Office experience

Scioch

I'm looking to get office experience but its virtually impossible where I am. Fas have nothing in the way of courses and and private courses aimed at that type of work is pretty expensive.

I'm starting from scratch pretty much so does anyone know how I'd go about maybe doing some similar type work at home ? What generally happens with those type of jobs ? Anyone want to give me some work to do ? Get the Jenkin's report on your desk by Monday sort of stuff to get me comfortable with the type of work while I'm scratching me hole at home ?

tk123

Any job bridge placements near you? You might have a better chance of getting a job with some real world experience?

Scioch

tk123 wrote: »

Any job bridge placements near you? You might have a better chance of getting a job with some real world experience?

No job bridge places anywhere near me, and I know real experience is whats needed and I am looking for it. But in the meantime it cant hurt to have some confidence in using the different applications and familiarising myself with common tasks.

tk123

Are these any use to you? http://www.ecollege.ie/site/pages/categories/CatOfficeApplications.html

You have to go to your local fas office, tell them what courses you want to do and then they arrange for you to be set up with logins (takes an hour or so). You can get logins for 2 at a time and then go back to get more. I've done two of the techy ones and they were pretty good. You don't need to have the actual applications installed btw- you do all the demos from with the course/browser window.

Scioch

tk123 wrote: »

Are these any use to you? http://www.ecollege.ie/site/pages/categories/CatOfficeApplications.html

You have to go to your local fas office, tell them what courses you want to do and then they arrange for you to be set up with logins (takes an hour or so). You can get logins for 2 at a time and then go back to get more. I've done two of the techy ones and they were pretty good. You don't need to have the actual applications installed btw- you do all the demos from with the course/browser window.

Yeah I'm currently doing the ECDL one, its very basic though. I might try some of the others.

I'm kinda looking for some sample work to accompany the course really. Like I said its very basic and you dont actually use the software its all on the demo so your kinda limited in what you can do. I figured I'd get much more from doing some real work if ya know what I mean.

Corruptedmorals

Are there any companies or businesses that you could offer yourself to as an intern? Jobbridge without the extra €50.

Scioch

Corruptedmorals wrote: »

Are there any companies or businesses that you could offer yourself to as an intern? Jobbridge without the extra €50.

Even if that was possible I'm not in a position currently to do it. Live in the middle of nowhere with no transport.

I'd certaily look into it when I get sorted but wouldnt I lose my dole if I went to work even unpaid ? I wouldnt be available for full time employment so breaking the terms of my welfare payment.

Mrs OBumble

LordSmeg wrote: »

Even if that was possible I'm not in a position currently to do it. Live in the middle of nowhere with no transport.

I'd certaily look into it when I get sorted but wouldnt I lose my dole if I went to work even unpaid ? I wouldnt be available for full time employment so breaking the terms of my welfare payment.

Just to play devil's advocate for a minute:

Ahh, so how are you going to get to a job then??? Pretty much anywhere that has jobs has job-bridges at the moment. So if you've none of those, you're going to need to move.

When you say "office expereince" what exactly are you looking for? Reception? Accounts? Customer service?

Scioch

JustMary wrote: »

Just to play devil's advocate for a minute:

Ahh, so how are you going to get to a job then??? Pretty much anywhere that has jobs has job-bridges at the moment. So if you've none of those, you're going to need to move.

Well how I am going to get a job isnt really what we are talking about, I'm just looking for info on office work and the tasks involved so I can familiarise myself with those things while I'm not in a position to get real world experience for whatever reason.

But I have checked around for intern ships and jobs bridge schemes through fas and on my own and there is nothing really around even if I did have transport. So your statement that anywhere that has jobs is involved in the job bridge scheme doesnt seem right to me. My point was that it may be workable if I did get one but it would be impossible to take a full or part time unpaid position which would affect my dole. I dont mind working for nothing for some experience but I cant live off nothing.

When you say "office expereince" what exactly are you looking for? Reception? Accounts? Customer service?

As I said in my OP I'm starting from scratch with no experience, so I'm not 100% sure what each different role involves. I'm mainly thinking administration or accounts. Back office would it be called ?

Neyite

Having worked in several offices, each is different in terms of software, skills etc. The skills that I was hired on for my current job I have rarely used, and there really is no "set" office duties like you describe. One organisation has one way of letter writing, in another company that way is the wrong way for them. Duties vary wildly too, in one, telephone work might feature highly, and in other offices they might rely heavily on email contact with customers.

A broad outline of some generic office skills that would look good on a CV are:

Typing Speed and Accuracy - there are free online tutorials and though they are so boring, worth doing.

Clue yourself in on all the Microsoft Office programs - Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Access, etc. Again, free as the Microsoft website have tutorials and you can soon learn to an advanced level. I may be wrong but you may even be able to test your skills on their website?

Same goes for Adobe - download the free monthly trials of those kind of software - PDF builders, photoshop, study the tutorials online and that way you have a good working knowledge.

If you can study the accounting packages such as Sage then all the better - but I'm not sure if they are free?

Study good grammar and punctuation, correct letter writing (not USA styles, they tend to differ a bit, so ensure its Irish or English)

Learn a language, or even a few. Research what is in demand and give it a lash.

With hardware such as printers, copiers and binders, its nearly all on-the-job learning, each model is different so once you get in the door, you could fib and say that yes, you have used copiers before but not that model and could you get shown the main features.

I'm not sure if thats the kind of thing you are looking for, but hope it helps.

Scioch

^^ Pretty much exactly what I was looking for. Thank you so much for taking the time to post it, very helpful.

Mrs OBumble

LordSmeg wrote: »

As I said in my OP I'm starting from scratch with no experience, so I'm not 100% sure what each different role involves. I'm mainly thinking administration or accounts. Back office would it be called ?

Consider doing a FAE eCollege courses in something like accounts then - both manual (so you understand the process) and computerized (so you learn a package).

You need to set your mind on either a specific skill or a specific industry. Saying you want to work "in an office" make it sound like you just don't want anything too hard.

Scioch

JustMary wrote: »

Consider doing a FAE eCollege courses in something like accounts then - both manual (so you understand the process) and computerized (so you learn a package).

You need to set your mind on either a specific skill or a specific industry. Saying you want to work "in an office" make it sound like you just don't want anything too hard.

I just said "in an office" because I was assuming there would be generic skills as such and I have no knowledge of whats involved in different roles so I dont even know where to start in picking a specific area or industry. And I just think working in an office environment would be something I'd enjoy and do well at, not for want of an easy job.

Amzie

LordSmeg wrote: »

I'm looking to get office experience but its virtually impossible where I am. Fas have nothing in the way of courses and and private courses aimed at that type of work is pretty expensive.

I'm starting from scratch pretty much so does anyone know how I'd go about maybe doing some similar type work at home ? What generally happens with those type of jobs ? Anyone want to give me some work to do ? Get the Jenkin's report on your desk by Monday sort of stuff to get me comfortable with the type of work while I'm scratching me hole at home ?

Hi OP,

Keep looking on FAS as they ran Office Administrator Traineeship Courses Previously in 2010 &11 maybe even ring them up and enquire if the course is coming to your area? You would still retain your social welfare payment & if you have to travel you will get a travel allowance and a small lunch allowance. The course is full time. You get MS Office training, computerised accounts with sage and work placements :-) hope thinks work out for you:)

Scioch

Amzie wrote: »

Hi OP,

Keep looking on FAS as they ran Office Administrator Traineeship Courses Previously in 2010 &11 maybe even ring them up and enquire if the course is coming to your area? You would still retain your social welfare payment & if you have to travel you will get a travel allowance and a small lunch allowance. The course is full time. You get MS Office training, computerised accounts with sage and work placements :-) hope thinks work out for you:)

Thanks I'll get onto them again about that.

I had a meeting with a local develop center recently and they said that they can approve funding if I found a relevant course outside of whats available with Fas.

Does anyone know any private courses that would be a good for entry level into this type of thing ? Or even any online or distance courses that would be good to do ?

Amzie

LordSmeg wrote: »

Thanks I'll get onto them again about that.

I had a meeting with a local develop center recently and they said that they can approve funding if I found a relevant course outside of whats available with Fas.

Does anyone know any private courses that would be a good for entry level into this type of thing ? Or even any online or distance courses that would be good to do ?

No problem, I hope you have some luck with them. Just keep the pressure on them.