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Key Steps to Getting a Legal Secretary Job

Published on: 24 Jan 2018

The New Year is a time for new beginnings and one of the most popular resolutions is finding a new job or changing career. Many recruiters advertise new opportunities in the New Year, and they’re looking for good candidates who stand out in the crowd. If you want to start your career as a Legal Secretary the Institute of Legal Secretaries and PAs (ILSPA) are here to help.

Here’s ILSPA’s key steps to getting a job as a Legal Secretary:

Prepare for your job search with a high-quality CV and cover letter

To get your dream job you need to market yourself. Think of yourself as the product and the prospective employer as the customer. Your CV is the first chance you get to make the best impression on a recruiter.

A top-quality CV will boost your chances of getting a face-to-face interview, so it is essential that you include your relevant skills and experience. Pay special attention to the cover letter, use this to catch an employer’s attention and give a brief overview of why you’re the best candidate for the role.

Ensure you have the skills, experience and attributes required

Employers can be very selective in choosing the right person for the job and they look for those who have the relevant skills and experience required for the role.

Make sure you include any relevant qualifications needed for the role, for example, if you have achieved a Legal Secretary qualification. Don’t worry if you don’t have legal secretary experience, demonstrate your transferable skills, which you have acquired through another job.

Have a positive attitude

As well as having the necessary skills, experience and attributes for the role it is important to have a positive attitude. You can find some great articles in ILSPA’s online Legal Secretary Journal which cover such topics as harnessing the power of positive thinking, communicating assertively and gaining confidence skills.

Apply for positions

Whether you’re looking for a job to start your career as a Legal Secretary, or your looking for the next step up, apply for positions based on your abilities and qualifications. There are various roles available for Legal Secretaries, from junior and trainee positions to those that require a Legal Secretary qualification, and experience.

Attending interviews

Think ahead about what questions you may be asked in the interview, and make sure that you’re prepared to answer anything in a positive and confident manner.

The purpose of an interview is to provide your prospective employer with the opportunity to judge your suitability for the job. Interviews can differ from firm to firm and person to person, so be ready for different approaches and techniques. You may also want to think about questions to ask when you attend your interview.

Show your enthusiasm for the role and ask as much as you can about the position offered. When the interview comes to an end, establish what the next step will be. Make sure that you know when you can expect to hear from the firm and what will happen next.

And Finally

If you apply for a position and you do not hear back, keep persevering. Recruiters can sometimes receive hundreds of applications for one job and do not have the time to respond to each one. They may be looking for certain criteria which you don’t meet but there will be plenty of other vacancies you can apply.

If you attend an interview but don’t get the job, see it as a positive experience. Ask for feedback and think about how you can do better in the next interview.

Careful planning and preparation is essential for an effective job search. Good luck in securing employment as a Legal Secretary. Please do not hesitate to contact ILSPA if you need further guidance.

The Institute of Legal Secretaries and PAs (ILSPA) is a professional body who are dedicated to your career every step of the way. Whether you would like to become a Legal Secretary or you would like to advance your Legal Secretary career, they are there to support you through your journey.  For more information visit www.institutelegalsecretaries.com.