What qualifications and experience do secretaries need to work in the UK?
Ideally you should have a minimum of 2 years experience in your field if you are looking for a secretarial job in the UK. Secretaries generally aren’t required to possess formal qualifications or a tertiary education background. Some industry specific certifications may be seen as advantageous but are not usually given more weight than industry-based experience. Sector-specific knowledge is often required. The requirements for general and basic secretarial roles are: • Ability to type with speed and accuracy (a minimum rate of 55 words per minute is usually acceptable, while a rate of 65 — 80 words per minute is advantageous). • Ability to perform administrative and organisational tasks, such as, filing and taking appointments. • Good communications skills and a professional phone manner. • Strong knowledge of office–suite software packages such as MS Office. For legal secretaries, additional requirements include: • Previous experience working in particular areas of law. • Experience o
