Applying for a job but no direct experience

maryroberts

I'd like to apply for a job advertised for Legal Secretary - it says experience preferred but not essential as training available.

I have many years experience in office admin and I've always been very interested in the legal profession.

Do you think it's worth my while applying for this job, or does it sound as though they are either after

a) A young person to train up (I am not so young!)
b) someone who has a legal secretarial qualification (which I don't have)

I can imagine there being loads of applications - would mine stand a chance ?

kingfisherblue

You need to tailor your application to show the skills that you do have, and how they will benefit the company if they decide to employ you. Adding that you are willing to underake any additional training (providing you are!) may also help.

ALittleInLove

My personal opinion is that with the current employment market, experience is far more important than qualifications. You can learn the technical aspects on the job or through extra training however the skills required can be harder to learn for example the legal knowledge without a competent telephone manner is no good to anyone.

Speaking from personal experience, i have a law degree but very little office experience and i know that some of the positions i have applied for and been unsuccessful in have been filled but those with no legal training.

It very much depends on the firm but it's definately worth trying for as there is every chance you will be considered.

maryroberts

Thanks for the encouragement - working on my CV now!

1940sGal

Definitely apply. The worse they can do is say no. If you're unsuccessful, ask them why, then you know for the future. But it's certainly worth applying.

Glass_Half_Empty??

maryroberts wrote: »

I'd like to apply for a job advertised for Legal Secretary - it says experience preferred but not essential as training available.

I have many years experience in office admin and I've always been very interested in the legal profession.

Do you think it's worth my while applying for this job, or does it sound as though they are either after

a) A young person to train up (I am not so young!)
b) someone who has a legal secretarial qualification (which I don't have)

I can imagine there being loads of applications - would mine stand a chance ?

My ex had a law degree and still struggled to get anywhere near a legal secretary job. Not saying your experience counts for nothing but the firms she went for in Nottingham all required experience AND a law degree. I'm not saying this to make you feel bad, but if you want it then you may have to stand out massively as this was a time well before the recession and there were more "jobs" about then.
Good luck :j

princessdon

apply and good luck x

westv

1940sGal wrote: »

Definitely apply. The worse they can do is say no. If you're unsuccessful, ask them why, then you know for the future. But it's certainly worth applying.

I very much doubt any reply (if you're lucky to get one in the first place) will be of any use.

hardworking_mummy

One of my closest friends is a legal secretary. She left school at 16 with only a couple of G.C.S.E's and a typing qualification (we are now hurtling towards 40), and has been in the same field of work since. From what I gather from hearing her talk about work, a huge percentage of her day is audio typing so I would imagine experience of that coupled with an excellent wpm typing speed is essential, and of more use than a law degree! She has moved between small independent and large multinational law firms and the skills required for both have differed. In the smaller firms they need more of an all rounder - she has acted like a legal exec in some of these and her experience of legal terminology has helped. However in the larger firms she described it more like being a battery hen - sat in a typing pool. If you had work you did it - if you didn't you sat there and were bored. I would imagine excellent office skills, coupled with an incredibly organised nature (she has saved her company and her scatter brained boss's hide on more than one occasion) will be invaluable. The circumstances and opportunities of where I live may differ hugely to where you are, but my friend has never been out of work once since the age of 16 and she has basically been able to pick and choose the jobs she has had. I would say go for it. All you have to lose is the cost of a stamp!