Professional Assistant Blog

NOVEMBER 20, 2007

Here are 5 ways to score brownie points with your boss and get that promotion or raise (or both) a little faster: The one thing that I’ve learned over the course of my career is to try getting to know your boss. Follow these 5 easy steps and over time, your boss will notice that they have made a definitely wise decision to hire you on.

2007 100

2007 2008 Cubicle Google Docs 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

JANUARY 19, 2009

The good thing about on-line courses, is anyone can do it from anywhere. When it gets closer to the course date and it doesnt look like they will fill the seats, they offer the course at a cheaper price. They can slot you into courses, either online or live classrooms that are happening tomorrow or later on.

Training 100

Training Time Zones IAAP Meeting Minutes 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

JANUARY 13, 2009

We really dont have an excuse because it is becoming increasingly easy to take courses online. I have had great experiences learning online in interactive courses. One question I have about this entry is where do you find online courses. Happy New Year Patty, I hope your vacation was restful and recharged your battery!

Time Zones 100

Time Zones IAAP 2009 International 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

DECEMBER 31, 2009

I wonder what kind of service the client would have thought he was offering! Years ago, when I worked for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), I took a training course on a Telex machine. Again, when I worked at the RCMP, I went on a training course for a machine to do criminal record checks.

Time Zones 100

Time Zones 2010 IAAP International 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

MAY 10, 2009

Of course before I recommend anything I try it out so I picked up the phone and it asked me what I was looking for and what city and province. I am hooked already and this will definitely go into my Favourites under 411 Look up as well as on speed dial on my cell, home and work phone. Google has an information line ( 1 800 466 4411 ).

Google 100

Google Time Zones IAAP International 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

JUNE 27, 2009

HA HA This assignment of course is a result of "Just say yes". My friend said it didnt seem to faze her and she quickly pulled up her skirt and kept talking like nothing happened. I wonder what that CEO was talking about that night with his wife. Honey, you will never believe what happened at the office?"

Time Zones 100

Time Zones IAAP Holidays Meeting Minutes 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

MAY 1, 2009

Of course there will come a time when questions about certain things will not have to be asked as it is hoped the new hire will catch on to the office procedures and their initiative will kick in and they will take on these tasks on their own, but in the beginning please ask. I dont see it as a weakness, but as a strength.

Time Zones 100

Time Zones IAAP Meeting Minutes International 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

JULY 20, 2009

Of course, the reason could have been that I was up all night with a sick child or wasnt feeling well myself or I just had an argument with my spouse and was still stewing about it. I teach an Administrative Professional course at a business college in Winnipeg and I have a website for my classroom.

Time Zones 100

Time Zones 2009 IAAP Administrative Professionals 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

MARCH 13, 2010

Of course that usually doesnt happen at work so I take about an hour of my home time, but it is well worth it the next day. Each meeting has some differences, but usually the basics are the same so your checklist can be pre-populated with those things so you can re-use it for each meeting.

Time Zones 100

Time Zones IAAP 2010 International 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

JANUARY 10, 2010

I of course ignored him and went about providing the best service I could. Some of the younger bosses are certainly qualified and know how to do some things administratively, but is it an efficient use of their time and is it good job security for us? He loved it and I believe ended up doing his job better because of it.

Time Zones 100

Time Zones IAAP 2010 International 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

NOVEMBER 21, 2009

If you keep telling yourself you cant do it, then of course you wont be able to, but if you say I dont know if I can, but I am going to try anyway, or I know I can do that because it was what I was trained for and then go ahead and do it, it will open all kinds of doors for you.

Self Esteem 100

Self Esteem Time Zones IAAP International 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

OCTOBER 6, 2009

They seemed surprised that I didnt know she had an alcohol problem because they told me you could smell the booze off her every day, but of course I hadnt noticed. I was mentioning to some colleagues that it was too bad she left as she could have been good with some encouragement.

Time Zones 100

Time Zones IAAP International Meeting Minutes 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

OCTOBER 4, 2008

Of course we know that people like this are not the Queen and their self-importance is only from themselves, but they can sure make your life miserable while you are in their kingdom. How can you survive in this kind of a working environment?

Time Zones 100

Time Zones IAAP Meeting Minutes International 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

SEPTEMBER 29, 2008

I am planning a local fundraiser to help the family with the costs on November 15th, but of course it will be in Ottawa, Canada and I know most of you are elsewhere. What I wasnt aware of was the many changes the family will have to make to their home to make it habitable for young Owen.

Time Zones 100

Time Zones IAAP Meeting Minutes International 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

SEPTEMBER 7, 2009

Take for instance on my first day in my new job, these were the acronyms that were being tossed about in conversations at a meeting where I was taking minutes: DOCAS, DRE, LHINS, NAGWD, OCRI and DAC to name a few and these of course are all pronounced as words.

Time Zones 100

Time Zones ASAP IAAP International 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

AUGUST 8, 2009

Of course you have to be prepared and know your stuff, but knowing you look good when you walk in the door will do wonders on how you present yourself. The same applies if you have a job interview or a new challenge at work. Buying a new outfit or wearing a freshly dry-cleaned suit will go a long way to increasing your confidence level.

Time Zones 100

Time Zones IAAP International Meeting Minutes 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

AUGUST 1, 2010

Of course the simple solution would be to have the same password for every aspect of your life, but nope that doesn’t work. Of course even if the system hadnt crashed, I would have needed to know my server and Outlook password so I could get into my sub-folder with all my passwords? But they refuse to help me out.

Time Zones 100

Time Zones 2010 IAAP Filing 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

APRIL 10, 2009

Of course what works for me will probably not apply to you so you need to set up folders that apply to your working situation, but the fewer the better. For instance, I have folders for the Board of Directors, International, Personal and one for Work Information. But what about my boss?

Time Zones 100

Time Zones Administrative Professionals IAAP International 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

AUGUST 29, 2009

Of course my comments are limited because the subject matter is not my expertise, but he relies on my input and corrections to make the document look good. If I am waiting for something, I will check it mid-day, but I definitely feel out of the loop if I dont check it at all, so schedule a time and make it a regular part of your day.

Management 100

Management Time Zones IAAP 2009 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

FEBRUARY 21, 2009

Of course if you are not licensed to do a particular job, or qualified, then you should not do it. There comes a time when companies need to pony up the money and either pay for your training or pay for a professional instead of heaving everything off on the admin because theyre cheap. February 22, 2009 Patricia Robb said. Good point Sabrina.

Time Zones 100

Time Zones IAAP 2009 International 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

JANUARY 3, 2009

If you have to P.S. this far you have missed the point of the P.S. * POSTSCRIPT TO MY POSTSCRIPT ARTICLE My boss read my blogpost and pointed out to me that he thought the correct way to write the post script is: PS or PPS Of course, he sent me a link to prove his point.

Time Zones 100

Time Zones IAAP International Meeting Minutes 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

NOVEMBER 1, 2008

Of course there is a down side to being able to do that. When you are in a cube you just stick your head up to speak to your neighbour and if you see they are on the phone, you go about doing something else until you hear they are free. You have to be respectful of your neighbours. If you have ever worked in a cube you will know what I mean.

Time Zones 100

Time Zones IAAP International Meeting Minutes 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

MAY 23, 2009

Of course there were four Karens and three Bobs. Each time I went to get my mail I would find my mail in the other Patricias slot or vice versa. Or if I was delivering mail to someone I had to stop, re-think and look for their first name. See what I mean? Which do you prefer, First Name, Last Name or Last Name, First Name?

Time Zones 100

Time Zones IAAP International Meeting Minutes 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

MAY 10, 2009

Of course if you know in the probationary period that this is just not the right fit for you, better to get out rather than being in a job you hate. She advised that I should stay at least one year in any job I was in. She said it wouldnt look good on my resume if I was seen as a job hopper.

Time Zones 100

Time Zones IAAP International Meeting Minutes 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

JANUARY 18, 2009

The members of my team of course didnt want to even be near me because of the germs I was spreading and I not only felt sick, but understandably rejected by my co-workers. routine, but finally dragged myself out of the apartment and went to work because I had an all-day meeting to attend that I really needed to be at. Or so I thought.

Time Zones 100

Time Zones IAAP International Meeting Minutes 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

SEPTEMBER 17, 2010

Sit down dinners Of course if it is a sit down dinner you have to order for the number of guests you have. He suggested four so I went with three for everyone and for some appetizers only two and it was more than enough. That is another thing you will have to note on the contract and give them the number of guests.

Time Zones 100

Time Zones IAAP Negotiating International 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

SEPTEMBER 20, 2009

It is usually a business I am interested in and I want to know when new courses or products are offered. I still get some flyers by regular mail and I do still appreciate them when it is a menu from a fast-food restaurant, money-back coupons or notices of courses in my area, but otherwise I throw them in the recycle bin.

Fax 100

Fax Time Zones IAAP 2009 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

JUNE 14, 2009

There are courses on minute taking and Board governance, but also you can learn alot by reading books and asking others who are in this field. Experience helps as you really need to know your stuff. I have been learning on the job as far as minute taking goes, but I love writing so it is something I really enjoy doing. It is interesting work.

Agenda 100

Agenda Time Zones IAAP Calendars 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

MARCH 15, 2009

The first day of each month, I go through the monthly folder and sort the items into the appropriate numbered file to be processed through the course of the new month. If it something that needs attention after the month ends, then it goes into the monthly folder. March 16, 2009 Patricia Robb said. Thats great!

Time Zones 100

Time Zones IAAP International Meeting Minutes 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

AUGUST 10, 2010

Of course these are only a portion of the shortcut keys that are out there, but unless they are easy you wont remember them. They say when you do something for 30 days it becomes a habit, so try some of these and make it a new habit that will save you a lot of time. These work in Word, PowerPoint, and (Excel and Outlook with some exceptions).

Keyboards 100

Keyboards Time Zones IAAP PowerPoint 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

JANUARY 19, 2009

The switchboard can get so busy at times that its just not possible to introduce every call that comes through (except, of course, for those calling for the big bosses). RE: #5 - As a "receptionist" myself, I feel a need to defend our not always letting you know who is calling. January 19, 2009 Patricia Robb said.

Time Zones 100

Time Zones IAAP 2009 International 100