While generally you read about how you need to keep social networking out of the workplace, in one instance my ability to navigate Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and the like actually snagged me a job over some pretty tough competition. As more and more employers start focusing on the internet as a source of business, you will find that a careful and strategic presentation of your ability to connect with people via social media can actually enhance your resume rather than hinder your chances at getting a job. In some cases, your time online might even be all the employer is really looking for.

When you are presenting yourself and your job skills, however, be judicious. Do not simply announce that you spend hours a day on Facebook, for example. Instead, point out that you are fluent in “Web 2.0” or that you have experience in social media and marketing. You can use the number of friends that you have on Facebook or the number of followers you have on Twitter to help back up your claims that you network effectively in these media.

If you want to use this type of social networking to your advantage, then you need a professional, “work profile” as well as your personal profile. The work profile should be used for building a base of clients and potential clients as well as friends. It generally will not include the pictures of you with a lampshade on your head in a bikini at that beachside pool hall last spring break, although you should include pictures of yourself having fun and enjoying life because research shows that you will likely accumulate more friends if your profile is not “all business.” Just be careful not to post anything in this profile that you would not want a prospective employer to see, and remember that if they can find one profile, they can find another – so keep your personal profile private!

Make sure that if you are hired for your social networking abilities that your employer is very clear with you about what he or she expects from your networking. Some employers really just want you online building a rapport with potential customers. They may want a certain number of posts or a certain number of friends added each day. You need to know how your progress is being measured so that you can adjust your social media habits accordingly.

Whenever you start out at a new job, getting used to the new environment can be a bit intimidating. However, there is nothing more important to your success in a new position than settling in smoothly, efficiently and effectively into your new role. One of the best ways to accomplish this in short order is to take some proactive steps to get to know your new boss.

For starters, you may wish to set up a “getting to know you” meeting with your new employer. Let them know that you would like to familiarize yourself quickly with their working habits and preferences and that in your experience, the best way to do this is to take a little time to simply set them out in a straightforward manner. This probably should not need to take more than about 30 minutes. During the meeting it is important to remember that the meeting is about your boss, not about you and your working preferences. Ask simple, straightforward questions about how they like things to be handled. Examples might include, “Do you want to be notified immediately of all messages or do you prefer an itemized hourly (or other interval) summary via email or written on paper?” and “How do you prefer your appointments to be handled – with the traditional 30-minute break in between each or do you like them scheduled back-to-back or with more time in between?” Getting clear on these things up front will help you make your employer’s work life smoother and more pleasant, which will, in turn, lead to your work life also being smoother and more pleasant.

Next, find out (gently) if your boss has any pet peeves. For example, I once worked as a receptionist in a large office building. For much of the day, I had little to do as the phones did not ring often and handling calendars and sending visitors to various workers’ personal receptionists was about the extent of my duties. I was pretty bored, and often read or did class work for a continuing education class during this time. My employer happened upon me engaged in these activities once and demanded that I cease immediately. I offered to take on more work so I would have something to do, but his exact words were, “I just need you to look busy. You can play games online as long as it looks like you are working if someone walks in. No reading!” Needless to say, that job was not a permanent stop for me, but it does clearly illustrate a surprising peeve that I had not been expecting. You need to be aware of any unusual things that may upset, annoy or embarrass your new boss so that you can avoid them.

Once you get settled in at your new job, you will find that taking the time to get to know your new boss early in your relationship has established your reputation as a professional, knowledgeable employee. Your future efforts will benefit from this and you will likely find that you advance more quickly due to your early groundwork.

We all know that our clothes play a very important role in how people perceive us. However, while you probably know not to wear a mini-dress to a job interview at a law firm, you may not have considered what the colors of your clothes could mean for a job interview or even in terms of how you are perceived on a daily basis. There are some surprising connotations – both positive and negative – for some popular “work colors” that can actually undermine your professionalism. Here are a few examples:

Blue and gray are great for focus

Blue and gray are actually the most popular job interview colors, according to employers. This is because they are not distracting (avoid turquoise and edge toward the darker blues) but do help you project an image of calm, stable control. Color experts also believe blue can make you seem more trustworthy, which is always desirable during a job interview and after.
 

You can wear too much black

While the “little black dress” and the “sharp black suit” do help you appear commanding, in control and representative of authority, did you know that black also connotes drama for many people? If you overdo on it, you could actually be subconsciously implying that there is a little more drama to you than meets the eye. Avoid this by accenting with this popular color (an unusual touch) rather than drenching yourself in it.
 

Red and white aren’t just for tablecloths

While both red and white should be used in moderation to avoid projecting too much aggression or simplicity, respectively, these are great accent colors because they represent things to interviewers such as energy, precision and positivity.

Ultimately, whether you are going to a job interview or going into work for the tenth year, it pays to think about what your clothes might be “saying” behind your back.

As an administrator yourself, you probably are fully familiar with the feeling of being underappreciated. Since part of your job is to make things in the office flow smoothly, when you do it successfully you may find that people fail to recognize just how hard you have worked to “make the magic happen.” Unfortunately, sometimes this can actually spill over onto your own assistants who may themselves feel that you have overlooked their efforts in the hubbub of making the office run smoothly.

Here are three ways to make sure that the administrative staff on your team feel appreciated:
 

1. Just Say “Thank You”
   It sounds too simple, but many times a simple, “Thank you, I know how hard you are working,” can go a long way toward making someone feel like you recognize their efforts.
    
2. Feed Them
   Remember how much better you used to feel after Grandma gave you a glass of milk and a cookie? Well, doughnuts and coffee work too! A five-dollar box of doughnuts at the end of a particularly tough week can let your staff know just how much you appreciate their efforts and keep them working hard for you.

1. Remember the Little Things
   While it might seem silly, letting people know that you are listening when they talk lets them know that they are important and appreciated. For example, if you know that "Betty's" son has a ballgame on Thursday afternoon that she opted to skip in order to meet a deadline, be sure to thank her for that sacrifice specifically. Even if her decision is no less than anyone else is doing, letting her know you are aware of the sacrifice will help keep her from resenting you for it.

You know just how important it is to you that your efforts do not go unnoticed. Make sure that your team gets the same courtesy from you that you want from your supervisors and your productivity will skyrocket.

When it comes to working with a new boss, things can get a little hairy. I will never forget the job that I took where I thought that it was my job to handle calendars, set meeting agendas and develop flyers and brochures for my department’s PR efforts. Turned out, my real job was to make my boss coffee, pick up dry cleaning, babysit kids when they were out of school and in general perform as a glorified personal assistant. It was a little frustrating for all of us starting out because we had such different ideas about what I had been hired to do. Since often administrative assistants are not hired directly by their supervisors but instead through human resources, it is important when you start working with a new boss that you take some steps immediately to clarify exactly what your job responsibilities will be.

Here are three steps to working with a new boss successfully from the word “go”

• Get an itemized list of responsibilities
  
  Ask your new employer for a short list of what he or she expects you to do. Explain that while you understand the official job requirements, you are eager to make sure that you are meeting their needs and want to guarantee that you are not overlooking anything. They will likely be happy to provide this, and it will also give you some insight into how close the job description on the “wanted” page matches what you have actually been hired to do.
   
• Take a “tour” of your personal space
  
  Get clear on where things are. You do not want to have to ask each time you need a stapler, ink cartridge, access to a calendar or to view a file. Get all of this out of the way at once by going through every inch of you personal office space to get familiar with the layout and location. If your boss wants to do this with you, that’s fine, but usually you can do this on your own.
   
• Establish priorities
  
  Establish a clear concept of what is most important to your boss. Is it the primary project that everyone is working on or is it getting the latest technology into the office immediately? This will help you determine how to best allocate your time and efforts to make things happen for your employer.

Working successfully with a new boss in a quick, effective manner can set the tone for your entire future working relationship. Taking the time and making the extra effort early to get this relationship off to a smooth, productive start will make your tenure in any  position a more positive, rewarding experience.

I have been slacking, so here is something written awhile back.  I hope I didn't post it already!

As an administrator, you may sometimes feel that you need some extra support. One of the best ways to support yourself and your staff is to create an admin support group within your office. You may meet on a regular basis or only once in a while when things get hectic, but having a support group of other administrative staff will help you all identify issues and solutions in the workplace.

Once you have determined that you have a need for an admin support group, make sure that your employer is okay with you taking time out of your day for this. Generally, these types of groups meet during a lunch hour on business property. However, some employers think that these groups are so useful that they allow them to meet on company time.

Establish clear goals for your group. It can be easy to allow a support group to deteriorate into a “complaint fest” if the group does not have a common goal. While you may wish to discuss problems, the goal should always be to find a solution for those problems, not to just air “dirty laundry” for everyone else to hear. Your group should have a clearly stated goal and mission statement so that people who participate know what they are getting into.

Finally, your admin support group can benefit from training opportunities in the workplace. This is an ideal way to support your staff and make them better prepared to help you as well. Find out if you can get some training in basic software or in new technology that could help in the daily life of an administrative professional. Then, through the support group, consider offering training to help members participate more fully in their jobs as administrative professionals.

Your cover letter is, in some ways, even more important than your resume. If you do not write an effective cover letter, you may soon find that no one is even taking the time to look at your resume. In today’s competitive job market, there are so many people applying for jobs that often employers are only reviewing the applications that really stand out. And, in many cases, this means only the applications with really stellar cover letters…

Here are three ways to make sure that your cover letter makes an impression:

1. Don’t be afraid to brag
   Your cover letter is supposed to show how great you are, so make sure that it does. Now is not the time to be humble. You need to make sure that everyone understands just how good your accomplishments are.
    
2. Relate yourself to the job
   Review the job listing and make sure that you tell the reader exactly why your accomplishments mean that you fit their requirements to a “T.” Just bragging is not enough; for each item that you list on your roster of accomplishment, make it clear why that item should matter to your future employers.
    
3. Be professional!
   Take the time to format your letter, check spelling and punctuation and make sure that your syntax is correct and appropriate. While it may be okay to use industry jargon, avoid slang, contractions and conversational language.

Of course, your cover letter should not spend a lot of time doing anything other than telling the reader why they cannot afford to let you slip away. Save your life history for another day. Cover letters have to be short in order to get attention, so limit yourself to one or maybe two pages at maximum. You will find that with a good cover letter, your foot is already in the door!
 

Part 2 or in addition to tips I wrote about awhile back...

How to Take Control of a Meeting

One of the most important skills that you can develop as an administrator is the ability to control a meeting. We have all been at meetings that ran amok. They are dreadful in every sense of the word and often contribute to poor office moral. If you can control a meeting – or take control of a meeting that has gone “off the rails” then you will dramatically increase your value to any office or employer. Here are some tips for taking control of any meeting:

1. Don’t be afraid to interrupt
   If you notice that the meeting is going off course, grab the mike and steer it back .This is easier to do if you set parameters for the meeting ahead of time so that people are clear about what is to be discussed and what topics are off the board for the meeting.
    
2. Use commanding body language and tone
   Position yourself at a place where everyone can see you and make sure to sit/stand straight and maintain eye contact and focus on the speaker. Do not raise your voice at the end of a statement, which makes you sound unsure of yourself. Instead, speaking firmly and clearly at all times.
    
3. Mediate when appropriate
   If two parties or factions in the meeting become involved in a debate that does not contribute to the meeting, call a halt. Inform them that the topic is closed and that they must resolve it outside the meeting rather than in the middle of it.

Frequently, simply having the ability to stand up for yourself and your meeting agenda is enough to keep everyone in line. Following these simple tips will keep your meetings running smoothly with you at the helm.

When you go to a job interview, you know it is important to look your best. However, many people forget that they also need to sound their best. This does not mean take voice lessons; it means you need to be able to show that you are better prepared than anyone else to assume the responsibilities of the position for which you are interviewing. To this end, you should do some background research before the actual interview.

The most important thing to do when doing your background research is to take note of company policies and accomplishments. This way, you can relate your job skills and accomplishments directly to company goals. For example, if you have a lot of experience with social media, you can point out that you have noticed that the company is expanding in this area and give one or two concrete but brief examples of things that you have done in the past that would work within this company as well.

Next, be sure that you think of one or two relevant questions. There will be a time in the interview where the interviewers ask you if you have any questions. This may be the time to discuss salary – it depends on the company – but it is also a great time to show that you have thoughts and interests in common with the company. Ask about a project or about your involvement in an area of work should you accept the position. Turning your interview into a chance to interview your employer not only gives you a better idea about whether or not you want to work at that company, but it also turns the tables on the interviewers, which can work to your advantage if they feel that they have to impress you.

Finally, make sure that you are aware of anything that could potentially go wrong during your interview. For example, you should make sure that you are physically prepared to tour the facility (at least bring appropriate clothing even if you are not wearing it) and that you have plenty of time should the process run long. Bring a copy of your resume and cover letter along with any other relevant information that you feel shows how qualified you are for the job.