A career as an EA, PA, Administrator or Medical Secretary can be interesting and rewarding, especially if you work in specific business sectors which you enjoy! That is the key to a happy working life!
All types of business organisations need professional office personnel to be at the core of their business to ensure it is successful. So the range of choice is only limited by your imagination! Working as an office professional is one of the most flexible and interesting careers many people will ever experience.
Deciding on the type of job and business sector you would like to work in, will help you to decide which course is right for you.
First of all though…. read on to see what we cover in our careers and job support for all Lewis Students. This might get some ideas going!
Our Course and Careers Adviser, Rebecca Harvey provides advice, guidance and will help to ensure you are making the right choice, and that the role is going to work for you. Email Rebecca to arrange an informal chat.
So what is your cup of tea! A fast moving, commercially orientated environment where every minute counts? Perhaps something that is more academic is for you or working in an environment where you are helping others and you feel you are making a difference.
If you look through the Yellow Pages/Yell.com – you will see the full list of different types of organisations that exist which will hopefully start to spark some ideas.
Make a list of the top 10 that you think you would enjoy working in.
Think about:
Perhaps you are looking to develop your career further within that business sector over the coming years with further personal development and training.
Then it is time to start to do more research to find out the number of organisations within these sectors you could work in – either locally or commuting if you are happy to commute.
You are now beginning to see a clearer picture of the way forward for you rather than just looking at endless job advertisements.
Once you have established the range of business organisations you would like to work in, you can now focus on the type of jobs you would like to apply for.
What to think about:
We are all different – identifying what suits you will help you to apply for the right type of job when the time comes.
Don’t be put off by job titles either. Some have very boring titles, enhanced titles that do not really reflect the role and some are spot on!
Read the duties/tasks, get a feel as to what the daily workload would involve and ignore the job title.
It is what you will do that counts as this will be something you do 5 days a week for most of the year! And you want to be happy doing it!
Once you have decided on the range of business organisations you would like to work in, the types of jobs that would suit you, using the skills you have gained on your course, it is time to develop the CV.
You may need more than one CV designed depending on the range of business organisations you are interested in and range of jobs you would like to apply for, and so the prospective employer can easily see you match their needs.
Getting the right balance, image and tone is key and reflecting what the employer is looking for can make a lot of difference.
We help you with all of this as part of the course!
As your CV is sent out to prospective employers then you should find you are invited for an interview. If not, then the CV is not doing its job and we shall take another look at what needs to be changed.
Preparing for the interview is essential.
This includes planning your answers to key interview questions and writing up your “script” so you feel confident and well prepared.
This is a great boost for your confidence and will reduce awkward moments in the interview.
We will work through your “script” to ensure you are creating the right impression for the types of jobs and organisations you are applying for.
You will also need to research the organisation thoroughly and think through questions you may like to ask.
This creates a very positive image in the interview as you are showing you are genuinely interested in them and the job and you have bothered!
We also have a range of Career Support Blogs which cover interview techniques, follow-up practice and a lot more.
You may also wish to register with local or national based Agencies.
There are some select specialist agencies for those looking for something a bit different – especially in the London area.
Maintaining your relationship with a Recruitment Agency does take time and patience.
Making sure you stand out from the crowd is the key!
We shall show you how!
We are happy for our Lewis Students to use us as a referee when applying for jobs.
After you have considered Step 1 and 2, get in touch with our Course and Careers Adviser – please contact Penny via email penny@lewiscollege.co.uk or telephone 0800 500 3096.
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