A legal secretary typically has dozens of things on their plates at any time, so organisational skills are a must-have. If you have specific organisational strategies like planners, lists, sticky notes, or goal-setting, share these in your interview. Show the employer that you have a plan and that you’re cool, calm, and collected under pressure.
Unfortunately, almost every secretary will face an unpleasant situation in their career. They meet so many people daily that coming across an angry or upset individual is inevitable. If your interviewer asks this question, provide them with a real-life example of a time in which you dealt with a difficult situation.
Everyone gets overwhelmed at work sometimes; it’s just a fact of life. You don’t need to tell the interviewer that you never feel overwhelmed; they’ll know you’re lying. The employer is looking for an idea of how you adapt to difficult or stressful situations. Tell them your strategies for working through overwhelming periods.
Legal secretaries aren’t lawyers, so they don’t need to understand all facets of the law. However, when employers undergo legal secretary recruitment, they’ll be on the lookout for a basic understanding of legal jargon and terminology. Some secretaries’ responsibilities may include research, transcription, and drafting of correspondence, so they need to have a fundamental understanding of the legal industry. If you have no experience in the industry, try to demonstrate that you have taken steps to familiarise yourself with the sector and emphasise that you’re a fast learner.
