bilingual secretary and legal secretary

[celine]

Hello !

I'm new on this forum. I posted already one message but i didn't have any answers. If it is possible i would like to talk and maybe exchange email with a person who is a bilingual secretary or legal secretary in London. I would like to have more information about this job because i'm really thinking to go and live in London. I would be very happy to know people who are doing this job in the city or just in England.
Thanks in advance.
Céline

[gee4]

Hi Celine,

I completed a bilingual secretarial course some years ago in Northern Ireland.  It is the LCCI diploma (very well recognised) and although the certificate was the for whole course, we were able to complete individual exams at different levels eg. some people completed RSA typing and shorthand to Stage 3 while others to Stage 2.  We also learnt business language, taking shorthand dictation and composing standard letters/correspondence in English as well as our chosen foreign languages.  

My main languages were French and Spanish but I also attended night class in my first year and achieved Italian O level.  What languages have you studied and what is your job at present?

G

[celine]

Hello Gee !

I did a general certificate of education (secretarial) and I completed by a two years specialised diploma (trilingual secretary). I had law, french, english business and italian, shorthand in the 3 languages, economics and computer science. I worked 3 years in England and now I'm looking for a job in Paris or in London.  I'm very interested by law and languages. That's why I would like to find something in this field. We told me that in England you don't need a diploma for law. And you ? What kind of job are you doing ?
Céline

[nickless]

Hello Celine

You seem to have a similar diploma to mine. In addition to the trilingual personal secretary diploma (German, English, French), I also got certificates from the London and the Paris Chambers of Commerce.

Whilst I appreciate London has a lot to offer, would you also consider working outside the City?

nickless

[gee4]

Celine,

I did business French and Spanish, shorthand in both languages as well as English, RSA II and III typing plus I have 4 European languages 2 of which are at A level.

Having done all that I hated shorthand and always tried to gain employment where that was not required.  Thankfully so far I have managed that - shorthand these days is very old fashioned and not really required although that depends where your work.  I am currently working for a global IT company in Belfast as PA to our director and his management team.

G

[celine]

Hello nickless !

What do you mean by working outside the city ?
You said you got diploma from the London and Paris chambers of commerce can you give me more details ? Are you a bilingual secretary too ?
Céline

[celine]

Hello nickless !

What do you mean by working outside the city ?
You said you got diploma from the London and Paris chambers of commerce can you give more details ? Are you a bilingual secretary too ?
Céline

[celine]

Hello Gee !

That's good for me that not a lot of firm ask for shorthand because I didn't practice it for a long time now. But if I need it I would come back to it. For the moment I send some application letters for jobs in Paris (but I don't think that I would have any success because most of the time they ask for a diploma in law and experience which I don't have in this field). That's why I would like to know more about the job of bilingual legal secretary in London. If they take people without diploma or experience and if I don't find anything in Paris I'm ready to go abroad.
Céline

[gee4]

Shorthand is the one thing that has put me off applying for certain jobs over the years. I don't see myself as a shorthand secretary as these days I'd rather spend my time on things I am better at and enjoy doing.  However I can still take dictation but don't advertise the fact....

G

[nickless]

Celine

I meant outside of London; away from the capital...

The diplomas of the London and Paris chambers of commerce were for an integrated course within my secretary diploma and gave me extra qualifications in business English/French, so that if I ever decided to move to England/France, I could show some "proper" qualifications that the English and French would acknowledge and understand. It's been quite a while since I sat the exams (14 years ); I can't quite remember details.

My current job requires me to be fluent in English and German; with a little French and Spanish thrown in from time to time.

nickless

[celine]

Hi Nickless !

No, I would prefer in the city. Is there a lot of interested firms in the central of London ? You know the place they call the city. I would like to try some firms there.
Céline

[celine]

Hello Nickless !

Do you know in London a recrutment agency specialised in bilingual or legal secretary ? Maybe if I ask them about jobs they have to offer I can find something interesting.
Thanks for your answer.
Céline

[nickless]

No, sorry, Celine. I can't help. I'm at the other end of the country.

Perhaps you could try www.reed.co.uk, www.adecco.co.uk, www.manpower.co.uk, www.hays.com. They are very well-known national (and international) recruitment agencies and might be able to help.

nickless

[celine]

Hi Nickless !

Okay. I'm going to try these agencies. Thank you for your help.
Céline