8%, Legal Secretaries and PAs make up a significant portion of our audience, while 10% of respondents said they were crafting a career in the legal sector.
Due to the ongoing global coronavirus pandemic, the role of office support professionals has changed dramatically, with the office crucially now removed from the equation.
Working from home is a challenging prospect for EAs, PAs and office professionals alike, but remote work can open doors that previously may have been shut. One of the most profound benefits of working from home is the extra time you have on your hands. Remove the commute from the equation, and you’re left with time – both in the morning and the evening – which you can use to focus on yourself.
Returning to study after a period of time off can sometimes be a daunting task. People can be prevented from studying due to various reasons such as work commitments, health issues and looking after family. Whatever the reason, here is our advice to ease you into studying your course again with confidence:
Think ahead
Podcasts are a fantastic resource and so easy to listen to during your everyday life. Here are some of the best podcasts for Legal Secretaries and PAs:
Each episode presents Jess Gardiner, founder of The Assistant Room, talking to a different professional about their work, their career and their success stories in the PA sector. Starting life as an article feature on the site called ‘The PA Diaries’, this podcast is great for ambitious PAs. Not only is it inspiring and enjoyable, but it is also full of useful advice and tips.
Here is a selection of vacancies from our Legal Secretary Jobs Board this month:
Receptionist/Admin Support – David Conway & Co
Location: London
Salary: Negotiable
David Conway & Co is a successful niche west end law firm. They are seeking a full time employee to fill a new role, to take primary responsibility for “front of house” and a number of administration tasks that are currently spread across the office, as well as assisting with secretarial work from time to time.
View the full job description here:
https://www.institutelegalsecretaries.com/jobs/candidate/job/170373/
Receptionist/Junior Legal Secretary – Harcus Parker Limited
Location: London
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.