Administrative Arts

Stylebooks: How to Write Professionally

Jodith — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 08:00:00 +0000

We all know how important proper grammar and punctuation are in business writing. We all took English in school and learned the basics, but questions of style can be more complex. When talking dates, do we refer to the “1950s” or the “1950’s”? Is it “an historical event” or “a historical event”? Is that title capitalized, italicized or underlined? The answer to these questions depends on the industry doing the writing and what stylebook they use.

What Is A Stylebook?

A stylebook is, essentially, a set of rules or standards used in writing and design. Once upon a time, individual organizations each had their own stylebook or style manual. Some of them sold that manual to the public. Over time, certain stylebooks have become the de facto standard for particular industries. In the world of journalism, it’s The AP Stylebook;, in book publishing, it’s The Chicago Manual of Style; and in business, it’s The Gregg Reference Manual. This isn’t a hard and fast rule, but in general, these are the books that these industries use.

Which Stylebook Should You Use?

The stylebook you use will depend a great deal on your industry. The first thing you should do is check with your boss. She may have a particular preference for a certain stylebook, or your company may dictate the stylebook to use. You may even find yourself using different stylebooks for different tasks. For instance, you may use The AP Stylebook for newsletters and The Gregg Reference Manual for business letters and memos.

If your boss or company doesn’t dictate the stylebook to use, you should use the appropriate stylebook for the task at hand. The important thing is to be consistent in the stylebook you use, so your writing is consistent overall.

What Stylebooks Do You Use?

Tell us what stylebooks you use in your office and/or industry? Do you use the good old Gregg or one of the other many manuals available to you? Leave a comment and share your practices.Similar Posts:

Dealing With Change In The Workplace

Jodith — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 08:00:00 +0000

In today’s harsh economic climate, about the only thing that stays the same is change. Companies are downsizing, reorganizing, and rethinking everything they do. People are being laid off, duties are being passed around, and those left behind are dealing with the guilt and relief of not being on the chopping block.

Let’s face it, even positive change can cause discomfort, and the change in companies today isn’t always positive. For those living through constant change, the stress can eat you alive if you don’t deal with change in a positive manner.

Dealing with Change: Coping Techniques

How do you deal with the stress of change? Here are some ways to cope with change in the workplace.

Take time for yourself. It’s hard to de-stress when everyone around you needs something. Bar the spouse and the kids from the bathroom and enjoy a nice, long bubble bath with a glass of wine. Indulge yourself in your favorite hobby. Take time away for a spiritual retreat. Whatever way helps you cope, take some time away from the cares of your world and take care of yourself.
Look for hidden opportunities. Every cloud has a silver lining. Look for the opportunities hidden inside the workplace changes. Do you have the opportunity to learn a new skill? Is this the time to shine by volunteering to take some extra duties? Think outside the box and turn negatives into positives.
Live in the present. Constantly thinking about what was or worrying about what will be won’t change what is happening to you right now. When you find yourself lapsing into nostalgia or worry, bring your mind back to your present task. Focus on what you are doing right now.
Communicate. Share your feelings with friends and coworkers. It’s natural to be angry with change. Hiding that anger just makes you feel worse. Share your feelings in a constructive manner. Perhaps you can form a group of people to help support one another as they go through change. Having a support group can make all the difference.

Maintain Your Serenity

Whether or not you’re religious, the Serenity prayer is a great bit advice for coping with change.

Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

It’s sage advice. Let go of those things you have no control over. Work only on those things where you have some kind of control or say. The key, of course, is Wisdom, which I have too little of to advise others on how to gain it.

What do you think? How do you deal with change at work? Leave a comment and share you bit of wisdom with us all.

By the way, don’t forget to vote in this week’s poll. It’s in the sidebar.

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Ask the Admin: My Boss Is Having An Affair

Jodith — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 08:00:00 +0000

We have a doozy of a question this week, folks, and I’m hoping some of you can help the writer with some advice:

I just found out that my boss is having an affair. Normally I wouldn’t care. I mean, who he sleeps with is none of my business, isn’t it? The part I’m having trouble with is that I like his wife. A lot! She’s in and out of the office all the time and she attends company events with him. She’s such a sweetheart, and I feel just terrible about all of this. I hate to see her taken advantage of. So what do I do? Do I tell her about the affair? Or do I protect my boss?

Andrea (not my real name)

Andrea, thank you for writing to me about this problem. You certainly have a serious dilemma on your hands. Situations like this can cause you some serious heartache.

Confidentiality: How far does it reach?

I’ve always been a big advocate of keeping your boss’s personal business confidential. An Administrative or Executive Assistant is so much in her boss’s pocket, that she tends to learn many things that she might otherwise not want to know. If we are to maintain the level of support to our boss’s that they need, they need to be able to trust that anything we learn is kept strictly confidential.

My question would be how you learned about the affair? Was it through your work duties? I know that I’ve come across the same knowledge in the past looking for an e-mail my boss couldn’t find.

My gut says if you found out about the affair in the performance of your work duties, then you owe your boss your confidentiality. However, if you found this out in a non-work venue, then you are not so bound. For instance, if you heard about it from someone in your social group.

Assuming you didn’t find out from work duties, I’m still of two minds about telling the wife. You still have to worry about your own position and the possibility of retaliation from your boss. It could make your job very, very difficult. It’s a matter you have to wrestle out with your own conscience.

Opinions

I know Andrea and I aren’t the only two who have made this discovery. I see the topic in search often enough to know it isn’t an unusual happening. I’d love to hear from all of you, my readers, on this topic. How far does confidentiality reach? Would you tell the wife in these circumstances? Please, leave a comment and tell us what you think.Similar Posts:

Getting Coffee: Personal Errands Personified

Jodith — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 08:00:00 +0000

Should you get coffee for your boss? I find this question over and over in the searches on my site. Why are admins asking this question. Why is it important?

Personal Errands

Getting coffee is really just the tip of the iceberg. What most admins are asking about is running personal errands for your boss. Getting coffee, picking up lunch, dropping off dry cleaning. You all know the kinds of things I’m talking about. I’ve talked about running personal errands before. While many bosses are hesitant to ask their admin to run personal errands for them, other bosses think it is a requirement for the job.

Lack of Respect?

Is it a devaluation of our skills? Does it show a lack of respect on the part of the boss to ask us to get coffee? It depends on boss. Most bosses understand our value and are reluctant to waste our time on such errands. On the other hand, some bosses consider us lackeys. We exist to do what he wants when he wants. But does that mean we shouldn’t ever run personal errands for our bosses?

What Is Our Job Anyway?

Let’s break our job down to its core objective. Administrative and Executive Assistants, at their core, exist to make the boss’s job easier and more productive. If getting a cup of coffee or picking up lunch allows her the constructive time she needs to work on a project, then getting that coffee or food meets our core objective. It is, indeed, part of our job description.

It’s All About Respect

As I said earlier, I don’t think most bosses disrespect what we do as Administrative Professionals. Some, however, do. I don’t think the issue for any of us is getting coffee. It’s being respected for the highly skilled professionals that we are. If your boss doesn’t respect you, it won’t change if you refuse to get his coffee.

If your boss respects all that you do, I can’t imagine you would have a problem getting the coffee occasionally. At least that’s the way that I feel. For a boss who respects and values me and my work, I’d do whatever he needs to help him be successful. For a boss who doesn’t respect me and my work…well…let’s just say I’d be looking for another job rather than worrying about the details.

What’s Your Opinion?

Do you get coffee or run other personal errands for your boss? Why or why not? Leave a comment and let us all know how you feel about this topic.

I’ve added a poll to the site. Vote in the latest poll on the sidebar (click through to the site if you read this in a reader or e-mail). This week’s poll: How Long Have You Worked in the Administrative Support Field?

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Eating At Your Desk – Should You?

Jodith — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 08:00:00 +0000

Should administrative support personnel eat at their desks? Some organizations allow it. Some don’t. Professionally, though, whether it’s allowed or not, is eating at our desks something we should do?

Like many professional dilemmas, the answer is a resounding maybe. For some administrative support jobs, occasionally eating at your desk shouldn’t present a problem. For others, it should be absolutely forbidden.

Front Desk and Public Positions

Let’s face it, if your job is to be the face of your company at the front desk as a receptionist or in another public position, you should not be eating at your desk. Just think of the impression it gives to clients. They walk into your office and the first thing they see is you chowing down on a piece of birthday cake. It is not a pretty picture. Note: this applies to chewing gum as well. No gum!

If you have a need to eat frequently, use your break times for a snack, but keep the food away from public venues.

Lunching At Your Desk

I know some of us lunch at our desk because of the lack of appropriate lunch room facilities. If you eat lunch at your desk, though, make it obvious by having a sign you put on your desk that says “At Lunch”. It will let you eat your lunch in peace and make it clear you are not actually working. The Be Neat rule still applies, though.

Eating At Your Desk: The Rules

If your office isn’t in a public venue, and your office doesn’t have rules against it, then eating at your desk is usually not a problem. Use discretion, though. These are the rules I generally apply to eating at my desk.

Make it occasional. Someone brings in some cookies or it’s the monthly birthday celebration. Go ahead and have a snack at your desk. If you are eating at your desk every day, however, learn to use your break time for your snacks.
Be Neat. Use a napkin and clean up after yourself. Make sure you don’t leave any crumbs around to attract insects.
Take small bites. You still have to answer the phone, so take small bites that can be quickly swallowed so you can answer the phone quickly. Avoid chewy foods like toffees and caramel.
NO GUM! Seriously. No one wants to talk on the phone with you while you smack your gum. Stop it now!

What Are Your Rules

What rules reign in your office? Are you allowed to eat at your desk? What about your personal rules? Leave a comment and add your voice to the question. Can you and should you eat at your desk?Similar Posts:

Working Virtually

Jodith — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 08:00:00 +0000

Today’s blog is a guest post over on Joan Burge’s blog on Office Dynamics about how to support your boss in a virtual environment. Go on over and check it out. Don’t forget to subscribe to Joan’s blog while you’re there. I find many great tips for Administrative Professionals on her blog, as those of you who follow me on Twitter or read my Links Round-Ups know.

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Links Roundup – August 24, 2010

Jodith — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 08:00:00 +0000

Here’s a list of the links I tweeted during the last few weeks. If you’re into Twitter, you can follow me at http://twitter.com/admnarts.

What I’m Reading: 10 Excel Secrets Every Admin Should Know – Admin Secret adminsecret.monst…
What I’m Reading: Add a Cover Page to a Word Document online-tech-tips….
RT @mmangen: #ExcelQueen Tip: CTRL+D Uses the Fill Down command to copy the contents and format into the cells below.
RT @TechTipTweets: Need to print a #booklet in MS Office, make it into a PDF first. news.office-watc…
RT @OfficeArrow: Successful People Think on Paper – a great topic by the great @Radiant officearrow.com/t…
RT @MakeWordsHappy: What do you think? The 8-hour workday: Reality or Myth? eatyourcareer.com…
What I’m Reading: Defining What Your Administrative Support Really Means :: Julie Perrine International, LLC julieperrine.com/…
RT @brambleberry: 5 Metrics your small business website needs to track: http://ht.ly/2pohU
Have a great tip to share with administrative professionals? Submit a guest post at Administrative Arts #IAAP administrativeart…
RT @2minuteswithava: Are your passwords at least 12 characters long? http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/08/16/password_security_analysis/
What I’m Reading: Administrative Assistant Blog, Executive Assistant – It’s a Happy Birthday Monday! http://bit.ly/aj7KmT
What I’m Reading: Getting a Raise: What Not to Do | Job Satisfaction | OfficeArrow http://bit.ly/c1uBAP
What I’m Reading: Administrative Assistant Blog, Executive Assistant – An Invaluable Trait (Administrative Profess… http://bit.ly/bNVH1G
What I’m Reading: Virtual Assistant – THE Blog About Our Industry » Developing Confidence in your VA business http://bit.ly/bJwXBF
What I’m Reading: Increase Security by Enabling Account Lockout in Windows 7 http://bit.ly/bLkg4n
What I’m Reading: Administrative Assistant Blog, Executive Assistant – High Level Executive Assistant Seeks Networ… http://bit.ly/9TY5y1
What I’m Reading: Test Your Password Strength http://bit.ly/doIUZI
What I’m Reading: Add Transition Sounds to PowerPoint Slides http://bit.ly/cigbOO
What I’m Reading: The Social Profile Interactive Tool | Small Business Marketing Blog from Duct Tape Marketing http://bit.ly/9JKCAa
What I’m Reading: Administrative Assistant Blog, Executive Assistant – Administrative Assistants Look for Hidden T… http://bit.ly/crql7a
What I’m Reading: Top Business Book Recommendations | OA Book Club: Professional Development Books | OfficeArrow http://bit.ly/buoDcK
What I’m Reading: Manage Time in Front of a Computer Screen with Eyes Relax http://bit.ly/dbuaXv
What I’m Reading: Administrative Assistant Blog, Executive Assistant – Administrative Assistants Assert Themselves… http://bit.ly/c1qeb2
By popular demand…kitten pics. These are about 3 weeks old. I’ll upload more recent pics later. facebook.com/albu… facebook.com/albu…

Wow, that’s a bunch of links. I really need to do these weekly so I don’t overwhelm you.

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No Budget for Training? Do It Yourself

Jodith — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 08:00:00 +0000

Today’s article is a guest post from Wendy Stoneman.

In my time with my current employer, I’ve been involved in training a few of our new admins. At some point in their first year they generally ask about training. Can they get some sort of training to improve their skills in a particular software program or office process? (Unfortunately, at our office the answer is “no”.)

Rarely though, is anyone referring to total immersion in a software program when they ask that question. Usually, they’re getting bogged down with a few tasks in a particular software – they can’t fix footers in Microsoft Word or rearrange pages in an Adobe .pdf file. They know this lack of mastery costs them time and energy and they simply want to resolve it.

Even without training programs or budgets for traditional or online classes, there are still ways to learn the tips and tricks you need to become more efficient. I recently became the Adobe Queen of my office. I’m certainly no expert, but I’ve mastered what I need to solve most issues I’ve run into with any Adobe .pdf file. Here’s the plan that worked for me:

Identify the area where you’ll get the biggest bang for your buck. I could’ve spent my time upgrading my knowledge of the accounting software (which I use occasionally) or becoming better at Word (which I use every day). I noticed though, that more and more of my work involved managing and manipulating .pdf files. It was an emerging trend and no one in the office was an expert – even our IT Helpdesk couldn’t help me. So, for my own satisfaction, and to make my life easier, I decided to learn more. Pay attention to your work flow – where are you losing time? What programs cause you the most problems? Maybe it’s not a program, maybe it’s your filing system or your calendaring habits. Somewhere, there’s an area for improvement. You already know what it is.
Start at the source. An internet search led me to the Adobe site and other sites/blogs specifically designed for training in Adobe products. I found a ton of online tutorials – just like the Microsoft site. I spent time watching those tutorials that discussed topics that I had encountered or thought I might encounter in the future. If you have a problem area, there’s probably a website or a blog (or two) with good how-to instructions and useful resources.
Invest in a good reference book. I bought an introduction to Adobe book that started with the absolute basics. I used it in conjunction with my tutorial viewing to really understand the capabilities of Adobe which would be useful for my work. I still refer to it regularly. Never underestimate the value of a good reference book.

So, stop waiting for Human Resources or the Training Department to come up with the perfect class or seminar for your needs. In this new world of work, it’s up to you to take charge of your training.

About the Author

Wendy Stoneman lives in Vienna, Virginia, and works at a mid-size law firm in nearby Fairfax, VA, where she is a legal secretary in the corporate law division. Wendy has worked in administrative roles for over 15 years in multiple industries all over the country.

For more information about working with Adobe pdf files, Wendy recommends these sites:

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Administrative Assistant Job Descriptions

Jodith — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 08:00:00 +0000

Probably the most frequent questions I get and that I see asked on the internet is what is appropriate work for an Administrative Assistant. You will rarely find any cohesive answers for this question, though, because the job description for any Administrative Assistant position will vary widely depending on the industry, the company, the department, and even the individual boss involved. However, regardless of the specifics, most duties fall within certain general guidelines for Administrative Assistants.

Generalized Administrative Assistant Duties

Answering Phones and Screening Calls. Your description may say something about “transferring calls appropriately”, which is just polite speak for screening calls. Whether you support an entire department or just one individual, you will likely have this duty on your job description.
Greeting Clients and Visitors. Even if you aren’t in a Front Desk position, you will occasionally be greeting and escorting visitors.
Managing Calendars. This could be for your boss or bosses or conference rooms and other resources.
Creating and Modifying Documents. This one item can become a whole list on some job descriptions if they get specific as to the particular documents you’ll manage. This can include everything from letters and memos to producing entire books and catalogues. This can also include creating and modifying PowerPoint presentations and Excel spreadsheets.
Receive and Distribute mail. Even if you only receive mail for your particular boss, you will at some level be handling mail. You may also, depending on your position, be responsible for handling and stamping outgoing mail.
Filing. This includes setting up and managing electronic and physical files.
Scheduling and Setting Up Meetings. This would include confirming attendees, scheduling conference rooms, setting up conference calls, and managing multi-media needs. Also included here would be taking and transcribing meeting minutes.
Project Management. Administrative Assistants are often called upon to handle big projects such as setting up special events, creating a procedures book, or handling office moves. While part of the work will likely be handled by the assistant herself, the assistant will also be coordinating the work of others involved in the project.
Making Travel Arrangements and Compiling Expense Reports.
Managing Office Machinery. This includes clearing jams from copy and fax machines; ordering toner, ink and other supplies; and being the contact person for machine repairs.
Maintaining the Office Supply Cabinet. This duty usually includes various procurement duties such as pricing out new office machinery and finding money-saving alternatives to current supply needs.
Maintaining Office Databases. While some database creation knowledge may be desired in a specific job, usually the requirements lean more toward updating data and running canned reports.
Website Maintenance. While assistants don’t usually create websites, many do make periodic updates to company or department websites.

Most Administrative Assistant duties will fall somewhere among these generalized job duties. That doesn’t mean you won’t see more extensive duties that fall outside of these. And that brings us to our next topic.

Other Duties As Assigned

The ubiquitous “Other Duties” clause found in almost every Administrative job description. This can include anything from a last minute bank run to working on a company-wide committee to making sure everyone filled out an updated W-4. And, yes, it includes getting coffee.

Maybe I’m a little old fashioned in my concept of an Administrative Assistant, but I view the job as being whatever is needed to help the boss get her work done. If that includes getting him a cup of coffee so he can continue working or make it to a meeting on time, then so be it. If picking up his lunch means he has more work time at his desk, then I pick up his lunch.

The caveat I would add to this is if the boss is using you to do a great deal of personal errands for him. I have occasionally made personal reservations, booked personal travel, and even picked up dry cleaning for my boss, but these were exceptions rather than the rule. They were times when the boss was slammed with work, and I did these things so he could manage his schedule. If you are in a corporate environment and these personal duties are a regular occurrence, though, it could be considered a misuse of company funds, namely your salary. Look carefully at your personnel policies, and if you think it is a misuse of your time, talk to your boss or someone in HR about it. However, if you are working for the owner of a company that is a sole proprietorship, then your duties are whatever the boss thinks they are.

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My Job Changed, Why Not My Title

Jodith — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 08:00:00 +0000

I hear the lament over and over, not just in the administrative support field, but in just about every field and industry I know. It happens all the time.

The Job Changes

When you start a new job, you usually get a job description. We all know, though, that jobs have a tendency to change over time. As your boss learns what you can do, he starts adding on more duties. You, being the up and coming assistant that you are, offer to take on duties. Over time, the job just changes. Not the job title, though, and bosses often seem reluctant to change the job title. To understand why, we need to know something about job classification systems.

Job Classification Systems

Job Classification Systems are a means to classify jobs based on job descriptions. One of their primary uses is to group together similar jobs for purposes of regulating the pay scale, so all persons doing similar work receive similar wages. By making sure that all persons who do a similar job are making similar salaries, companies can protect themselves against complaints that they are treating disparate groups of employees differently when it comes to pay.

I know what you’re thinking. Shouldn’t this make them want to update your title and pay based on your job description? I mean, it would just make sense. For some reason, though, supervisors are sometimes loath to get involved in the process of updating job descriptions.

Consequences of Changing Job Descriptions

Bosses have several reasons for not wanting to deal with the whole title/job description topic. First of all, changing job descriptions and titles can mean changing pay scales and requiring higher salaries. This isn’t always the case, because pay scales within a career path tend to overlap. In other words, the high end of the Administrative Assistant pay scale may be within the low end of the Executive Assistant pay scale. Still, many bosses are afraid you’ll break their budget if they reclassify your position.

Another possible complication is that once your position gets reclassified, others in similar positions want to be reclassified, too. You also run into push back from Human Resources, mainly because of this issue. If Human Resources says that the assistant to a Director is only an Administrative Assistant and only assistants to VPs or higher are Executive Assistants, they will push the Director to make sure you are not working outside of your job description. Otherwise all the assistants to Directors will want to be Executive Assistants, and their classification system goes out the window.

You can see why your boss may just not want to open up the whole can of worms to start with. That doesn’t mean that he shouldn’t, though. If you are working outside of your job description, then it should definitely be looked at. It’s a benefit for you even if you don’t qualify for a higher salary at that point. It would probably give you more room in your pay scale to grow, and it would also give your resume a bit more oomph when you decide to change jobs.

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Guest Posting

Jodith — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 08:00:00 +0000

Do you have some great tips on how to be an Administrative or Executive Assistant? Software tips? A funny experience from work? Maybe just an opinion that you want to share?

I’m soliciting guest posts for Administrative Arts. If you would like to share something here, send it to me by e-mail. Include:

The blog post
A brief bio
A link to your blog or other site you would like linked
A photo to go with your bio (optional)

I know there are a lot of great assistants out there with wonderful experience to share with the readers here. Write a post and help our your sister (and occasional brother) admins.

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7 Posts You May Not Have Read

Jodith — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 08:00:00 +0000

Those of you who know me will know that I’m an avid reader and huge fan of Problogger, a blog written by Darren Rowse on…well…blogging. Last week, Darren talked about reintroducing content that your readers may not have read. He called it the 7 Link Challenge.

Well, I’m always up for a challenge, and I know a lot of my more recent readers may not have read some of my older but still applicable content. So, here it is, 7 Posts You May Not Have Read:

My First Post: Travel Arrangements To Wow Any Boss Part One. Almost three years later, I still get questions on making travel arrangements and dealing with a traveling boss, which is why Travel eventually got it’s own category.
The Post I Enjoyed Writing The Most: Rather than just one post, I’d have to say the whole So You’ve Been Laid Off series was my favorite thing to write. I was laid off in August 2006 and again in August 2008. Seeing the economy continue to drop and so many people, especially those in the administrative support field, losing their jobs, I decided to share what I had learned through my lay off experiences.
A Post Which Had a Great Discussion: I don’t actually get a great deal of comments on this blog. If it weren’t for my ever increasing subscriber and monthly page view stats, I’d think no-one read it *laughs*. However, Must Know Software for Administrative Assistants has received a fair few comments with some good suggestions.
A Post On Someone Else’s Blog I Wish I’d Written – E-mail Etiquette. I remember actually thinking, “I wish I’d written that” when I read it. As a matter of fact, I think I’ve linked it in blog posts a time or two.
My Most Helpful Post: Creating Recurring Tasks in Microsoft Outlook. This post continues to get hits a couple of years later, and I still get thank you’s from folks, so I’ll say this was probably my most helpful post.
Post With A Title I’m Proud Of: You May Not Read Minds But Convince The Boss You Can. I admit, I’m not a great title writer. They tend to be very straightforward and not very creative, but I liked this one.
Post I Wish More People Had Read: The Boss/Assistant Relationship. This outlines what I consider to be the cornerstone of being a good assistant. If I had to choose only one post that I thought every boss and every assistant should read, this one would be it.

That’s it. My 7 Link Challenge. I hope you enjoy those posts if you haven’t read them before. And if you blog or think you might one day want to blog, visit Problogger. I’ve learned just about everything I know about blogging from him.

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Ask the Admin: Records Retention

Jodith — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 08:00:00 +0000

I got this e-mail from Kelly:

What is the business standard for the length of time to keep meeting minutes?

Thanks for your question, Kelly. You didn’t specify what type of minutes you need to keep. How long you retain meeting minutes will depend on the type of meetings you are referring to. Most record retention schedules I’ve seen have recommended keeping board meeting minutes permanently. Those are the only meeting minutes that are referred to in most retention schedules.

For other types of high level meeting minutes, such as executive management meetings and the like, you will probably want to get a recommendation from your legal department as to how long they should be kept. For departmental level meetings, I would suggest the current calendar year plus 2-5 years, just to have an historical background for procedural purposes.

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Links Roundup – July 16, 2007

Jodith — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 08:00:00 +0000

Here we go again. All of the links and tips I’ve shared recently on Twitter (or at least those I thought you might find interesting).

What I’m Reading: 25 Things a Professional Woman Should Never Wear – Admin Secret adminsecret.monst…
What I’m Reading: Add a Linear Regression Trendline to an Excel Scatter Plot online-tech-tips….
RT @TarotByArwen: PEOPLE! It’s "bated breath" not "baited breath"…unless you have minnows/worms/crickets on your tongue?
RT @VTVA: If a job is huge, break it up into sections & schedule 2 or 3 times in your day to work on it, or delegate the job altogether.
What I’m Reading: Administrative Assistant Blog, Executive Assistant – Training Managers to Maximize Your Talents officedynamics.co…
What I’m Reading: Insert Action Buttons into a PowerPoint Presentation online-tech-tips….
RT @KarenFromTEA: This cheat sheet by Google can help you search more efficiently on Google: google.com/help/cheat…
What I’m Reading: Need to Change Excel Details from Vertical to Horizontal or Vice Versa? theprofessionalas…
What I’m Reading: 10 Body Language Blunders – Admin Secret http://bit.ly/cmNw3F
RT @DanSchawbel: Job-Search Desperate Measures http://dld.bz/k6cc
What I’m Reading: Ask the Career Consultant: How to Deal with a Nosey Boss | The Career Consultant | OfficeArrow http://bit.ly/avZaEq
RT @ben_iaaphq: 5 Free Alternatives to Photoshop You Should Try http://bit.ly/attzlx #IAAP
What I’m Reading: How to Make a Twitter Background | VATrainingOnline.com http://bit.ly/a9regI
RT @OfficeDynamics: "Knowledge has to be improved, challenged and increased constantly, or it vanishes." — Peter Drucker, management expert

Have you read something on the web recently that you’d like to share here? Leave the link in the comments, and I’ll add it to the next list!

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Maintaining Your Office Supply Cabinet Part 3

Jodith — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 08:00:00 +0000

In my last post on this topic, I talked about various folder options, tapes and clips. In this post, we’ll talk about desk set items that you should keep in the supply closet, media to have on hand, and other miscellaneous items needed.

Desk Set Items

Let’s face it, desk set items like staplers, hole punchers, and tape dispensers tend to grow legs and walk away. Someone borrows yours and forgets to put it back. They especially tend to walk away from public areas like copy areas and workrooms. Also, while most of these items are fairly hardy, they can and do break. It’s handy to keep one of each kind of various desk items like that in your supply cabinet for those times when they walk away or break. Other desk set items include desk calendars, desk pads (how many have I ruined by spilling coffee?), pencil/pen holders, and rulers.

Look over the typical desk set used in the offices in your company and add one of each item to your office supply check list so you always have a replacement handy if needed.

Media

Media for computer files and tape recorders are also items to keep in your supply cabinet. The specific media you keep will depend, once again, on your specific office.

For computer media, you will need to know what type of media drives the computers in your office use. If they all only have CD drives, you won’t need to purchase blank DVDs, for instance. However, the converse is not true. Even if all computers in your office are blessed with DVD drives, you will still want to keep a supply of blank CDs. The reason is that people often want to burn a small file to a CD for a one time use, and don’t need to waste an entire DVD for that use. I also recommend keeping a few thumbnail drives around. The cost has dropped so dramatically on these that it’s no longer something you hide away in your drawer to protect your investment.

The media I recommend having on hand for computers are:

Blank rewritable CDs
Blank rewritable DVDs (if your computers have DVD burners)
Thumbnail Drives (also known as flash drives and usb drives)

I recommend always purchasing the rewritable CD and DVD disks unless you give away disks to clients frequently. If that is the case, you may want to keep a supply of non-rewriteable disks to use for giveaways.

Media for tape recorders include both full size and miniature tapes, depending on what the folks in your office use.

Miscellaneous Supplies

Other miscellaneous supplies you’ll may need to keep on hand are:

Staples, both standard size and those for your particular heavy duty stapler. Remember that all heavy duty staples do not fit all heavy duty staplers. You’ll need to research and buy for your particular stapler.
Envelopes in various sizes including:
- Standard #10 business envelopes
- 9 x 12 Inch envelopes
- 6 x 9 Inches envelopes
Sheet protectors
Post-it® Flags
Toner and ink cartridges for copiers, printers, and faxes
Thumb tacks
Scissors
Calendars
Rubber stamps
Ink refills for stamps and stamp pads
Address Labels
File Folder Labels
Adding Machine Ribbons/Cartridges
Adding Machine Tape
Highlighters in various colors
Tab Dividers
3 Ring Binders in various sizes
Batteries – both AA and AAA as well as any others regularly used in your office

What Have I Forgotten

I’ve tried to be as complete as possible, but I know it’s likely that I’ve forgotten things. What did I miss? Leave a comment and let us all know what I left out.

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