As the number of emails increase, it seems that the level of professional correspondence has decreased. Tacky notes, mis-spelled words, sentences that drone on and on -- you've probably seen it all, as have I. But never forget that people judge you by whatever means you interact with them. That includes notes, phone messages, and yes, the ubiquitous email. Here are ...

AdminSecret created The Office Emergency Quiz to help you learn the skills you need to survive if a disaster strikes your workplace. We listened to our users' feedback and are providing the answers so you can learn from the quiz. h4. Don't cheat! If you haven't taken The Office Emergency Quiz, go take it first. See answers on the next page... ...

Welcome to Microsoft Office Word 2007, included in the 2007 release of the Microsoft Office system. Office Word 2007 is a powerful authoring program that gives you the ability to create and share documents by combining a comprehensive set of writing tools with the easy-to-use Microsoft Office Fluent user interface. Office Word 2007 helps information workers create professional-looking content more quickly ...

There's nothing worse than getting on the elevator and realizing you're standing next to the boss with nothing to say for 11 floors or being in the middle of a breaking crisis and not knowing how to react. “[Thinking on your feet is] definitely a learned skill, and most of us don't spend a lot of time learning it,” says Peter ...

I haven't been practicing lately so I only top out at about 95wpm (words per minute), but with continued training it is fully possible to kick your typing speed up to 160wpm or even higher. Why am I mentioning these speeds? Because the average person's handwriting speed is somewhere around 25-35wpm where the words are short and speed is at the ...

Years later, I still remember that sinking feeling, just after I'd hit the Send button after writing an email complaining about an editor. My worst virtual fear was quickly confirmed: Yes, I had sent my bit of snark to the editor instead of my friend--and no, the editor wasn't amused. Although he initially refused to work with me again, he eventually ...

When we were younger, making friends was easy. School provides us with an instant pool of people our own age that we interact with on a daily basis, who are in the same boat we are. But once we leave college and enter the real world, finding friends can be a more difficult task, especially if you have to relocate for ...

Finding a job is no easy task. Thankfully you’re employed, but it’s hard to watch your buddy network, scour job boards, send updated resumes, and… still not get a single call back. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could nudge her through the door at your company with a glowing reference? Definitely! But beware, oh gracious pal. Putting in a good ...

Gossip is and will always be a part of the work environment. Whether it’s during a quick chat over a morning cup of coffee or a marathon session at happy hour, we’ve all started or repeated a rumor about someone in their absence. In fact, employees gossip up to sixty-five hours a year at work, according to a July 2002 survey ...

You spend eight-plus hours at work every day, so you can assume that that nature will call at least once during your day. Besides your desk, the office bathroom is where you might spend the most time during the workday. Since you spend so much of your day there, the office bathroom should be a comfortable, approachable place. Make sure you ...

If you deal with daily meetings and interactions with coworkers, you know just how important it is to speak assertively. But what exactly does “assertively” mean and how do you speak your mind without coming across as rude? These are important questions, as communicating effectively — not to mention politely — is pivotal to your professional success. The last thing you ...

While perusing the many blogs that I follow, I saw this blog post on LifeHacker about the etiquette of texting your boss. It started me thinking about how much technology has changed during my career and how we respond to it as Administrative and Executive Assistants. Using text messages is a good example of technology that we can embrace. Like all ...

Let’s face it, most employees use their company-issued pagers, phones, laptops for personal reasons sometimes. It’s just the way life is now — the lines between work life and personal life are becoming more and more blurred as workers seem to be working round the clock these days. But if you do use these devices for a message or text you ...

My first glimpse of an office birthday party was via the movie Office Space, when the corporate drones stand awkwardly around the cake and sing “Happy Birthday” to their boss in monotone voices. Flash forward seven years: the first company I worked for as a recent college grad had its monthly birthday celebration, and I had an overwhelming sense of déjà ...

Feel like the four dreary walls of your cubicle are closing in on you? Time for a summer break! Whether it's a relaxing cruise, an exotic island getaway, or a sandy beach adventure, it's high time you got out of that lifeless cubicle and away from the dreariness of your nine-to-five office life. Worried your workload will keep you from some ...

It seems like there’s one in every office … one person who engages in baffling, inexplicable, or sometimes downright rude behavior. There’s the woman who talks on her cell phone in the bathroom every day, the man who microwaves noxious leftover fish, or the girl who leaves her personal papers on the copier glass. Work is the place where we spend ...

Everyone has something (or someone) that annoys him or her at work. It could be faulty equipment or coworkers who don’t pull their own weight. But nobody’s complaining about you, right? Not so fast. Even though your mom, friends, or significant other may worship the ground you walk on, there could be some people you work with who are far ...

Whether traveling for business is an everyday occurrence, an occasional hindrance, or a lifelong dream, all business travelers can agree that if your job calls for travel, then being an efficient traveler is a must. We’ve got the five tips that will make your time en-route more productive and less stressful. #1 Know Which Airlines Offer Premium Economy Why? Because if ...

Meetings can be deadly, especially if they feel unproductive. Listening to your boss drone on and on about things that don't affect you just isn’t a smart use of your time. So how can you make your boring meetings more productive? Research shows that increasing activity and creativity in meetings helps increase brain activity and alertness. Everyone's happier when you make ...

Technology is a beautiful thing. Most of us can’t imagine doing our jobs without it. But sometimes, overindulging in email, texts, and social networking might actually hinder your performance. We’ve identified five ways your iPhone, BlackBerry, Facebook and that endless information superhighway are actually making you worse at your job. Instant message is twisting your words (and making you lazy) Remember ...