Team Secretaries vs. Personal Assistants
A large number of school-leaving and graduating individuals hope to embark upon a career in secretarial support and office administration in the UK. However, with the array of PA-type jobs available in London and Britain, how do you select the particular branch of secretarial employment that is right for you? By exploring the various nuances of each type of support role, prospective candidates will have a greater understanding of the demands of each job, and will thus be better equipped to select the job-type that is best-suited to their strengths and interests.
Two of the most popular types of administrative support roles in London are PA and team secretary jobs. Although these two roles are distinctly different, their titles are often – and erroneously – used interchangeably. If you are interested in building a successful career as either a personal assistant or a team secretary, read on to learn about the important distinctions between these two jobs, and to discover which one would be ideal for you. Alternatively, learn more about the roles and requirements of legal secretaries, medical secretaries and personal assistants in the UK, and find your ideal career path today.
Key distinctions between team secretary and PA jobs in London
Team secretary and PA jobs in the UK are both sought after and fairly abundant, particularly in larger cities such as London. However, it is important to understand the fundamental differences between these two types of roles, in order to avoid applying for a job that may not be suited to your specific skills and capabilities.
Principally, the greatest difference between PA jobs and team secretary jobs is that, as the former, you’ll be responsible for overseeing the administrative requirements of one person, whereas in your role as team secretary, you’ll be charged with managing the administrative needs of a group of executives. While this distinction does not necessarily imply that one role is more challenging than the other, it does underscore the fact that the roles calls for slightly different skills and personality types.
As a PA, it is likely that when not you’re conferring with your boss, you’ll be working primarily on your own. Thus, this type of job is ideally suited to individuals who prefer to work alone, rather than amongst a group of people. Moreover, candidates who prefer to see single projects through to their conclusion, and who function better in a “one-on-one” environment, would also thrive in such a role.
However, individuals who enjoy being part of a team, have good multitasking skills and are happy to work in a bustling, pressurised environment, should consider a career as a team secretary. While both roles call for the same fundamental office administration skills, certain small – but critical – differences separate candidates who are ideal for PA positions in London from those who would fare better in team secretary jobs in London.
Qualifications and skills relevant to PA and team secretary jobs
In terms of qualifications, earning a recognised secretarial certificate or diploma is not essential to either job. In both instances however, formal, industry-related training is advantageous, and is likely to count in your favour when applying for a vacancy. As mentioned above, there are a number of skills that are absolutely essential to both jobs (such as excellent IT skills, shorthand, and a typing speed of at least 50 words per minute), and those that are somewhat less essential but still applicable to both roles.
Secretarial training courses equip students to be able to perform a wide variety of office administration tasks and roles, and are thus recommended for any individual hoping to begin a career in administrative support. Recognised UK Secretarial training courses, certificates and diplomas include those offered by City and Guilds, Pitman Training UK, The London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) and OCR. These institutions are just some of the scores of educational facilities offering a range of secretarial and administrative courses, both basic and advanced. Many can be completed on a full or part-time basis, and some may even be undertaken whilst fulfilling your role as PA or team secretary. View a more extensive listing of the most popular and widely-recognised UK secretarial courses, and an overview of the key performance areas of each secretarial position.
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