Professional Assistant Blog

MARCH 20, 2008

Administrative Assistants have a list of things they specialize in including business writing, proofreading, minute taking, meeting planning, travel agent, desktop publishing, editing, public relations and client liaison to name a few. Subscribe to The Professional Assistant feeds or get posts e-mailed directly to you today.

2008 100

2008 2007 Cubicle Google Docs 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

JUNE 27, 2009

HA HA This assignment of course is a result of "Just say yes". Dates (Writing out dates) Diagnosis or Diagnoses Dictionaries Due to Electronic dictionaries Email Salutations Exclamation marks versus question marks Expressing Currencies Expressing Time Fewer vs. Less Further vs Farther Grammar or Style Hope: the Word??

Time Zones 100

Time Zones IAAP Holidays Meeting Minutes 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

MARCH 13, 2010

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. 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.

Time Zones 100

Time Zones IAAP 2010 International 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. (for 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

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. (for

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. Quotations Marks Rules for numbers Saying thank you in an email Seasons greetings or Seasons greetings?

Time Zones 100

Time Zones IAAP International Meeting Minutes 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. Quotations Marks Rules for numbers Saying thank you in an email Seasons greetings or Seasons greetings? The same applies if you have a job interview or a new challenge at work.

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. (for Quotations Marks Rules for numbers Saying thank you in an email Seasons greetings or Seasons greetings?

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. Quotations Marks Rules for numbers Saying thank you in an email Seasons greetings or Seasons greetings?

Time Zones 100

Time Zones IAAP Meeting Minutes 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

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. Quotations Marks Rules for numbers Saying thank you in an email Seasons greetings or Seasons greetings? I have loved it ever since and that is when my list of handy Favourites was born.

Google 100

Google Time Zones IAAP International 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

MAY 10, 2009

It used to be the secretary did everything for the boss, now the executives do a lot of their own administrative work, such as email management, so a background as an admin assistant can certainly help. So much is expected of executives these days. She advised that I should stay at least one year in any job I was in.

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. There is value in getting to know people, even if it is just over email or the phone. He suggested four so I went with three for everyone and for some appetizers only two and it was more than enough.

Time Zones 100

Time Zones IAAP Negotiating International 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. Quotations Marks Rules for numbers Saying thank you in an email Seasons greetings or Seasons greetings? But what about my boss?

Time Zones 100

Time Zones Administrative Professionals IAAP International 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. Quotations Marks Rules for numbers Saying thank you in an email Seasons greetings or Seasons greetings? 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

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. Some emails are obviously junk. My boss expects me to not only read his e-mails, but to open and read the attachments as well.

Management 100

Management Time Zones IAAP 2009 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

NOVEMBER 1, 2008

Of course there is a down side to being able to do that. Dates (Writing out dates) Diagnosis or Diagnoses Dictionaries Due to Electronic dictionaries Email Salutations Exclamation marks versus question marks Expressing Currencies Expressing Time Fewer vs. Less Further vs Farther Grammar or Style Hope: the Word??

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. Dates (Writing out dates) Diagnosis or Diagnoses Dictionaries Due to Electronic dictionaries Email Salutations Exclamation marks versus question marks Expressing Currencies Expressing Time Fewer vs. Less Further vs Farther Grammar or Style Hope: the Word?? See what I mean?

Time Zones 100

Time Zones IAAP International Meeting Minutes 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

JANUARY 18, 2009

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. 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. Or so I thought.

Time Zones 100

Time Zones IAAP International Meeting Minutes 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. Quotations Marks Rules for numbers Saying thank you in an email Seasons greetings or Seasons greetings? Experience helps as you really need to know your stuff. 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. Quotations Marks Rules for numbers Saying thank you in an email Seasons greetings or Seasons greetings? March 16, 2009 Patricia Robb said. Thats great!

Time Zones 100

Time Zones IAAP International Meeting Minutes 100

Men With Pens

JUNE 27, 2010

Things I didn’t get done that day, emails I meant to send, bills I haven’t paid, posts I haven’t written, product launch process – they all keep me awake in the wee small hours. Of course being well rested is one of the things that enables me to do that. Nobody asked you what you actually got done.

2010 40

2010 AT&T Health Stress 40

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. Quotations Marks Rules for numbers Saying thank you in an email Seasons greetings or Seasons greetings? These work in Word, PowerPoint, and (Excel and Outlook with some exceptions). (for

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). I have a love/hate relationship with the email autofill. RE: #5 - As a "receptionist" myself, I feel a need to defend our not always letting you know who is calling.

Time Zones 100

Time Zones IAAP 2009 International 100