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Category: People Skills

Victim of a bait-and-switch job?

Diane started out as an administrative assistant at her current company, then applied as a client services coordinator. The good news is she got the job. The bad news is her admin tasks didn’t disappear. What should she do?

Just got promoted? Don’t blow it

Does it ever seem like your newly promoted manager is blindly muddling through the job? Well, she probably is. A recent poll revealed that only one in 10 recently promoted individuals received any leadership training or coaching. If you find yourself promoted—without feeling prepared—here’s a crash course in managing others:

Some coffee with your stress?

You’re expecting an afternoon meeting to be stressful and charged with emotion. Should you provide coffee for your boss and the other meeting attendees? Or is all that caffeine likely to do more harm than good?

What’s fair to expect of an admin?

Is it wrong for the boss to ask an assistant to handle his water bill? Should a boss’s personal tasks be part of an administrative pro’s duties? Our readers weighed in on the topic, revealing a range of opinions on what’s fair to expect of an admin.

Do’s and don’ts of business meals

If Nina Zagat knows anything, it’s how to have a successful business dinner. The co-founder of the Zagat Survey restaurant guides says the main goal of any meal with business colleagues is to leave the meal knowing more about who she is as a person. Other rules for business meals:

Etiquette rules for the modern age

Having good manners today is less about using the right fork, and more about showing consideration toward others. Why? Most people won’t notice if you use the wrong fork. But they will notice if you show disrespect toward their time or talent. Ways to show respect for others: