Today...

Today is Administrative Professionals Day (Boy, am I glad they now call it that rather than "Secretary's Day"). Secretary's Day sounds so demeaning. Anyway, well, today is the day! Even though I know I am capable of being so much more than an Administrative Professional, I don't mind being attached to the title really. I know things could be a lot worse. To me, there aren't many jobs that are downright embarrassing. I don't see a problem with being a janitor if you okay with it. I don't see a problem with working in fast food if you are okay with it. Of course, there are some people you know that you wonder why they aren't doing more with themselves (and I am honored that many people have asked me that question). But I will say that I think a ditch digger is no less of a person than a college professor. Honestly, I never pictured myself being an Admin..but that IS what I am. Maybe if I didn't have much else in life (a husband, a family, hobbies, etc), I would want a demanding, high paying career to submerge myself in. Fortunately though, I DO have all those things I listed above - and much more! I must say that I enjoy coming to work, staying for 8 hours, and leaving on time every day. There is a little too much drama in my department than I like, but the few people I connect with are great! They keep me going, and I keep them going too! Don't get me wrong. I have bad days too - just like a doctor, a lawyer, a writer, an architect, a cab driver, etc. I've learned to turn around all the chaotic stuff about a work day into something I can laugh at. I convince myself that it is funny. And when I tell others stories about my workplace and they laugh real hard, I get even more tickled! Of course, watching The Office every Thursday night helps too! :) The most frustrating thing about my job is the stereotype that is attached to my title. I hate being thought of as a less intelligent, unvaluable, lower class employee/person. I may not have a degree to prove it, but I am intelligent. And what I don't know, I am 100% sure I am capable of learning. I am valuable to my company and my department. I am more capable than the boundaries of my job description. And of course, I don't know anyone else that would put up with bosses and a few psychotic coworkers like mine. Finally, I do not make much money. I don't know many admins who do unless they are giving their bosses a little "somtin somtin" on the side. Yes, I have known of people that do that and get either frequent raises, extra long lunches, extra days off, or whatever. That is SICK - SICK I tell you. But let me say that I also know that there are some great bosses out there who see great value in their assistants. Because they are their right hand (wo)man and because they have stuck by their side for so many years, the boss pays them very well. Back to what I was saying - I do not make a lot of money...so please send your donations to 3026 Rotan Lane, Dallas....JUST KIDDING! ;) I definitely make a lot less than the people in my department. The funny thing is that I know I do more than several other people who probably make double - maybe triple what I make and do less work! Also, I know for sure that there are people who step over the line (throwing a fit, cursing someone out, or whatever) but they never get anything said to them. If I were to do that, I'd be out the door. So, sometimes I do feel underappreciated, as does just about everyone I know. I'm just glad that no matter how inconsistent happiness is with my job, my REAL life is pretty damn consistent. :)

Let me tell you about my morning. I go downstairs to get my free Starbucks beverage in the cafeteria that was given to me by HR (for Administrative Professionals Day). When I come back upstairs, there is a beautiful arrangement of yellow and orange (so glad it wasn't pink or something) on my desk in a clay pot that is accessorized by this beautiful pearly mesh type sash. I knew it was from my boss, Claire...especially when I saw that it was from Cebolla's. I opened the card. It said, "Tish, thanks for everything you do. Claire". It was nice but not sappy (just the way I like it)! I walked around the wall between my cubicle and Claire's office, peeked my head in and said, "Claire, thank you so much for the flowers! I love them!" She said, "Oh, you're welcome. I'm glad you like them. They are my favorite arrangement. So, now you have one of my favorites!!!!" She always has to make everything (even a gift to someone else) about herself. Oh well. It doesn't matter. I do appreciate the flowers and the thought behind them. As I'm walking away, Claire says, "Tish, I think I spilled some water on your desk. I tried to clean it up." I said, "It's okay". When I got back to my desk, I felt around - even under the pot/vase - and felt nothing. I thought that she must've done a good job cleaning a few drops that she spilled and went on about my morning. A little later, I put my hands on the rest in front of the keyboard to begin typing and felt wetness. I looked down and saw that the rest was really wet. I picked it up to find that it and my keyboard were sitting in a pool of water. No biggie! Just wipe it up! Okay, so, I put my fingers on the keys to start typing and discover that the keys are wet too! I picked up my keyboard, turned it upside down, and water started pouring (not dripping - POURING) out of my keyboard! I dried it out the best I could. The good news is that I'm typing this blog without any problems. I just want to finish typing it...and if it craps out after that, WELL, I get a well-deserved, relaxing Administrative Professionals Day! :)

I wanted to put some real good information about Administrative Professionals Day that would be food for thought. I searched and searched and found the following exerpts from an article online:

In a resource-scarce environment, why is administrative talent often overlooked? Perhaps due to time-honored traditions and the hierarchical structure of educational institutions, many administrative managers have a blind spot regarding their support staff's full scope of skills and experience base. Whether by design or neglect, they frequently utilize administrative assistants in narrowly defined roles that are programmed for a limited set of mundane tasks, such as word processing or arranging meetings and managing calendars. The result: underutilization of staff--a condition that doesn't serve or support the institution's goals, especially during tough economic times. What's needed is a more holistic approach to staff utilization that takes into consideration the benefits to the individual, the management team, and the entire institution.

Stereotypes regarding skill sets.
Managers make assumptions about the limits of an assistant's skills instead of asking how they may be transferable to other areas. An Admission Office assistant's skills in evaluating transcripts, for example, could be applied to the evaluation of transcripts for graduation. The resulting increased coverage benefits the entire department and brings potentially substantial savings.

Failure to consider prior experience.
A manager may be unaware that an assistant has broad experience in other industries that could offer valuable perspective. Some administrative assistants have held positions of greater responsibility outside education, having decided to take a step back to enjoy the prestige and unique benefits of working at a university. The solution is to examine an assistant's resume and ask where he or she believes to be able to make a greater contribution. The individual may be a candidate for promotion or perhaps an internship in a higher-level position.

Ego.
A manager who has an advanced or terminal degree may be hesitant to ask the advice of an assistant with a mere bachelor's degree or high school diploma. Serving as a mentor or coach may be roles that will resonate for such a status-conscious manager. He or she can maintain the desired stature as the boss, and the assistant benefits from the exposure to the more sophisticated academic education and training. Besides, asking an assistant for advice is never a sign of weakness. "The most successful leaders in our departments are those who acknowledge that they don't know everything," says Denham. "They are willing to take some time to explore their administrative assistants' strengths."

If think I pulled out the best parts of the article, but if you are interested in reading the article in its entirety, click HERE.

~Tish