Question for Secretaries/PAs

skintandscared_2

I know that the secretarial/PA role has changed dramatically over the years. I've been a legal secretary for 27 years, at Chairman/PA level for the past 20.

My main boss is retiring soon and I will then be working for a younger partner (it's a law firm). My "old school" boss kept me pretty busy with his work and personal matters but I know that my new, much younger, boss won't need the same kind of assistance - he's very computer literate and can manage a lot more tasks himself.

I've decided this is the perfect opportunity to learn new software and suggest introducing new practices such as efiling, which my new boss will be far more comfortable with than my current boss is. I want to learn the software that our marketing team use to create brochures, so I can do that within the team. I also want to be trained to use the research software that the fee earners use so I can get more involved there too.

I just wondered if any current PAs or secretaries carried out any "extra mile" tasks for their bosses/teams that they found enhanced their role and made their contribution more rewarding?

I should add that the field of law I work in is very specialised, and doing the ILEX course wouldn't be of any benefit unless I left the department, which I really don't want to do.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

duckandcover

Hi, you sound really enthusiastic which is going to be a great asset to any company

I'm not a secretary or PA, although my role (in a smallish growing company) is very varied and covers a bit of everything from admin and logistics, purchasing, legal compliance, some accounts processing etc. I feel that "going the extra mile" is always very rewarding, as it makes you feel better about yourself and your own contribution within the team, and shows that you're more than happy to take anything that comes at you.

I'd say that you sound like you'll be in a good position when your new person arrives as it will be a good opportunity to develop news aspects within your role, and it would be much better for him to be working with someone who is keen to try new things than be stuck with someone who is very set in their old-fashioned ways!

LondonDiva

skintandscared wrote: »

doing the ILEX course wouldn't be of any benefit unless I left the department, which I really don't want to do.

Why not do the course anyway - no one knows what's round the corner...

Funky_Bold_Ribena

My ethos is take any training that's offered - even if you don't end up doing the job, it either opens your eyes or opens avenues.

I'd also perhaps sit down with the new boss before the old boss goes and ask if he's had any thoughts about how he wants to run things and if there is anything you can put in place to facilitate things; such as the things you mentioned.

InsideInsurance

skintandscared wrote: »

I just wondered if any current PAs or secretaries carried out any "extra mile" tasks for their bosses/teams that they found enhanced their role and made their contribution more rewarding?

They may well be more computer literate and so the whole audio typing has disappeared from the skill set but they still dont have much time and so the things like organising meetings and associated travel etc are all still as valid as they've ever been (beyond a 1-2-1s)

As to other options, depends on the size of the organisation and your career aspirations. With the growth in the Executive Assistant market then you may want to consider developing the skills necessary to make that move across but it does also depend on how technical the work your boss does is etc

SuzyZ

I'm also a legal secretary. Although I didn't do the ILEX course (did an accredited course with another legal secretarial college) I am currently studying to be a paralegal with ILEX.

Most of my friends/colleagues in legal secretarial jobs all have ILEX or one was trained on the job (she's a night secretary at a big city law firm) and another lady temped at city law firms but picked up the jargon well and didn't want to be trained as legal secretary.

I'm not saying now, that you should study ILEX but as a paralegal that's where my money is coming from in future.

I have a boss who does do audio typing and he isn't due to retire for 8 years or so, so if I stay in this job then I'd have a job doing audio for next 8 years. But after that? Who knows?

I don't often see Legal PA jobs arising but they do crop up. Efiling etc does help. The research and marketing does sound good too but you'd have to ensure that they actually employ you there or part time in each role as well as/instead of being a legal sec/PA. Otherwise I'd see your role becoming merged and you either get taken advantage of or not by your employers.

Do you have meetings with admin staff and bosses? They can be handy as you can address problems there and potential training. Also at appraisals, bring up the latter points.

SuzyZ

InsideInsurance wrote: »

They may well be more computer literate and so the whole audio typing has disappeared from the skill set but they still dont have much time and so the things like organising meetings and associated travel etc are all still as valid as they've ever been (beyond a 1-2-1s)

As to other options, depends on the size of the organisation and your career aspirations. With the growth in the Executive Assistant market then you may want to consider developing the skills necessary to make that move across but it does also depend on how technical the work your boss does is etc

You could also find out about Legal PA roles in other corporate companies eg John Lewis, M&S etc as they have their own Legal Depts. Often they prefer to employ someone with a legal sec background.

A PA role is great but I'd be wary in case the boss doesn't utilise OP in this role as well as she could be. How much does he travel etc?