4/25/2006

Secretarial Services - legal secretary in England

THE ROLE

Legal secretaries assist in all aspects of running a law firm. The legal secretaries¡¦ jobs can include basic tasks such as word processing, audio-typing and dealing with general clerical work. Some legal secretary work can include meeting clients, arranging meeting and some even attend court or police cells.

Legal Secretary jobs can incorporate all areas of law - from criminal and civil law to property, family, corporate, private client and banking.

SKILLS and INTERESTS

- If you are looking for a Legal Secretary job you should:
- Have an interest in law
- Have excellent secretarial skills
- Be PC literate
- Be accurate and methodical
- Be discreet when dealing with confidential information
- Have a good standard of English, spelling and grammar
- Work well under pressure and be good a meeting deadlines
- Of course, a polite friendly manner helps!


A mix of these skills would provide a solid foundation for anyone looking for jobs as a legal secretary

Click here for Legal Secretary jobs

QUALIFICATIONS

There are no formal qualifications to becoming a Legal Secretary, athough a high standard of general education is required. To become a Legal Secretary office and administration experience is useful as is some existing knowledge of the law.

Career Development

Employers often offer on the job training. There are different pathways that lead to legal secretarial qualifications:

** The Institute of Legal Secretaries and PA¡¦s

The Institute of Legal Secretaries and PA¡¦s offer a diploma that¡¦s has been recognised as the most comprehensive qualification for Legal Secretaries. The diploma is extremely useful if you are looking for jobs as a Legal Secretary. The syllabus for the general diploma is divided into five main units:

Outline of the English Legal System
Outlines of the Law of Contract and the Law of Tort
Conveyancing and an outline of Land Law
Civil Litigation
Succession (Wills, Probate and Administration)


The Institute of Legal Secretaries and PA¡¦s also offers courses for Legal Secretaries who would like to specialise in one are of law.

The subjects covered are:
- Civil Litigation
- Company and Corporate Law
- Conveyancing
- Criminal Law and Practice
- Matrimonial Law and Family Practice Succession


Click here for Institute Of Legal Secretaries Website and further information: www.institutelegalsecretaries.com

** ILEX Legal Secretaries Certificate & Diploma

ILEX offer a Legal Secretaries Certificate (Level 2) and a Legal Secretaries Diploma (Level 3)

The ILEX Paralegal Programmes (ILEXPP) for Legal Secretaries are now considered the benchmark for those aspiring to or working in a legal environment as secretaries or personal assistants. Reflecting the National Standards in Administration, the programmes offer: a flexible route, no entry requirements (although a Grade C or above in English Language GCSE is desirable), a choice of when and where to study, task based assignments which are all accompanied by up to date training manuals.''

The ILEX Legal Secretaries Certificate covers the following areas:

Legal Word Processing
Administration in the Legal Environment
Communication Skills in the Legal Environment
Information Processing in the Legal Environment


The ILEX Legal Secretaries Diploma covers the following areas:


Advanced Legal Word Processing
Advanced Administration in the Legal Environment
Advanced Communication Skills in the Legal Environment
Advanced Information Processing in the Legal Environment


Click here for ILEXPP Website and further information on the ILEX Tutorial (Training to be a Legal Secretary) Web pages

** OCR (RSA) Legal Word Processing

OCR(RSA)offers specialised qualifications in legal text and legal word processing. The course is for those with previous word processing experience who wish to specialise in legal work. This programme is ideal for those who are in employment or wish to gain employment in the legal sector. You will be taught about the production of a range of documents in a legal context. Legal styles and formats. Legal terminology and English grammar are also covered Legal Text Processing is part of the OCR (Oxford, Cambridge and RSA) suite of qualifications in text processing which are widely recognised by employers as benchmark qualifications in text processing.

Candidates who are successful in achieving accreditation will be able to extend their range of text processing skills at intermediate level and progress to different optional units within the suite of units at Level 2 or to progress to the OCR Text Processing Advanced (Level 3) qualification.

Legal Secretaries work in all areas of law from solicitors offices, barristers chambers through to law courts, police stations and within in house legal teams. It is possible to start as a legal secretary and work towards becoming a legal executive, paralegal or a licensed conveyancer. You could even study for a law degree.

Legal Secretary Jobs

Copywrite Tony Heywood (c)

2006

4/19/2006

Secretarial Services-Outsourcing

How To Use Outsourcing To Beat Your Competition

Outsourcing is hiring outside professionals or services to take on part of your business workload. Businesses and entrepreneurs may want to outsource part of their work because they don't have the room, need an expert, have periodic busy periods, or need more production to get orders out on time. They outsource typing, administrative work, accounting, secretarial tasks, computer training, web design, programming and more. Below are ways to use outsourcing to beat your competition.

Those are some of the reasons why people need a secretarial service or virtual assistant. Sell your prospects on those benefits:

Outsourcing part of your workload you can save time and spend more time concentrating on beating your competition.

  • You won't have to take time training new employees.
  • You won't have to do time consuming tasks like adding on new equipment.
  • You won't have to learn a new software program or other equipment.
  • You won't have to interview employee candidates.
  • You won't have to fill out all the complicated employee paper work like tax forms, scheduling, retirement plans etc.
Outsourcing part of your workload you can save money and spend more money on marketing or advertising to beat your competition.
  • You won't have to buy extra office and other equipment.
  • You won't have to buy extra office or work space.
  • You won't have spend money on employee costs like; taxes, medical, vacation time, holidays, workers comp., unemployment costs etc. (these may vary by which country you do business).
There are many other ways outsourcing can help you beat your competition. Here are a few more:
  • The extra help can help you complete and deliver orders faster.
  • You could expand your market share by becoming the middleman and offering your subcontractors services or products.
  • You could end up getting orders from your subcontractors.
  • It will allow your business to take on extra or large orders.

4/18/2006

Secretarial Services - graphic design resources

Here are a few great graphic design resources you can use in your secretarial business.

http://www.icsid.org/ - Icsid IDA - International Council of Societies of Industrial Design

How to Become a Web Designer - http://www.at-home-typing.com/webdesign.html


4/17/2006

Secretarial Services - History of secretarial profession

History of the Secretarial Profession: Profession Advances in Information Age

Today, secretaries (also known as administrative assistants, virtual assistants, VAs, office coordinators, executive assistants, office managers, et al.) are using computers, the Internet, and other advanced office technologies to perform vital information management functions in the modern office.

Secretaries no longer simply type correspondence for the boss. Now, they often write that correspondence as well as plan meetings, organize data using spreadsheet and database management software, interact with clients, vendors, and the general public, supervise the office and other staff, handle purchasing, and even train other workers. Trends identified by IAAP research include:

  • Administrative professionals are becoming researchers and interpreters, not just disseminators of information.
  • Job descriptions are expanding and new titles are being created, such as administrative coordinator, office administrator, administrative specialist and information manager.
  • Employers are paying more for specialized skills such as desktop publishing and database management. In addition, many companies are providing performance-based bonuses to outstanding administrative support professionals to help acknowledge their contributions.


The future is bright for computer-literate, well-educated, customer service-savvy administrative professionals.

You can find out more about the secretarial profession at http://www.iaap-hq.org/

Find out more about starting a secretarial service business from home.

4/16/2006

Secretarial Services - Temperature affects typing errors

Temperature Affects Typing Errors/Performance

If your office is too cold, you might not be typing as accurately or as much as you could be. A landmark study shows that typing errors increase and typing performance decreases as office temperatures drop.

In a study evaluating the impact of indoor environmental conditions on worker productivity, Cornell University ergonomics professor Alan Hedge found a 74 percent increase in typing mistakes and a 46 percent reduction in typing output when office temperatures fell from 77 F to 68 F. The findings were presented in June at the 2004 Eastern Ergonomics Conference in New York City.

During the study, Hedge placed HOBO data loggers (from Onset Computer Corporation) or miniature temperature recorders at nine workstations at the Insurance Office of America's corporate headquarters in Orlando, Florida. The loggers sampled air temperature every 15 minutes for an entire working month. This data then was correlated with a month's worth of ergonomic data to show how typing performance worsened as temperatures fell.

Hedge says: "Temperature is certainly a key variable that can impact performance. As employees typed, we knew the amount of time they were keying and the amount of time they were making error corrections. At 77 degrees Fahrenheit, employees were keying 100 percent of the time with a 10 percent error rate while at 68 degrees Fahrenheit, the keying rate went down to 54 percent of the time with a 25 percent error rate. This study shows that when employees get chilly, at least in this case, they are not working to their full potential."

Hedge estimated that the decreased productivity resulted in a 10 percent increase in labor cost per worker per hour.

Keep the temperature in your home office comfortable and your fingers warm to reduce typing errors and increase performance.

You can find a detailed presentation about this study at http://ergo.human.cornell.edu/CUEHEECE_IEQDown.html.

4/14/2006

Secretarial Services - The Growth of the virtual assistant

'Virtual Heroes': The Growth of the Virtual Assistant
By Michelle Payne-Gale

Building and expanding a business is a difficult task, when the management of the business in its existing form takes up much of the time. The administrative, office-based and creative tasks behind running a business, although time-consuming and often repetitive, are vital to the continued operations of the business. With the explosion of opportunities on the Internet, and moves towards a global economy, an extensive range of businesses is finding that they can greatly benefit from the help of a Virtual Assistant.

Definition of a Virtual Assistant

Virtual Assistants (VAs) are independent, trained professionals who provide support in terms of administrative, office, creative, technical, managerial and personal. Their skills and talents can be focused on carrying out various important daily and weekly tasks for clients, working on projects or campaigns, or even as far as becoming vital partners in the running and operations of companies. VAs work on a contract basis and from their own premises, using the very latest in electronic and advanced methods of communication, allowing them to cross geographical boundaries without issue.

The Skills and Services of the VA

VAs' are professionals who have been trained and gained experience in areas, roles and companies that are directly related to, or expressed in the services that they offer. Their skills cover a large range of office-based activities, including secretarial, administrative, creative, marketing, research, organisational, book-keeping and accounting, and specialist secretarial services for legal and medical firms. Tasks that a VA will carry out include word processing, audio typing, proof-reading, article and newsletter writing, spreadsheet & database management, diary management, events organising, travel arrangements, Internet research, web design and marketing campaigns.

Conveniences to the Client

The need for, and convenience of VAs is growing rapidly, with small and medium sized businesses looking to outsource more and more of their tasks, for various reasons. They are ideal for clients who are not in a position to afford a new staff member, or looking to engage in one-off projects over fixed time scales where a new and permanent member of staff would be expensive and impractical. The client also benefits from not having to worry about employee benefits, holiday and sick pay, pensions, space, equipment and other items related to permanent members of staff.

Geographical Coverage of the VA

VAs enjoy and offer the benefit of being relatively unrestricted geographically. Clients have been known to utilise services of VAs located several miles from them, even in different countries. Electronic mail, fax, telephone and the Internet allows for assignments and projects to be completed between the client and the VA, without suffering issues that can occur with being unable to meet, differences in time zones and excessive amounts of paperwork.

Growth of Virtual Business Opportunities

The world of the Virtual business is growing and expanding into other areas of business. At one time, the virtual world was used as a support tool for the other business operations that took place in the physical world, but recently there has been a sharp increase in companies who are choosing to operate the majority of their business online. Examples of business types that are maintaining a solely online presence are Law Firms, Managers, PAs, Market Researchers, Auditors, Florists, Journalists and Real Estate firms. This list is by no means exhaustive, and is rapidly growing.

Summary

‘Virtual Assistant’ is still a relatively new term in the business world, but the profession is taking shape rapidly. More and more businesses are realising the benefits of using a VA, and appreciate the advantages of being able to delegate tasks out to an individual who is already trained and experienced, flexible, and will only charge for the work done and time taken. With so many skilled and varied Virtual Assistant services out there, finding one to match your business should be a piece of cake!

Michelle Payne-Gale, owner of Essence Business & Admin Support Services, specialises in Virtual administration, Marketing, & creative support for start-ups and growing businesses. Additional articles are available at: http://www.essence-services.co.uk. View the Essence blog at http://essence05.blogspot.com. She is also an active partner in the creation of a new Caribbean tourism website, http://www.stay-in-antigua.com.

4/13/2006

Secretarial Services - planning success

Plan Your Success In Seven Ways
By Sue And Chuck DeFiore

Many businesses lose money yearly because they don’t think creatively about the future. They run their businesses doing what they think they should: dealing with customers, dealing with problems, ordering for their business, and paying their expenses. They act like their business is a job. They are surviving and that’s it. They are not looking at the big picture. They need to use their business as a stepping stone to success. Picturing themselves as a successful business person, and setting up a plan to succeed.

Many of the businesses today are started by people who have been downsized or laid off. They are used to showing up for a job and getting paid, and this is how they are operating their business.

The first thing you must do is to find out what you are really good at. Many people want to know, “How can I make more money?” Unfortunately too many business people never ask themselves, “What am I good at?” They need to do so, and then ask it again every time they want to do something new. This is one of the biggest reasons businesses fail. The owners did not focus on what they were good at and did best. This does not mean you can’t try something different. What it does mean that it is best to go with the skills and experience you already have.

The second thing you need to do is take an objective look at yourself. Take a piece of paper and write down what you can and can’t do. Picture yourself hiring you. Would you hire yourself? Would you be impressed? What do you know best? What are your hobbies? Can you turn that hobby into a business? Remember you work best at something you enjoy.

I was an exceptional secretary, so I started a word processing business. I loved typing and taking dictation by telephone, writing up letters, proposals and setting up identity packages. However, I hated having to drive around town to pick up and deliver projects, and cold calling for business. So after losing money, I shut down the business. A couple of years later I started another business where I was the assistant to businesses, but worked from my home. I got to do all the secretarial aspects, but out of a home office. All I had to do was send flyers and mailers to independent contractors. I also worked with answering services for referrals and gave them business, plus a cut of my fee.

What this means is you need to discover what your likes and dislikes are. People like to work at things they do well. They enjoy themselves more. A test for you is to think back over the last couple of days. Then make a list of the things you enjoyed doing. Think about when you were the happiest and what you were doing.

The third thing you need to think about and be able to recognize is: What your competitive edge is. After you do the above test and find out what your strengths are, you will find that some of these strengths give you an advantage over your competition. Do your particular strengths and abilities help you provide exceptional customer service? Can you do something or produce something that others can’t?

If you already have an edge over others, put it to use. Make your customers aware of your unique qualities. The way to accomplish this is to be sure any advertising or promotional campaign you employ highlights your unique selling points.

The fourth thing you need to do is to plan ahead. While your business concept or product might be unique now, as we know people love to copy what is successful. So you need to plan for the long run. You need to be aware of what your competition is doing and keep your customers coming back.

The fifth thing is that just because there are things you don’t like about your business, doesn’t mean you give up. Yes, there are going to be certain things you like better than others. Every business person feels this way. However, if you don’t like anything about what you are doing, then you might want to start a new business. Be sure before you do so, you give yourself the above test.

The sixth thing is sometimes you just need to make some changes in your business. See if there are certain things you can cut out of your business, a product or service, which you might not enjoy and it is not a profit center for you. Then drop it, and concentrate on those things that are generating a profit.

Maybe you need to make changes to make your job easier, such as buying new software, or a new computer system. Maybe hiring someone on a part time basis could take some of the workload off your shoulders, and allow you to concentrate on other business matters.

And last but not least is to be sure you take what you’ve learned about yourself, and set up a plan for your business for the future. Don’t forget to write down what you’re good at and ways that you can apply your skills to making money. You can take this information about your skills and put it in your promotional materials. Be sure you always have a notebook (or a voice recorder) with you to joint down notes to yourself, new business ideas to try. You want to be sure when you do write these things down that you also put a date next to them to implement that idea or strategy. This will give you goals to work for. Be sure to put these goals in a prominent place in your office. I put my goals on index cards and then put the index cards on my desk, on my calendar, and on my bulletin board. By having your goals visible to you, it will help you to stay on track. And, that is what it is all about – keeping your business growing and prospering.

Secretarial Services - Increase your typing speed

Improve Your Typing Skills In Just Two Weeks
By John Deprice

Yes, you too can double or even triple your typing speed if you use the right tools. Here is how:

Typing Master Express:

TypingMaster Express is a personal typing trainer that helps you to acquire professional touch-typing skills. As a result you will type up to 4 times faster without errors and save dozens of valuable working hours every year. The comprehensive study material covers both the basics of touch-typing as well as advanced topics, such as the numeric keypad and ergonomics. Learning is supported by multi-form exercises, including graphical keyboard drills, instructive games and personalised review exercises.

Free Download: http://www.deprice.com/typingmasterexpress.htm

Typing Master Pro With ProTrainer

TypingMaster Pro for Windows is a personal typing trainer that helps you to acquire professional touch-typing skills. As a result you will type up to 4 times faster without errors and save dozens of valuable working hours every year. TypingMaster incorporates ProTrainer technology which analyzes your typing while you are using your word processor, email or any other Windows program. Based on this information ProTrainer creates fully tailored exercises for your current needs. This will remarkably improve your typing speed and accuracy - as quickly as in two hours.

Free Download: http://www.deprice.com/typingmasterpro.htm

Ten Thumbs Typing Tutor

Ten Thumbs Typing Tutor teaches the skill of touch typing (typing with all the fingers without looking at the keys) in an accessible step-by-step way. Ten Thumbs has received critical acclaim for its easy-to-use, step-by-step approach to learning keyboard skills. The program is suitable for learners of all ages, and is used in schools, at home, in colleges, universities and industry, including call centers and financial services organizations. Learn using full and proper QWERTY or Dvorak tuition with U.S and British keyboard support.

The rich, customizable feature set includes network support, a range of feedback options and automatic weighting of lessons to get you learning most effectively. A well rounded product with appealing visual interface, additional tips and advice and even tutorials on how to sit at your computer!

Free Download: http://www.deprice.com/tenthumbstypingtutor.htm

John Deprice owns and operates http://www.deprice.com

4/11/2006

Start-Up Cost for Secretarial Services

Start-Up Cost for Secretarial Services
Copyright © 2005-2006 Leva Duell

Here's what you'll need to start a secretarial business and what the estimated start-up cost is.

You can start your secretarial business with just a computer, printer, a few business cards, and a pack of paper. You can get additional equipment and supplies later.

• Computer. Any computer will get you started. You don’t need a high-end computer for word processing. However, if you want to provide graphic design or web design services, then you'll want to get the best computer you can afford.
Cost: From $200 for a used computer to $800-$2500 for a new computer.
You can find used computers in your local newspaper and specialized local computer publications.

• Software: Most computers come with a word processing program. I recommend using Microsoft Word as soon as you can afford it because that's what most of your clients will have.
Cost: Check http://www.microsoft.com for current prices.

• Printer: I recommend a laser printer but many secretarial services use an inexpensive inkjet printer.
Cost: From $20 for a used inkjet printer to $600-$2000 for a laser printer.
Check: http://www.hp.com/ and http://www.canon.com/

• Desk. You can get a small computer desk or use a table.
Cost: $30 and up. You have many choices for $100-$200.

• Computer chair. Choose one that feels comfortable to you. The more expensive chairs are not necessarily the most comfortable ones. Check the office supply stores below.
Cost: $30-$200.

• Office supplies. Supplies you may need include paper to print your clients' work, printer cartridge, pens, paper clips, envelopes, a filing system, and a stapler.
Cost: Check local office supply stores such as Office Depot (http://www.officedepot.com), OfficeMax (http://www.officemax.com), and Staples (http://www.staples.com). Or order their catalogs.

• Telephone: I recommend getting a separate phone line from the beginning.
Cost: Check with your local phone company.

• Business cards: Printed business cards will look more professional than cards you print on your own printer one sheet at the time.
Cost: $20-$200 for a set of 500 to 1000 business cards.

• Business license.
Cost: $20-$100 depending on the city and county.

If you already have a computer, a word processing program and a printer, your start-up cost is minimal. You can start your secretarial business with some basic office supplies and buy additional equipment or software later when a project requires it.

--------------------------------------------------------You can reprint this article on your web site if you include this Resource Box: Looking for typing work at home? Start a secretarial business. The Secretarial-Business-in-a-Box provides instant tools you need to start and run a successful secretarial service. F*ree articles and business start-up newsletter at http://www.startasecretarialbusiness.com.