Job title:
Team Secretary

Sector:
Banking Sector

Background:
Learned German at home (my mother is German) and attended the German school in London. 
Studied German, Swedish and European Studies at university. As part of my degree I spent 6 months in Sweden and 7 months in Germany.
Following university I worked as a PA and was then lucky enough to get a job where languages were required and enjoyed it so much, I have been doing it for the past 4 years.

Language skills:
Fluent German and intermediate Swedish

How would you describe your job?
I provide administrative support to 2 Partners and 2 Directors, from organising their diaries, to booking all travel needs and what ever they may need a hand with.

What do you enjoy most about your job?
That not one day is the same! 

What kind of skills and qualities do you need?
One has to always remember to stay calm not matter what happens. You can think you have everything planned for the day and then a meeting gets cancelled, or your flight is cancelled, changing the whole timetable for the day.

Why is German important for your job?
German is very important in my job, as I use it on a daily basis, dealing with clients who are in Germany, writing letters, speaking to our German office, organising meetings.

What’s a typical day for you?
When I get to the office, I check the phone for any voicemails and go through my emails. Usually by then I will be on the phone starting to set up the next meetings, moving meetings or arranging travel. Then I will start typing up correspondence and arranging presentations ready for the printers. Additionally I will help them with any personal matters that they need help with, as well as being part of the organisational side of business planning.

What’s the best thing about knowing another language?
The best thing about speaking another language is being able to talk to people from that country easily and it is very useful in my line of work when booking hotels and arranging meetings. 

Find out more about how learning German can help you in the workplace. The German Embassy, DAAD, Goethe-Institut London, and UK-German Connection, in partnership with language organisations like CILT, are running the Think German campaign to encourage more people in the UK to learn German.