A Great Day's Work

Advice for Management

What Is Your Dream Job?

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47553316_sIt took 42 years, but on Saturday, November 21, 2015,  I was sent to high school detention (AKA Saturday School.)  And for what?  To share my insights into career development for 1 ½ – 2 hours with high school students.

During our morning instruction and discussion, I provided each student with a worksheet and asked the students to identify their dream job.  I also asked each student to write answers to the questions on the worksheet.  Some of those questions included: [Read more…] about What Is Your Dream Job?

When Working Harder Goes Wrong: PowerPoint Edition

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Horizontal Portrait Neil MalekA couple of months ago, Neil Malek contributed to A Great Day’s Work with the blog post When Working Harder Goes Wrong: Microsoft Word Troubles.  There is almost an identical situation that happens in PowerPoint, and Neil wants to share this with you.

You open a slideshow that was built over the last few weeks, months, or years, and for some reason, half the slides have slide numbers, but the other half don’t. And for some reason, a couple of the slides have slightly different font sizes. And the logo isn’t in the corner of the last ten slides…this is weird. Now, you can roll up your sleeves for hours of frustration, or you can work the way Microsoft intended, with Slide Masters and Slide Layouts. [Read more…] about When Working Harder Goes Wrong: PowerPoint Edition

Imagine Your Life Story on the Big Screen

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12512923_sTake a moment to imagine yourself in the audience watching your life story on the big screen.  When and where does your story begin?  What are the highlights?  What are the bumps and rough patches along the way?  What is next on the horizon?  What is your legacy?

My story began a few decades ago in Chico, California, on June 29.  I was the first of four children raised by my parents Mike and Susan.  I have fond memories growing up and am thankful every day for my upbringing.  Let’s now fast forward to age 18.  I moved out of state to attend college and from that point on it was up to me to direct and oversee the rest of “My Life.” [Read more…] about Imagine Your Life Story on the Big Screen

How Is Your Relationship With Work?

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Work RelationshipHow is your relationship with the work you do each day? Are you simply collecting a paycheck or are you working with a purpose and enjoying a satisfying career?

The majority of us must work outside our homes to make a living to pay for the temporal things we need or want to enjoy (e.g. a home, transportation, food, vacations, entertainment, clothing, retirement, etc.). When we secure employment, the reward for our time and effort is usually a paycheck.

I love pay day! It’s marked on my calendar, and I look forward to receiving the monetary incentive for the work I perform. More importantly, what I have collectively earned on each of these pay days is not what has brought me long-term career satisfaction. I am motivated to get out of bed each morning by a compelling desire to make a difference in the world. [Read more…] about How Is Your Relationship With Work?

How Confident Are You Talking About Money?

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MoneyAs men and women, we all have a different level of understanding and comfort when it comes to talking about money. In some families, money is rarely discussed.  In some college majors, money is rarely studied or learned.

As administrative professionals, we carry a responsibility to help businesses and governments succeed. I believe businesses and governments will be better served by having administrative professionals who can confidently talk about money.

To partner with executives and managers, administrative professionals should want to become more money savvy. This knowledge will help administrative professionals become more confident in having business-related conversations, offering recommendations, and catching errors.  [Read more…] about How Confident Are You Talking About Money?

Claim and Promote Your Victories

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SuccessYou did it! You earned it!  Now, shout for joy and share it with others.  According to statistics, more men than women acknowledge their victories and share them with others.  So, how can we (both men and women who work as administrative professionals) make it a priority to promote our successes?  Actually, how can we afford not to?

I would be willing to bet you were more of a risk taker at the ages of 3, 5, or 8. You were probably willing to experiment and try just about anything.  As we become older and more aware of the risks and dangers of new ventures, we tend to become more cautious.

The path towards success is rarely easy. In fact, risk can be scary and can take us out of our comfort zone.  No wonder so many people choose to play it safe by staying right where they are with little or no progression. [Read more…] about Claim and Promote Your Victories

Setting Clear Expectations at Work

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expectations

Good managers will keep their employees motivated and engaged by setting high expectations for themselves and their team members. A good manager will also lead by example through completing their own work assignments, being honest with others, keeping an open line of communication, remaining positive, and staying engaged at work.

Over the past 10 years, I have supervised an administrative support team while working as a CEO assistant. I will be the first to admit I had little supervisory training prior to becoming a first-time supervisor.  I want to extend A HUGE SHOUT OUT to all of those on that early team who were patient with me!   No book or training course can substitute for real-life experiences.  As I look back and reflect on my “supervisory journey,” it has been an amazing growth experience. [Read more…] about Setting Clear Expectations at Work

Show Enthusiasm in Your Job Interview!

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24367764_sI have had the opportunity to sit on many job interview panels for employers who are hiring administrative professionals. What have I learned?  A prospective candidate has just seconds to make a good first impression and minutes to persuade an interviewer to consider hiring him/her for the vacant position. There can be many qualified applicants for one position. Therefore, deliberate interview preparation must take place prior to the interview.

From my interviewing experience, it’s not the perfectly rehearsed answer to an interview question that persuades me to recommend a particular candidate. It is finding someone who will be good in the role and can “fit” into the corporate culture that ranks highest on my list when interviewing candidates. It is also important that candidates demonstrate confidence, evidence of skills and experience, and enthusiasm for their career choice.  Work teams, businesses, governments, and customers will be best served hiring candidates who are good at what they do.

[Read more…] about Show Enthusiasm in Your Job Interview!

Work Partnerships Can Make A Difference

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Partnerships can make a difference.For most of my working career, I have supported and worked for well-respected managers and CEOs. I believe that the CEO/Manager and Administrative Assistant partnership is one of the most critical partnerships in business and government today.

My decision process for establishing work partnerships has been intentional and thoughtful. In the interview process, I have asked numerous questions, made observations, and listened actively so that I could evaluate a potential new partnership. I have learned that choosing the right partner is critical for my overall career satisfaction and work performance. To be effective, I have learned to align myself with individuals who share my same values or are supportive of values that we do not share in common. [Read more…] about Work Partnerships Can Make A Difference

Attitude Is A Choice We Choose Every Day

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AttitudeSince February 2014, life has presented me with a series of unpredictable events: four top-level executive changes at work, an automobile accident, a loss of evening employment when my 16-year teaching career at Heald College ended after the Campus was unexpectedly closed down, new responsibilities at work, two car break-ins, changes within organizations such as IAAP, and more. The decade prior to 2014 was quiet with minimal unexpected interruptions.

At one point, I simply said to myself “Stacy, you have an opportunity here to turn what has happened into a positive over time. How can you move beyond these events and not remain stuck wondering why me?” [Read more…] about Attitude Is A Choice We Choose Every Day