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Five Things Admins Hate
Being an administrative assistant is great (well, usually), but sometimes even the greatest workplace can offer up some pretty unpleasant situations — ones that you’ve had to endure with a smile on your face even though you’re about to cry from frustration. We’ve asked some real-life, star admins what they absolutely can’t stand about their jobs and come up with some ways to deal with them like a pro. Here are some of your least favorite situations:
1. Being asked to schedule any personal events.
Booking personal travel, dinners with their significant other, or tickets to the game. Is there anything more irritating? Unless your title is “personal assistant,” this really isn’t your job. And to make matters worse, it makes it harder for you to do your real job! You’ve got things that are actually in your job description to take care of. Instead you’re being asked to get some plane tickets so she can make a family reunion, get reservations at that new restaurant so she can impress her husband, and pick up her dry cleaning so she’ll look great. So here’s hoping your boss was planning on scheduling meetings and restocking the office supplies herself, right? This happens to all of us sometimes, and it’s good to look like the person who’s happy to pitch in. Still, it’s best to draw a firm line between what you should be doing and what they should be doing.
onesharbear
3 months ago
14 comments
My last job, my Sr. manager was a big A Hole nothing could please her. She took credit for everything. And if something did go wrong, even if you did not do it but maybe you had access to it you were screwed! She got laid off, last I heard she was still job searching.
HOWEVER...I now have a WONDERFUL boss, he is the best ever. I can not believe that I got so lucky. So they are out there...you just have to be patient, and when you get one hang on to him/her.
brookmole
3 months ago
14 comments
When your 'support staff' (file clerks, copy clerks, etc) act like you work for them, and expect you to do their job so they can take long lunches or troll craigslist and facebook. The worst is when they make demands that aren't even their decision, like having the mail ready at 4:30, when we are supposed to have until 5:00, and the mail in our building doesn't get picked up until 5:30 so they can sneak out early and get paid for it. Management just lets them get away with it and plops extra work on my desk as a result.
mluddeni
3 months ago
4 comments
When your boss has a fight with their spouse and takes it out on you.
anne2064
3 months ago
2 comments
My boss is guilty of ALL 5 of these! UGH!!!
ss317
3 months ago
2 comments
approaching the boss after the meltdown sometimes only encourages more bad behavior.
It's like giving a child candy to be good in the grocery store.