There’s good news and bad news in the workplace of 2013. The good news is that there has never been a better time to be an administrative professional than right now. The bad news is that there is still entirely too much fear and suffering in silence going on. Bullying is rampant from coast to coast and all around the world, too. All you have to do is ask an admin. Or read the jaw-dropping stories on the admin LinkedIn discussion groups.

We are going to be discussing this important topic with my special guest, Bonnie Low-Kramen, during the May teleclass. Bonnie is author of the bestselling book Be the Ultimate Assistant, A celebrity assistant’s secrets to working with any high-powered employer. For 25 years, she worked as the Personal Assistant to Oscar winner Olympia Dukakis and understands first-hand what it means to struggle to find your voice.

Bonnie recalls Olympia asking a staffer at the Whole Theatre where they first worked together, “When is the tall one going to talk?” True story.  But once Bonnie started, she didn’t stop which is the cool thing about finding your voice.

Bonnie believes that finding your voice is the number one challenge facing assistants and you won’t want to miss what will be sure to be an honest, lively, and provocative discussion about this complicated issue. What is at stake is nothing less than your own professional and personal growth.

We invite you to lean in and join us for this discussion!

Topic: Find Your Voice, Lean In, and Speak Up

Presented by: Bonnie Low-Kramen, Best-Selling Author and Former Personal Assistant to Oscar winner Olympia Dukakis

Date: Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Time: 7 PM Central / 8 PM Eastern

Note: This month’s teleclass will be on Wednesday instead of Tuesday and will include LIVE Q&A with Bonnie at the end.

If you are already a member of the Success Builder Series, you’re already registered.

If you aren’t a member yet, you can register here.

If you want to learn more about Bonnie Low-Kramen and her “Be the Ultimate Assistant” workshops, I strongly encourage you to visit these links related to her upcoming events in Dallas and London:

• Dallas, The Ritz-Carlton “Be the Ultimate Assistant” June 8-9  http://conta.cc/YB1QqL
• London, Hays Recruitment, “Be the Ultimate Assistant” July 4-5 http://conta.cc/18blFtg

Administrative procedures are a vital component of any efficient office. They’re an extremely valuable resource and creating them is a huge service to your executive and team. Not only do they allow others to easily cover for you during absences or vacations, they also act as a reference for you.

The Anatomy of a Well-Written Procedure
A lot of administrative professionals know they should have a procedures binder, but they struggle with how to get started. Not knowing how to create a good procedure can be overwhelming. However, creating a complete, easy-to-understand set of procedures is simple when you embrace these seven tips (see infographic below).

1. Understand that a handwritten procedure is still a documented procedure.

A lot of admins think procedures have to be perfectly formatted and beautifully typed to qualify as a procedure. Not true. A handwritten procedure is just as effective as a typewritten procedure. The goal is for someone to get through the task – doesn’t matter whether the procedure is handwritten or typed.

2. Use a template for consistency.

Using a template to capture your handwritten procedure can help keep them structured and consistent, especially if you don’t have time to type them up immediately. You can download a template here: www.allthingsadmin.com/free-templates.

Once you have a template, print out several blank copies, punch three holes in each page, and keep them in a file folder within arm’s reach of your chair. Then you can grab a form and create a procedure any time you think of a new one.

3. Go through each task or process step by step.

As you create your procedure, think about each step you take to complete it.  Write the steps down much like you would an outline. Then go back and fill in the details or background information where appropriate.

4. Think commands, not sentences.

You want to be specific without being excessively wordy. This is not a college research paper; it’s a procedures binder. People are more likely to read simple commands than complete sentences, especially if they are in a hurry.

5. Use bullets or numbers as much as possible.

Number the steps that need to be completed in a specific order. Use bulleted lists for non-order specific instructions.

6. Provide screen shots for computer-related tasks.

To make your procedures even more effective, create a graphic or visual, such as a screenshot, of computer-related tasks to accompany the printed or written instructions.

7. Ask another person to test your procedures.      

The best way to know if your procedures will work is to have someone else test them out. Ask them to identify items that don’t make sense, and list any questions they have about the procedures. This will help you identify gaps and fix them.

Procedures Example: Mail Sorting
To help you better understand what an effective procedure looks like, here’s an example of a mail sorting procedure from two different administrative procedures binders at two different companies. Sometimes procedures are very basic, like the first one. Others are more detailed, as in the second example. While they’re very different, both are acceptable.

Example 1:  Sorting the Incoming Mail

• All incoming bills, bank statements, invoices, and payments – Route to accounting.
• All incoming trade magazines and trade show flyers – Route to sales and marketing.
• All incoming resumes and interview thank you notes – Route to HR.
• All incoming contracts – Route to legal.
• Any office equipment or office supply mail – Leave in my inbox.

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Example 2:  Sorting the Incoming Mail

Contracts

• Photocopy the incoming contract.
• Three-hole punch the photocopied contract and put them in the executed contracts binder on [name of person’s] third bookshelf inside her office door.
• Forward the original contract to [name of person] in Legal.
• If you have any questions regarding contract routing, contact [name of person] at [phone number] or [email address].

Bank Statements

• Open the envelope.
• Stamp the statement with the date received stamp.
• Forward the statement to [name of person] in accounting.
• If you have any questions regarding bank statement routing, contact [name of person] at [phone number] or [email address].

Trade Publication, Trade Show Flyers, or Marketing-Related Mail

• Forward to [name of person] in marketing.

Invoices (Accounts Payable)

• Open the envelope.
• Stamp the invoice with the date received stamp.
• If it’s an office supply or equipment-related invoice, verify that the amounts and charges match what you anticipated for the month.  Refer to my office supplies folder to match my individual order confirmations with the monthly statement.
• Initial the amount.
• Forward to [name of person] in accounting.
• If you have any questions regarding accounts payable routing, contact [name of person] at [phone number] or [email address].

For every section of the mail sorting procedures shown here, the last bullet is probably the most important. You know who you call every day when you have a question, but if someone else is sitting at your desk, they may not know. It’s important that you can tell the person who’s filling in for you who else might be a good resource if you haven’t left enough detail in your procedures.

Creating effective procedures isn’t complicated, especially once you get into the habit of documenting each task. Don’t overwhelm yourself by trying to document each and every procedure in a single week. Instead, strive to tackle five each week, eventually you’ll have a comprehensive procedures binder that’s a valuable resource to you, your executive, and team.

© 2013 Julie Perrine International, LLC

Do you know how your executive (and most of the office) takes their coffee? Does every family vacation include a detailed itinerary complete with contact information for all airlines, hotels, and attractions? Are you always within 500 feet of a smart phone, laptop, or tablet … just in case the boss has a question?

If you answered “yes” to any or all of these questions, chances are you’re an administrative professional, or you have all the makings of one! We recently asked you to share your best, funniest, and most enlightening signs that you’re an admin. We loved the responses so much that we just had to share the complete list. Sit back, get ready to laugh, and enjoy these telltale signs of being an admin. (Also, check out All Things Admin’s infographic featuring some of our favorite responses!)

You know you’re an admin when… 

1. You’re excited that your boss is actually in the office for the day.
2. You can complete your executive’s thoughts and anticipate his next request.
3. The company job description, versus what you are asked to do and accomplish, misses the mark by miles.
4. You are known as the expert in your office, as well as all the other areas of your company.
5. Your lunch break actually means eating at your computer and trying to clear your inbox to less than 100.
6. You pull out the wand and say, “Sure, I can make that happen!”
7. Your boss and team legitimately wonder if you have GPS trackers on them because you know where they are every minute of the day.
8. After the leadership meeting, the group comes into your office to ask how to make something happen.
9. You return from vacation or a sick day and everyone is treating you like a celebrity they can’t wait to meet.
10. Everyone comes to you for answers instead of the boss.
11. You have to mark the calendars, set up the meeting, decide where to go, and make sure everyone is invited to the Admin Professionals Day luncheon with the boss.
12. You keep track of the holiday gift budget based on how much is budgeted for each person on your list; what has been purchased; the cost; how much is left; and how much you saved.
13. You can quickly design worksheets, and pull out the necessary information into a report.
14. You set up an Excel spreadsheet and Word mail merge to do your personal holiday cards.
15. Your boss needs your support eight hours a day and his team appreciates you as the most valuable resource of the company.
16. You’re out of the office for more than a day, and your boss and colleagues joke that they thought about closing down the office, but deep down you know they were seriously contemplating it.
17. You use innovation and creativity to anticipate your team’s needs before they become thoughts in their minds.
18. Your personal texts start sounding business-like with proper punctuation, verbiage, etc.
19. You automatically do what needs to be done for your boss, even though you’re also a supervisor.
20. You feel like an octopus with eight arms that has been challenged to balance twice as many tasks, and amazingly get each one done with a smile.
21. You don’t leave your house without your iPhone and iPad because you never know when your boss might need something.
22. You manage your personal events and travel just like you would your manager’s.
23. You’re furiously multitasking during a webinar on time management.
24. You can say you speak fluent tech and exec.
25. You can finish your executive’s sentences.
26. You never know how long your weekend is going to last because you may receive a call from your boss at any moment.
27. You think your dual monitor system is great, but wonder if there might be room on your desk for three.
28. You are given all your boss’ passwords, credit card numbers, and sworn to confidentiality.
29. You spend a significant amount of time fixing the copier.
30. Your boss buys a new Droid, hands it to you, and says, “Here, figure out how this works and teach me how to use it.”
31. People you don’t actually support ask for assistance and know they will receive it.
32. You’re off work for a day and someone choose to wait until you are back to do something for them – even though there are other admins who could’ve handled it.
33. You are tasked with putting seven large documents into one and moving it through the company email.
34. You regularly complete “all other tasks as assigned” and are the go-to person in your office.
35. The boss knows you’ve got to leave for an APW event and still asks if you can stay to meet a deadline.
36. The agents at the travel agency recognize your number and address you by name when you call.
37. Everyone comes to you for everything.
38. You carry your executive’s travel itinerary after hours whenever he leaves town just in case you get a call and have to make adjustments.
39. You take the mundane tasks and make them beautiful.
40. You literally have to run out of your office and make a break for the elevator in disguise if you even want to think about taking a lunch break.
41. Your boss is upset and worried that you’re going on vacation for a week or two.
42. You get to the office and five people are waiting to speak to you about what they need to do to complete their projects in a more effective manner.
43. You’re jazzed to be filing.
44. You answer your home phone with, “How may I help you?”
45. You have 10 years of color-coded Christmas present spreadsheets stored on your home computer, and, at moment’s notice, you know what you bought someone in 2006.
46. You go on holiday and take pre-printed labels with your friends’ names and addresses to save time when sending postcards.
47. You find yourself alphabetically filing jars of dried herbs, sorting tins in the kitchen cupboard in order of height, and labeling tubs of flour, sugar, and coffee with a label machine you bought specifically for that purpose.
48. You realize two hours after you’ve left work that you still have your headset on.
49. Every other administrative assistant in your department gets gifts for Administrative Professionals Day, except you because you coordinated and purchased the gifts for all of their supervisors and no one reminded your boss.
50. You have to send yourself an Admin Professionals Day card.

These last two entries make us sad! To the admins who submitted them, and all the rest of you hard working APs out there, we really appreciate everything you do! We’re happy and honored to share in your admin awesomeness!

During this training call, we’ll delve deeper into:

• What is collaboration?
• Why collaboration is vital to becoming more innovative
• How to cultivate a more collaborative environment around you
• How to begin with building your own personal innovation lab

When we’re through, you’ll have your own plan of action for developing your personal innovation lab.

TOPIC:  Collaborate to Innovate: Building Your Personal Innovation Lab

PRESENTER: Julie Perrine, CAP-OM, MBTI Certified

DATE: Wednesday, March 27, 2013

TIME: 7 PM Central/ 8 PM Eastern / 6 PM Mountain / 5 PM Pacific

If you’re ready to inspire your career in powerful new direction, we invite you to REGISTER NOW for this call!

“I’m very excited to be taking administrative procedures development to a global audience of administrative and personal assistants from around the world,” said Perrine. “Many offices know they need documented procedures for covering absences and to support business continuity, but they struggle with where to start or how to make time to do it. Our process is simple and designed to build momentum which makes it a hit not only with admins but their executives and teams as well.”

Executive Secretary LIVE is a training summit hosted by the Executive Secretary Magazine and offers administrative and executive assistants from around the world an opportunity to learn from industry experts, develop their professional skills, and network with like-minded admins. This year, eight world-class speakers, including Perrine, will present workshops that inform, inspire and motivate attendees who are traveling from as far away as New Zealand and Russia.

Perrine’s half-day session, “Become a Procedure Pro: Creating an Effective Administrative Procedures Manual for Ongoing Use,” will help kick off the weekend’s events. Her program will delve into the purpose and importance of administrative procedures; demonstrate how to create a comprehensive manual that documents the creator’s daily tasks; and enable attendees to demonstrate their value to an organization.

“One of the important things we’ll also cover in this workshop is the importance of disaster recovery procedures in the event of a natural disaster or office emergency and administrative professionals’ roles in helping their companies prepare for such situations. When chaos erupts, admins are often at the center of the response and recovery effort, so their input and perspective can make a positive impact,” added Perrine.

The workshop at Executive Secretary LIVE is the first of many Perrine will present at national and international events this year.

Perrine is an administrative mentor, speaker and author with more than two decades of  experience in the industry.  Her book, The Innovative Admin, is one of the premier titles for administrative professionals who want to revolutionize the profession and leverage their jobs into meaningful, successful careers.

For more information on Julie Perrine, visit www.allthingsadmin.com  For press inquiries, please contact Michelle Payne at (202) 596-7804.

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As an admin, you have your hands full helping the executive you were hired to support. Yet oftentimes admins are subject to extraneous and occasionally inappropriate requests from colleagues, department heads, managers, and other executives to assist with projects and tasks outside their core job responsibilities.

You may feel uncomfortable rejecting these requests. You don’t want to let your colleagues down. You feel pressured by the person asking. Or you simply don’t know how to politely say “no.” Yet the additional workload can result in unnecessary stress, a decrease in job performance, and, in severe cases, jeopardize your career. Turning down someone’s request for help may seem a bit callous, but there are several ways to do it politely that will ultimately preserve your sanity on the job.

• Delay your response. If someone asks for help, don’t give him/her an answer immediately. Instead, wait awhile (sometimes 30 minutes is enough) and figure out if it’s something you’re able and willing to help with. If you’re not able to pitch in, tell them your schedule doesn’t allow for it at this time.
• Answer “yes, however…” Instead of saying “no” when someone asks you to do something outside your job responsibilities, give them the “yes, however…” response. Say, “Yes, however I need to run it by my executive first with everything we have going on.” You can also try, “Yes, however I’ll need you to help me with (insert a task here) in order to have enough time to do that.” This tactic is a great way to sound amenable to something while encouraging the person asking to reconsider their request.
• Show your appreciation and decline. If a coworker asks for your assistance, he/she may do it because you’re the best in the company at that particular task. Even if this is the case, it doesn’t mean you’re obligated to help. Respond by saying, “I really appreciate the consideration, but I can’t take on any additional assignments right now.”
• Be firm and honest. Don’t fall victim to pressure or flattery, and don’t lie about why you can’t take on the extra work. Instead, be up front with the person asking. Tell him or her that your core job responsibilities are your top priority, and they don’t leave time for additional assignments. The person should respect your commitment to doing your job well.

Putting these recommendations into action may take some practice, especially if you have a reputation for being a “yes” person at work. Remember, your responsibility is to assist your executive and complete the tasks that fall within your core job functions. You’re not obligated, nor should you be pressured, into doing work outside the realm of your position. If you have your workload under control and want to lend a helping hand to a coworker that’s fine, even encouraged. Just don’t do it at the expense of your work integrity or job!

© 2013 Julie Perrine International, LLC

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR NEWSLETTER, EZINE OR WEBSITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it:

Julie Perrine, CAP-OM, is the founder and CEO of All Things Admin – providing training, mentoring and resources for administrative professionals worldwide. Julie applies her administrative expertise and passion for lifelong learning to serving as an enthusiastic mentor, speaker and author who educates admins around the world on how to be more effective every day. Learn more about Julie’s new book – The Innovative Admin: Unleash the Power of Innovation in Your Administrative Career – and request your FREE copy of our special report “From Reactive to Proactive: Creating Your Strategic Administrative Career Plan” at www.AllThingsAdmin.com

An online resume enriches your e-portfolio, provides easy and convenient access to your information, and demonstrates your technical prowess to current and prospective employers. And, thanks to a new, innovative class of online digital resume tools, creating yours is easier than ever. If you want to make a big impression professionally, consider giving one (or all!) of these online resume sites a try.

LinkedIn: LinkedIn is one of the most popular professional social media platforms with more than 200 million registered users worldwide (as of January 2013). It’s also one of the most popular online resume options out there, and features profiles that look very similar to traditional paper resume. Creating your profile involves uploading your contact information, current and previous job experience, and a photo. You can also add various job skills to your profile, as well as links to personal and professional websites, such as your professional e-portfolio, other social media platforms, or a blog. Once your profile is complete, you can connect with friends, colleagues, and professional acquaintances, who can provide recommendations for work you’ve done and endorse your skills.

Visual.ly: Visl.ly uses the information on your LinkedIn profile to create a visual resume from your professional information. Select one of the site’s five free resume templates and connect your LinkedIn profile. Visual.ly imports all the information from your profile and creates a visual resume that you can download, share on social media sites, embed in a website, or link to from other digital documents, such as you professional e-portfolio. The site only imports information included in your LinkedIn profile, and doesn’t allow users to customize their visual resumes. If you don’t have a LinkedIn profile or it’s incomplete, this option might not be the best for you. But if yours is complete, it’s an excellent option for creatively displaying your resume information.

About.me: This free platform allows you to create a dynamic splash page that features your name, contact information, bio/resume, photo, as well as links to your social media profiles and accounts. You can choose from a variety of backdrops, customize page and text colors, and select different fonts for text. The site doesn’t require users to sign up for any other social media sites, so About.me is an ideal choice if you don’t want to deal with multiple sign-ups or importing a lot of information. You can even order free custom about.me cards featuring your name, info, about.me URL, and a QR code.

A digital resume is a great way to enhance your e-portfolio and provide prospective employers with easy access to your information. It’s also a quick and simple way to establish a professional digital presence while you’re working on your e-portfolio. Don’t get passed on for your dream job or a big promotion because of a lack-luster resume. Make a statement by creating a dynamic digital resume to include in your professional e-portfolio!

© 2013 Julie Perrine International, LLC

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR NEWSLETTER, EZINE OR WEBSITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it:

Julie Perrine, CAP-OM, is the founder and CEO of All Things Admin – providing training, mentoring and resources for administrative professionals worldwide. Julie applies her administrative expertise and passion for lifelong learning to serving as an enthusiastic mentor, speaker and author who educates admins around the world on how to be more effective every day. Learn more about Julie’s new book – The Innovative Admin: Unleash the Power of Innovation in Your Administrative Career – and request your FREE copy of our special report “From Reactive to Proactive: Creating Your Strategic Administrative Career Plan” at www.AllThingsAdmin.com

Yes, this sounds a bit dramatic. However, the truth is many professionals don’t realize the catastrophic damage they’re causing to their careers by being complacent. Don’t allow yourself to be lulled into a false sense of security by thinking you’re indispensable – even if you’re the only one at your organization who can do what you do. To stay marketable and important to your industry and employer, you need to be proactive about your profession and take these steps to ensure its longevity:

1. Stay Current

You were hired to do you job because your employer believed you would be an asset to the organization. In order to maintain that role, you have to stay relevant. Doing this isn’t hard. It simply involves keeping up with what’s going on in your profession, industry, and organization. This can be done through continuing education, job and skills training, reading about and researching your industry, and following the latest news and trends in your field. The point is to continually absorb new information about your job, industry, and employer, stay apprised of any new developments, and maintain your focus on your career.

2. Add Value

Whether it’s taking on a project you’d typically turn down or going back to school to obtain an advanced degree or certification, it’s important to find ways to add value to your career and your organization. This isn’t just a monthly or weekly task. It’s something you have to do everyday. It doesn’t have to be something big and complicated. Listen to a podcast about current events in your field, participate in a live chat with an industry expert, or update your resume. Anything that helps enrich you professionally is fair game.

3. Lead Yourself

Learning to lead yourself in your career and as an employee takes some dedication. However, it goes a long way in preventing complacency. Knowing how to keep yourself on track to achieve your personal career goals, as well as those set by your employer, is crucial to being productive and successful. Don’t wait for someone else to ask what your career goals are, figure our your career plan and stick to it. Request quarterly or annual reviews from your employer, or ask your supervisor what you can do to be better at your job. It’s your career; you should be the one driving it.

Don’t let complacency creep up on you. The job market is too tight for sitting back and hoping what you’ve done in the past will be enough. Take the initiative to ensure that you are professionally up-to-date, engaged, and driven. If you don’t, you may wake up one day and find that you’ve become an antique in your profession, or, worse yet, find yourself in a career that’s extinct. With a new year upon us, it’s time to renew your commitment to staying relevant, adding value, and leading yourself in a career filled with achievement and success.

This article was first published on the AdeccoUSA blog at http://blog.adeccousa.com/complacency-avoiding-this-career-killer-in-3-easy-steps/

© 2013 Julie Perrine International, LLC