Barbara Lane Mitchell

I have been a mother and homemaker for the past 20 years and haven’t had a formal job for a long time although I worked as a temporary PA / secretary for a company in Harare, Meikles Holdings, on various occasions; I sold solar lights on a commission basis for a year; I looked after somebody’s house here in Harare for several years. The owners live out of the country so I looked after their tenants, collected the rent and organized the upkeep and maintenance on the house and eventually organized the sale of the property on a private basis. I also did some proof-reading and editing work for three magazines in Harare for several editions.

I worked for an 85 year old man who was partially deaf. It was more of a companionship role although I did have to be there to ensure that he didn’t fall as he was a bit wobbly on his feet due to his hearing problem. I was required to cook for him, do his shopping, take him to doctors’ appointments, eat with him, do the washing and housecleaning and ironing. I was there for three months. If required I can provide a reference from the man’s daughter-in-law or the agency I went

through.

• I worked on a flexi-time basis for Fiona Fforde who owned Garment Export Consultants
• As well as day to day running of the office I assisted in sourcing and selling fabrics on a commission basis, mainly from our principal supplier, Modzone Enterprises, drawing up orders and invoicing customers, liaising with suppliers to ensure orders dealt with timeously, collecting monies from customers and invoicing supplier with our commissions invoice
• I met suppliers regularly to ensure their fabric requirements were being met and that they were happy with our service
• I maintained the internal computer system and drew up a comprehensive database of customers and an excel spreadsheet setting out our monthly and annual turnover and profit figures

• I worked for Minky Walters, who was the marketing manager at Multichoice at the time
• During the period I was exposed to all aspects involved in running a marketing department, including the advertising and PR side
• I assisted with various promotional events, collated information for a monthly marketing report to be sent to head office in South Africa, kept records of all adverts, relevant press cuttings and expenses incurred and kept up to date spreadsheets of publicity expenditure and departmental budgetary expenditure, provided secretarial assistance and liaised with advertising agencies, PR consultant and the press as well as being involved in designing posters and advertising material using CorelDraw

• Company Overview: United Nations Conference on Trade & Development (UNCTAD)
• From January 2001 to March 2002 I was employed as secretary to Brian Chambers in the Division on International Trade and Commodities of the United Nations Conference on Trade & Development (UNCTAD)
• Mr Chambers headed a project on resource-based development with a focus on sustainable development in Africa and Latin America
• I helped organize workshops and seminars, including all administrative procedures such as travel and procurement of daily subsistence allowances for meeting participants
• I also assisted with the recruitment and drawing up of contracts for consultants, carried out research, both in the library and on the internet, kept track of expenditures and budget for the project and set up and maintained a contact database
• United Nations Conference on Trade & Development (UNCTAD)

• I worked on a contract basis in various departments providing secretarial support for the Economic Commission for Europe

• I worked for Andy Pattenden, who was M.D
• At Manica
• My responsibilities included general secretarial work and office admin, typing up presentations, travel arrangements, hotel bookings, arranging functions, taking Minutes, liaising closely with our offices in Cape Town and Johannesburg
• I assisted on a variety of projects to do with airline freight and provided a courteous interface with customers and helped ensure effective use of my boss’s time

• Company Overview: (Stockbrokers)
• I worked for Mark Tunmer, who was the MD for Flemings at the time
• As well as carrying out normal secretarial duties I was involved in organizing launches and conferences, travel arrangements, collating information for a weekly newsletter to be sent to clients, taking buying and selling orders, receiving payments and sending out daily reports and prices to our foreign clients
• The job was at times demanding and required flexibility and initiative
• (Stockbrokers)

• I worked for John Traicos who was Group Legal Advisor and Executive Director
• He was also Chairman and Managing Director of Leopard Rock Hotel
• Responsibilities included normal secretarial duties, arranging meetings, travel schedules, office administration, liaising between leopard Rock marketing office and the Hotel and ensuring the smooth running of the office during his absence

• Company Overview: London, W1
• Legal “temp” in various departments in the firm – Litigation, Environment, Health Care, Tax, Probate, Company, Property
• I worked for 6 months as a personal assistant for a senior partner in the company department
• She headed up the Financial Services and Insurance Department
• My work included typing up large documents, day to day correspondence and designing and producing presentation packs for high level legal seminars
• I also kept control of her diary, scheduling meetings in a diplomatic and systematic fashion, coordinated lunches, conferences, meeting and travel arrangements
• I had to be fast, accurate and able to prioritise my workload efficiently
• I also worked for several months for a solicitor in the company department
• His work involved company takeovers and mergers and acquisitions
• Long hours and fast and accurate work was required
• London, W1

• Various solicitors in London: Nabarro Nathanson; McKenna & Co; John Bowden Trainer; Lovell White Durrant; Kennedys

• I worked for Rory O’Donohue
• The work was very pressurized due to meeting deadlines and a high volume of typing, compiling proposals and typing up profit forecasts and costings
• Also arranging travel and hotel bookings, general office administration including stationery, invoicing, petty cash, switchboard and supervision of messengers
• I used the desk top publishing software for the drawing up of press advertisements

• Secretary to Junior Partner, progressing to Personal Assistant to Senior Partner
• Shorthand, audio, client liaison, co-ordinating meetings, general office administration