AdminSecret

What sets you apart as an administrative professional? Is it the way you conduct yourself in social settings? In business settings? Is it the type of speech you use or the positive attitude you display? Is it the way you treat your co-workers and the executives you support? I think we’ve all worked with someone during our careers who simply stands ...

Do you have trouble planning your holiday office party? Do you feel that there are too many people opposing to different things that you plan such as religious issues? I am sure that this happens within many organizations and each year, everyone has something to say about what they feel would be the "best" way to celebrate the holidays. Of course, ...

With the holidays upon us, already stressful times become even more challenging. The headlines scream of economic downfall, corporate giants crumbling, jobs balancing on a thread, and expectations of Norman Rockwell holiday bliss cause great stress for even the most balanced individuals. Concierge Resource, a life management firm providing on-site and virtual assistance to employees of hospitals and corporations, offers ...

Today we have another question from a reader: how do you handle a difficult boss? Here’s the e-mail I received: How do you deal with a boss who’s not only moody, but crazy? I swear she must be bi-polar. She will fly off the handle at the smallest thing – and everything in the world is the biggest tragedy. She has ...

Do you find yourself being bored out of your mind at times with nothing to do? Do you feel that your boss could offer you more tasks, but keeps telling you that they're putting things together for you, but never do? This, of course, is heaven to some, but like me, can't stand being bored. I always need to keep myself ...

In my last post, I talked about using discretion in scheduling meetings. Today, we’ll go into other ways to manage your boss’s calendar to increase his productivity. Keep the Calendar More Full Than It Looks Let’s face it. If there’s a blank spot on your boss’s calendar, someone’s going to want to schedule a meeting there. The higher up in the ...

Once you have been laid off, one of the first things you are likely to think about is how you are going to replace your income. Unemployment Insurance (UI) was established by the government to provide unemployment benefits to workers when become unemployed due to factors outside their control to financially assist them while they are looking for employment. UI is ...

Photo courtesy of moriza via Creative Commons My desk is covered with Simpsons memorabilia, nine boxes of cereal, and photos of my family and friends. With one glance any passer-by can see I’m a fan of cartoons, eating, and my loved ones. A study at the University of Texas-Austin found that offices can reveal much about a worker's personality and ...

I decided to select a topic from my latest book for admins, Underneath It All. At our conference the one big 'aha' moment was when I asked all 120 attendees, "Where do you go to learn about your profession — what resources do you use?" While a few told me about resources they use to develop skills, not one person could ...

With the holidays just around the corner, now is a great time to declutter your kitchen! This week, take a few minutes each day to do a kitchen micro-clean up project. Here are some ideas to whet your appetite. * Wipe down the cabinet fronts and appliances to make your kitchen sparkle. * Go through the fridge, pantry or food cabinets ...

It was only 7.45am and I was catching up with emails and playing with some photos I wanted to edit. The business line rang and I wondered whether I should pick it up yet or not. After all I don’t usually start work till a bit later. I answered the phone and it was one of my clients. A check he’d ...

By Marc and Angel Hack Life | Divine Caroline Staying awake is easy … five shots of espresso and a can of red bull is all you need. You’ll certainly be wide awake and wired, but you may also die from a heart attack a few hours later. In all seriousness, conquering drowsiness before it overwhelms your mind can be quite ...

Does sexism still exist in the workplace? Of course it does. But it's no longer in the form of an unsolicited smack on the behind or blatant, belittling comment. Modern day sexism is less obvious, more subtle, harder to put your finger on. It's also harder to fight. In her blog post "Top 10 Uwritten Rules That Could Sabotage Your Career," ...

AdminSecret knows it can feel like nobody appreciates all your hard work as an admin sometimes (but rest assured that we do!), so we're sharing this article from Featured Author Sydni Craig-Hart on how to take back your self-esteem. Enjoy! Perhaps you saw in last week’s ezine that I spent the better part of the week with my mastermind group in ...

When Adriana Bell had her first child, she kept working. But as a customer-service agent for an airline, she worked many nights, weekends and holidays. For Bell, who grew up in Colombia, that was not the American dream. So when her son Nicholas was 4, she quit and became a stay-at-home mom. "My priority is family, and the schedule was killing ...

Times are tough — and they just might be getting tougher. A layoff in the family can definitely cause stress. Is your family struggling with unemployment or are you one of the lucky ones? AdminSecret wants to know how you're doing and give you a place to share tips, tricks, and best wishes. Join the Discussion! Related Reads: 25 Best U.S. ...

A person I worked with had a problem with alcohol and the whole office knew about it except me. I can't smell so I didn't notice what the others did, but in a way that was a good thing. It seems as soon as we tag someone as having an alcohol problem, we don't seem to see anything else about the ...

Very few people doubt the corporate deck is stacked against women to some degree. Still, you can sabotage your own career through errors made in the name of doing well or doing more. Here are nine career stoppers that can prevent you from advancing in your career. Do any of them figure into your modus operandi? 1. Flirting with Men to ...

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 ...

Are you getting tons of junk e-mails in your inbox? Do you wish that you could figure out what is real and what is fake? I get about 200 e-mails per day, roughly about 100 of those are spam. It's amazing of how people still try to con others into giving them a great loan, even if they have bad or ...