AdminSecret

I was reading Twitter tweets this morning and I came across one that directed me to a story about the Ten Characteristics of Great Companies by a venture capital investor in Hoboken, N.J., named Fred Wilson. It was a solid list of virtues that make for solid companies, everything from “constantly innovating” to “having a global mindset.” But there was one ...

General Guidelines: 1. Dress appropriately for your line of work, career goals, geographic location and body type. Know your industry. Someone in a creative field like advertising or the media has more room for experimentation than someone in a traditionally conservative field like banking or insurance. 2. Understand that neatness is extra important on casual days. 3. Use colors that enhance ...

Regardless of why you’re quitting your job, you always want to leave on a good note. Even if your boss is the worst in the world and has made your life a living hell, remember to always, always, always leave a good impression behind you. You never know when you’ll need a reference or perhaps even need to return to that ...

[widget:sydni_craighart_featured_author_box] As an established VA, you’ll enjoy the freedom to hand-pick your clients and assignments, work at your own schedule and pace, and set your own rates. To achieve success in the Virtual Assistance field, tenacity and perseverance are essential. Although there are no shortcuts for hard work, the right resources can help you achieve success and prosperity more quickly. ...

Laid off, fired, let go… whatever you call it, it stinks. However there are a few things you can do prior to getting an interview and say when you’re in the interview hot seat—you will get back into the interview hot seat—that will reflect in a very positive light to your future employer. Let’s start first with what you can say ...

Celebrities. We love to hate them. We also love to watch their every move, laugh at their mistakes and scrutinize their decisions. Like them or not, their celebrity status means not only have they achieved career success, they’ve also got a hell of a lot to lose. And sometimes, whatever actions have helped catapult them to fame or rendered them ...

by Dawn Yerger As a mother and a business woman working for herself, I’ve always been fascinated with people who make money every minute of the day, including when they are fast asleep. Sounds pretty nice doesn’t it? Since I am an entrepreneur and business professional coach, I enjoy helping my clients create more freedom in their lives. One of the ...

I recently heard about an individual applying for a job who was asked by the hiring manager to bring up his Facebook page. The individual was shocked, but did so because he wasn’t sure how to refuse. What would you do if this happened to you? Does an employer even have the right to ask this, especially when Facebook is supposed ...

Facebook recently started a new group called the “six degrees of separation”. An ambitious undertaking, the leader asked each participant to send a group notice to everyone in his or her contact list in order to determine if it was possible to contact every single person on Facebook (over 30 million viewers) with six or fewer connections. I am not sure ...

If there's any small solace when starting a job search in this recession, it's the proliferation of digital technology to help you re-enter the working world. Web sites like Indeed.com and LinkedIn.com have multiplied the number of job openings you can track and the professional contacts you can make. E-mail and smart phones make it easier to pitch yourself and set ...

Now that you have been introduced to this amazing opportunity, I’m sure you’re really excited about all of the possibilities. You can see yourself working diligently from your home office (in your jeans and t-shirt if you like!), on projects you enjoy, with clients you love and having complete control over your life and schedule. And maybe you’ve thought, “Yes, I ...

Last week we discussed how to enroll new clients by using a solid follow-up system. I wanted to save this portion especially for this week. See, there is a small gap between having an interested prospect and enrolling that person as a new client. That gap is an easy one to bridge. This article will provide you with the knowledge and ...

Amy Andrews has a great post on my friend Chris Russell’s Secrets of the Job Hunt blog on how to decide whether you should return to your old company. In my days at Edelman, we used to call these people members of the “Comeback Club" or "Boomerangers." Here’s what Amy has to say: Organizations thrive on change. Just because you lost ...

As soon as you hear the words, "Tell me about a time when...," you should be aware that your interviewer is probably using a behavioral interviewing technique. This technique uses your past experiences and behaviors as an indicator of your future success. In other words, if you can demonstrate through examples that you accomplished something before, the interviewer may have the ...

Photo: shearforce/Flickr (CC) Do your coworkers like you? Or do they avoid you like day-old conference-room bagels? Does it matter, as long as you're getting the job done? You betcha, says a Harvard Business Review report on "Competent Jerks, Lovable Fools, and the Formation of Social Networks" by Tiziana Casciaro and Miguel Sousa Lobo. Like it or not, likeability matters. ...

Do you ever feel like you’re caught in a game of tug-0-war….and you’re the rope? These days, supporting multiple managers is the norm more than the exception, and it isn’t uncommon to receive conflicting priorities from the various managers you support. It is imperative to learn to manage conflicting priorities as an Administrative or Executive Assistant. Because you know what? You’re ...

As the jobless rate continues to rise, few are exempt from layoff jitters. Downsizing, re-organization, a shift in strategy — whatever you want to call it — can make going to work seem like a game of musical chairs. But there are some proactive measures you can take to ensure you're not left standing at the end of the round. ...

Despite the gloomy economy and bleak job outlook, there are scattered cities where wages are rising and the number of jobs is increasing. Washington, DC, and several parts of Texas top the list, but cities as far apart as Anchorage and East Baton Rouge, Louisiana, continued to experience job and wage growth at the end of last year, according to Bureau ...

I get notes in my inbox every day, but this one stood out — so I decided to give it a little extra attention! If you've got a question you'd like to ask me, feel free to send it to info@adminsecret.com. Due to volume I can't always get to every question, but I'll do my best to send you a quick ...

If you are improperly classified as a salaried employee, you could be losing a lot of money. In big corporations, whether you’re an hourly or salaried employee is usually a decided by HR in order to comply with labor laws. However, many small businesses don’t have an HR employee, much less a whole department, and it isn’t unusual to find administrative ...