There’s a good chance your job will change or disappear entirely, so you need to be ready to carry on and keep your career going when it does. Lifehacker’s Alan Henry offers five steps you can take to make sure you’ll land on your feet and hit the ground running if you lose your job.
More than a résumé, a portfolio spotlights your strengths. While a résumé focuses on job duties, a portfolio draws attention to results and accomplishments.
Networking is a skill that supports you in the good times and is key to your survival in bad times. That’s why I strongly believe LinkedIn, which bills itself as the “world’s largest professional network,” is an invaluable tool for administrative assistants.
Q: “’Paula’, one of our team members, talks so loudly that we can hear every word of her phone conversations and discussions with other co-workers. The constant sound of her voice is both distracting and annoying. I personally believe this is just Paula’s pathetic attempt to show us how busy and important she is. Everyone walks on eggshells around Paula, including our team leader, because she is very defensive and can be downright mean if someone rubs her the wrong way. To make it worse, Paula is good friends with the human resources manager, so no one is willing to complain about her. What can we do about this?”
Question: “I’m starting to feel a little natural pressure to eat lunch at my desk—not because I’m so busy, and not because anyone’s recommended it, but just because there are so many people around me who do it, and I get the feeling that when I leave the building for lunch, there’s the perception that I’m not quite as dedicated as others are. Simply staying in my cubicle seems to give off the impression that I’ve never broken stride, even though I’m simply eating and browsing the web. Has anyone else felt this way? Do you think you gain points somehow when you stay deskbound (but idle) at lunch as opposed to heading out?” – Maeve, Publishing Admin
When colleagues come to you with problems to solve, resist offering them a solution. Instead, ask, “How would you handle this if I weren’t here today?” Often you’ll hear that the person could solve the problem after all. And at the very least, their answers will give you a glimpse into their creative thinking process—or […]
Flexibility is a workplace benefit that’s gaining popularity. Whether it’s remote work or flexible hours, employers are recognizing its importance, making now a great time to negotiate your own flexible arrangement.
One of the most important qualities an assistant can develop is credibility. It can take a bucket full of thoughtful actions to establish and yet can be seriously undermined by a single thoughtless move that creates a slow leak.