What company secretaries in India should know before going online
Company secretaries are members of ICSI under the Company Secretaries Act, and its code of conduct prohibits members in practice from soliciting work or advertising, though ICSI permits websites carrying factual information within its guidelines. Keep to membership and certificate of practice details, areas of practice, partners and contact, without client names, fee offers or superlatives, and check the current guidelines before publishing. Practising CSs increasingly hold peer review certificates and generate UDINs on certifications, and clients may ask about both. Employers hire CSs through Naukri, LinkedIn and ICSI placement drives, and listed companies look closely at SEBI listing and insider trading experience. Startups often find a practising CS through their CA or founder networks, so a clear, sober site the CA can forward helps.
Common website mistakes company secretaries make
- Offering “company incorporation in 3 days at ₹4,999”. Package pricing and speed promises read as solicitation; describe the work and quote after understanding the requirement.
- Listing sections of the Companies Act instead of real experience. Recruiters want to know what you actually filed, drafted or managed, and for what size of company.
- Naming clients or companies audited. Keep engagements confidential; mention sectors and the number of engagements in neutral terms.
- Leaving out listed-company or SEBI experience when you have it. It is a key differentiator in hiring; describe the listing obligations and disclosures you managed.
- Compliance calendars left untouched after amendments or extended due dates. Date every update and correct superseded information promptly, because readers may rely on it.