Advancement

Why playing nice pays

It still pays to play nice at work, a Robert Half survey confirms. When employees were asked, “In your opinion, to what extent does being courteous to co-workers positively impact a person’s career prospects?” 48% responded it can accelerate advancement.

What's the use of LinkedIn for an admin?

“Exactly, what is the advantage of LinkedIn?” asks one administrative pro on our online forum. “Many people I know are on it, but no one can say what they get out of it.” According to most admins, the ben­­efits are many, if you use the on­­line tool the right way.

Do you look like you can handle the job?

A growing body of research confirms what you may have suspected: Looks matter, especially when it comes to making a first impression on others. Surprisingly, though, it’s also the way people draw conclusions about our ability to do a job.

How to wield authority like an exec

Does your mind work like an executive’s? When Jodith Allen first stepped into the job of executive assistant, she received a swift lesson in thinking like a manager. Here’s what happened:

1-Minute Strategies: Jan. '12

“What do you do?” Be prepared for this question before you head to any networking event because you’ll probably be asked dozens of times ... Need someone to make a decision? Approach him in the morning. “Decision fatigue” is a very real phenomenon affecting people who have to grapple with an ever-increasing number of choices.

Take stock of your worth to the company

Protect your job—or set yourself up for a promotion—by communicating your quantifiable on-the-job results at a moment’s notice. Warm up with this exercise:

What gives an admin 'wow' factor?

Being a stellar admin requires the skills of a mind-reader. So it was a boon recently when admins heard two executives speak candidly at the 18th Annual Conference for Administrative Excellence about the administrative profession.

1-Minute Strategies: Dec. '11

Focus on knowing where to get information quickly rather than knowing how to do everything ... Watch what you say on Face­book: More than 90% of job-screeners say they’re using social network tools to weed out applicants ... Take the lead in developing your own professional skills.

Career mistake #4

Executive search firm CEO Skip Freeman calls it “Fatal Career Mis­­take #4”—not branding yourself as a person who can save or make money for a company. These days, you won’t be hired merely because you have the know-how, he says. You’ve got to be a problem-solver.

1 in 5 know a résumé fibber

A recent survey by OfficeTeam reveals that one in five em­­ployees knows someone who has lied on his or her résumé. Here's the type of information employees are most often misrepresenting or exaggerating about:

Quick Search

Advanced Search

  • Reply to this week's question:

    Get Weekly Forum Updates

Tools

Articles