Advancement
You can’t manage what you don’t measure. This old management adage explains why most bosses want administrative professionals to create measurable goals. But how do you measure results in a job that’s often about responding to others’ needs?
Gauge your long-term prospects with your current organization by assessing its bottom line and culture. Here are the questions you’ll need to answer and the steps you’ll need to take, divided into four key parts:
What helped clinch this year’s OfficeTeam Administrative Excellence Award for Deborah Carter? … Perk up your daily emails with MeebleMail … Double-check your work. A survey by Accountemps shows that “lack of attention to detail/sloppy work” is the No. 1 pet peeve of CFOs …
“It’s not enough to have an opinion,” Pegasystems CEO Alan Trefler tells The New York Times. “It has to be an informed opinion.” Leaders and managers don’t want “yes” men; they want “thought leaders.”
When faced with a chance to meet someone who could change your future, don’t be afraid to show some chutzpah. That’s what Alison Pincus, founder of the online business One Kings Lane, did when she saw Martha Stewart at an antiques show.
We certainly hope you’re not feeling forced to job hunt. But if you are, these social-networking tools can help:
The current job climate is driving many people to go back to school, with the number of 50- to 64-year-old students climbing fast. Even people with jobs are taking classes. Should you? Some great advice from SmartMoney magazine:
True or false: Networking is a task, like building your house. Accumulate the materials, do the necessary hammering, and bingo, you’ve got your house. “False,” say authors Bob Allard and Richard Banfield, who assert that networking greatness comes from giving, not accumulating.
Set aside a few minutes each week to answer questions in the Q&A section of LinkedIn … Tack on your own comment at the top of any forwarded email messages to help the recipient understand why it’s landing in her inbox … Keep things from falling through the cracks with Boomerang for Gmail …
Lose your job, and it will take about nine months to get another one, reports The New York Times. You might just shave some time from the process by updating your résumé now. A few tips: Embrace technology; avoid overused words that make you blend in; differentiate yourself by replacing the summary.
You may be thinking about stepping into a supervisory role or onto a more exciting team, but the best way to grab that shiny prize is not to focus on it during day-to-day work and conversations:
Think carefully about taking on increased responsibilities if a raise isn’t in the offing, advises Robert Hosking, executive director of OfficeTeam. Consider requesting a compensation review in six months or discussing other perks. Hosking identifies five beyond-pay incentives:
Round out the summer with one (or more) of these book selections ideal for admins: Toxic Workplace! Managing Toxic Personalities and Their Systems of Power; Making Peace With Your Office Life; Women, Work & the Art of Savoir Faire; What Men Don’t Tell Women About Business; Back to School for Grownups.
