1. What is your base salary? Hourly or Exempt?
$58,000+ / Exempt as Executive Assistant to President/CEO

2. How many hours do you generally work for overtime and do you get paid for this?
work .5-2 hours overtime daily - not paid - am able to take time when needed for appts or just time out of office

3. Do you feel that you are overworked? Or, that your office is understaffed?
Don't feel overworked - have been doing work for President/CEO and two Directors for the past 6 months - have been able to get it all done so that the lose of an Executive Secretary really was not felt - just GLAD she has been replaced and there is help for the Directors - and once I have her trained - YIPPIE ! ! !

4. Do you work for a small company or for a large company?
250+ employees / in building with sister company for total of 500+ employees / for international company of 1000's employees

5. How many people do you support? Direct report to the President/CEO - as stated above have been supporting two Directors for the past 6 months.....looking forward to return to just my executive

6. Are you provided w/ a cell phone or laptop? neither - do have personal cell phone and laptop

Located in Orange County, sunny Southern California

When was last review:  Reviews are done yearly at our company - during the month of March and then merit raises, promotions or equity raises are effective April 1st, showing on payroll on April 15th.
The yearly review is viewed as an important activity by the company.  My specific boss also views it as a time to appreciate work done in the past year, review strengths and areas for growth, and set forth next years goals.
In the past (I have been with this company for 4 years) the process was a so/so, feel good, just because we have to do it routine.  With the new management since June of 2003 this years review process was much more beneficial and worthwhile.
Following the review of the past year, then the new/increased responsibilities and goals are listed.  My boss had me fill out my proposed goals and then we met and agree upon the final version.
Then he gave me the opportunity to give him feedback on what he could do to help/encourage my abillity to carry out my duties as his executive assistant.
This was the first review that I felt had any meaning/meat and was worth the time and trouble.
And he appreciated and acknowledged all my effort and support.  The above average raise was a welcome treat at the end of the process. Actually since last years review with a 6% raise and 6% equity raise and a grade increase with a 6% increase and a 6% equity increase-to compensate for lost overtime and this years 8% increase I feel very well appreciated and compensated.

As an addition - this year it was proposed and approved by management to have Quarterly Reviews, which are not part of the employee record, done on an informal basis within the department.  It gives employees current feedback and a marker during the year as to how they are doing.

Edited by ocblnd on 24/07/04 11:35 PM.

Well, when I started at this company 4 years ago in April the VP said he usually got to the office by 8:30 so anytime between 8 and 8:30 was good and it was an 8 hr day with one hour for lunch.  That VP left end of Dec and then I worked for two National Managers - one of who really wanted me to start at 7:30am....that did not fly for long - I am not a morning person.  Then the Director I went to work for was happy with the 8-8:30 routine.  And even when the new VP came on and I started to work for him the timing was ok....of course the 8 hours quickly became 9+ hours.....at least 5:30, if not 6+.  Now that the VP is the President/CEO and he is an early bird (frequently in at 6:30am)....he has asked me to stretch and make it in by 7:30 so we have time to regroup before each day....of course the tease was 'in early, out early'....yea right....it is still at least 5-6pm each day.  With summer here I am going to really work on getting out no later than 5pm.

While I did not make a conscious decision at any time to be an Executive Assistant, (previous Executive Secretary, previous Office Manager) I can say that I am very happy that I seem to have fallen into a position that I enjoy, and working with great people.  I have made it to a place where I now can not only do the job, I can also make an impact on raising the bar of professionalism of the administrative staff.  
After close to 30 years(yes, I started as a child - NOT ) in a support position (with some years off for motherhood - AND talk about being in a support position ! !) I have see it all, done it all, have enjoyed most of it and it has been a great hands on classroom of life.  Some of the earlier positions I had were wonderful training and could be seen as stepping stones.  Even the company where I am now, coming in as the new person 3.5 years ago, the position I had turned out to be the stepping stone (with multiple steps along the way - different bosses, different responsibilities) that got me to the Exec. Assistant for the President/CEO.  
My natural ability to organize, multi-task and keep track of things and people have enabled me to take on positions that I have enjoyed and been able to have fun doing rather than just having a job to do 8 hours a day.
I guess you can count me in as a lifer......probably got another 12-15 years in me.  Meanwhile I am going to be the best support, encourager person I can be....and also remember to take time off for me so I can come back re-energized. .

Greetings from the Sunny California Shores ......  got a project here at work that I would love some input from the various parts of the world.  As part of an employee empowerment taskforce one of the issues we are looking at are HR best practices.  We are going thru the current practices and procedures currently utilized by our HR department.  There are gaps that we would like to fill in and recommendations to be made.  We are looking for any input as to what your company has in the way of Practices and Procedures and how are those communicated to the workforce.  

I definitely do like the gift card ideas.

Our company, for the last year, has been giving a wonderful silver keychair with a star and a disc say "Happy Birthday" on one side and the company name on the other side.  It makes it practical and a keepsake type item.

We are looking at silver picture frames for the coming year.

Just a couple more ideas

Just found a website for Data Entry 10key testing....
http://testedokonline.com/10keytest.html

It is really a good site for working on your speed for 10keying.  I have always been really fast at it...learned how to use a 10 key as a child....love to enter numbers.  Just did the 1 minute test several times and got up to 13,680 keystrokes per hour with an error rate of 1.

Sounds like a wonderful idea ! !   How do you drag the notes from Outlook to the desktop?  

Love IM ! !   Had AOL Buddy List when had AOL server and also downloaded MSN Messenger, have used ICQ for awhile and now also have Yahoo Messenger....all of these here at home.  At the office I had loaded MSN Messenger so I could communicate with kids...especially last year when middle daughter was in Oxford England for a semester.  Also use it to communicate with oldest daughter at another company that does our company newsletter.  NOW...president of company (on another floor of building) has discovered I have it, had me load it to his admin's computer and another executive secretary so he can be in instand communicate with any of us during the day.  He is really pushing to have either MSN or another messenger service put on for company use.

As part of a New Hire Orientation that HR has put together they have designated at least one employee(sometimes more) per department that is known as the Department Ambassador.  They have developed a 'Pre-Hire Checklist for HR', an 'Agenda' for the first day, a 'Pre-Hire Checklist for Hiring Manager and Administrative Assistant' and 'Hire Day Checklist for Hiring Manager & Department Ambassador'.

Briefly........
Pre-Hire Checklist for HR:
 Rec'd acceptance of offer letter
 Order plant to new hire's residence
 Send packet to new hire's residence...welcome letter from    
     President, Agenda for Day 1, Parking Lot Map, Summary
     of benefits, Dinner Certificate, Newsletters, Theme Park
     coupons
 Send Hiring Manager checklists
 Order DMV record
 Order Security Badge
 Inform reception desk of new hire

AGENDA......
  arrive at front lobby
  Hiring manager and dept ambassador to greet you in front lobby
  orientation by HR in conference room
  return to your workstation
  lunch with hiring manager and dept ambassador
  visit with hiring manager
  training session with department

PreHire Checklist for Hiring Manager & Admin Assist:
 Telephone new hire to congratulate and welcome, introduce Dept Ambassador, verify how name should appear on nameplate, inform where to park first day
 Complete and submit facilities service request for workstation/office
 Complete and submit facilities service request for name plate
 Complete and submit online forms for computer/phone/logon ID's
 Stock workstation with office supplies
 Compete and submit Business Card Requistion (if needed)
 Email department announcing new hire

Hire Day Checklist:
 Welcome ballon at workstation
 Program welcome message on screen saver
 Receive new hire in front lobby and escort to workstation
 Introduce new hire to others employees
 Tour of restrooms, coffee station, building
 Escort new hire to orientation
 Have lunch with new hire
 then there are various topics for introductory and followup sessions with Hiring Manager and Department Ambassador

This has been in practice 6-8 months and really makes the new hire feel welcome and well received.

My best advice is.....take a deep breathe....relax ! ! !

I took the exam last May and passed all 4 parts to earn my CPS/CAP rating.

I did take 3 review classes at a local junior college....which did not amount to much more than the instruction going page by page and telling us what to highlight or underline....excuse me I can read the book for myself.  There were some parts of the business finance that she spent hours drilling on which never even appeared on the exam.  Maybe taking the review class made me buck down and do the reading, can't say they gave me much else.

The big thing I did that helped me the most was getting the $15.00 Review book from the IAAP site.  I copied each of the 4 sample exams, made several copies of each exam and took them with me to lunch and did the exam before ever reading any of the material, took the exam again after reading each specific book (management, ofc systems, law/finance), then kept taking the exam and taking the exam until I could get a 80+% on each one.

I also made copies of each of the chapter quizzes in the books and again took the quiz before doing any reading and then took it again and again and again until I was comfortable with the material.

My attitude was.....I have been in the occupation for 30+ years, I don't everything from running the copy machine, to balancing the books, to doing payroll, to scheduling, to.....I have lots of common sense...... and this was on opportunity to test what I knew/learned/read and if I did not pass them all then I could go at it again....so I refused to get uptight, nervous or panic stricken .......took a deep breathe, relaxed and just did it.

Best of luck  ! ! !

Raindance....you bring up the BIG question in the mind of those on the task force.  One person is TOTALLY OPPOSED to the idea of a pledge....asking who is going to do the monitoring of this.  Another person is saying it is up to the many supervisors we have in the various departments to be on top of this.....in addition to their other duties.  I am familiar with the Red Lobster company compass and theirs includes a series of questions (see their website - great stuff) that each employee needs to answer in the positive as they go thru their day.
Part of the picture is there has been a lack of followup in the past when standards (whether published or not) have not been met.  This is the time when the bar is being raised and toes will be held to the fire (so to speak)....so it is said.
I will let you all know how it goes.

Need some feedback on the topic of an Employee Pledge to be signed by all employees.  This will be a 'personal pledge to provide quality service and we will operate by a set of standards and offer a service guarantee to our customers.'  
Some background.....we are starting a new Customer First Service initative for 2003 and the president has set up a task force to come up with this pledge and the service standards.  While some of this is a no-brainer - we are a auto finance company / production orientation - Customer First really needs to be drummed into some people....they don't get the customer is the reason they have a job.

So ....  anyone that has an Employee Pledge they could share I would appreciate knowing about it.....thanks.

ME too.......sounds like a big band wagon I am jumping on here ! !

That would be so right in time for me as we are gearing up for Performance Appraisal and Promotion time and I am looking to make a major move upward.

Thanks so much.

send to:  breezyblnd@aol.com

I am a LONGGGG time Daytimer user.  Started with a version from a gal in Florida back in the early 70's....each year rearranged the contents more and more to personalize it.  Did have one of the early Digital Diaries from Casio.  Have gone back to pencil and paper Daytimer. I get the basic pages from Franklin/Covey and then customize it to fit my needs,  I have each years pages in binders in my bookcase... ....yes that is a LOT of binders !  ! !