Laura,
Thanks so much for sharing that! We have two dogs and this is like someone has been reading their minds (if that were possible), especially the list of things to remember.
Barb

Hope you're all having a wonderful Admin Professionals Day. I just had to share one thing that my co-workers and I received. We work in a school with students in preschool through 8th grade (ages 3-14). One of the third grade classes came in this morning with a sign that reads "We love (with a red heart to stand for love) our secretaries" that everyone in class signed, a booklet of thank you notes (complete with illustrations) to us for everything from answering the phone to handing out bandaids to calling Moms when kids are sick, and to top it all off, sang "Happy Secretaries's Day" to the tune of Happy Birthday. Then designated children handed each of us a bite-sized 3 Musketeers bar. It was such fun! This is one of the great things about working in a school - you never know what's coming next!

Just had to share - thought you'd enjoy this one. Let's hear about other fun/unusual celebrations or gifts.

Barb

Okay, just gonna throw my 2 cents in here. Yes, I am a Christian. No, I don't believe that Christians have a corner on morality, but I do believe we are the only ones who have accepted the gift of salvation. (Note that I said accepted, not the only ones who are given God's grace and salvation - those gifts are offered to everyone.) I know many good and moral people who are not Christians.

I also agree that God allows evil. That is a price we pay for being given free will. If we didn't have free will, we wouldn't be able to make bad choices and sin and evil would not exist. Given that, can God use what happened on 9/11 to bring the world closer to Him? You bet! He can use anything - no matter how horrible - to fulfill His plan.

I also want to say that I think this topic has been handled quite well. There are obviously people who hold strong opinions that differ greatly from each other. I'm so glad no one descended into name-calling or insulting each other in any way.

GE, thanks for opening up this topic and for the info on your first post. It's certainly food for thought. And RadarO, thanks for your replies and for making us think about another point of view.

Barb

I KNEW there was a reason I get sick whenever I drink Coke! I'll keep my Pepsi!

 

My prayers are and have been going out for those directly affected by yesterday's events - the trapped, and the families of the missing and the dead. It's just too horrific to comprehend.



Let's all make an effort to not just stop being anonymous here on the boards, but also in our work life. As Bethalize said, we tend to use only first names in our contacts within our work. Let's start using full names when we make calls or when we answer our phones.



May God give all of us strength and comfort in this trying time. I suggest you read II Corinthians 1:3-7 and Psalm 91:1. (Remember, yesterday was Sept. 11 or 9/11.) Barb Rininger from Holland, Michigan

Way to go, Sue! I think we all go into the test room with absolutely no idea of how difficult the test really is. I studied for over a year for all three parts and still felt that I probably only passed one portion. I was pleasantly surprised to hear that I, too, had passed all three parts on the first try. I wish employers understood how difficult it is to get this certification - they would value it more and reward us better!



Again, congratulations Sue! Great job!



Barb

Please let me clarify - when I said "why can't we all get along?" I meant as adults in the business world and we was meant to include all employees/ employers/ coworkers, etc. It would just be wonderful if we could get past the power games that cause things like sexual harassment - which as we all know is about control, not attraction. Wouldn't it be wonderful to go to work and do your job to the best of your ability without worrying about gender issues, race issues, religion issues, and all the other issues that human beings raise as barriers between themselves.



I agree that the users of these forums do a great job of getting along and expressing differing opinions in a very civilized manner. These forums are a wonderful source of information and I appreciate it's existence.



Barb

Energizer,



You're right, it is harassment regardless of where it's happening. I was thinking more in terms of sexual harassment in the workplace where we are more in tune with what is and isn't appropriate and the consequences of such behavior. I doubt that being ribbed at lunch with one's friends would result in a someone filing a claim of harassment - even though it certainly would be inappropriate behavior.



Why can't we just get past this garbage and get along? (I include myself in that "we".)

NYGuy,



You've received some excellent advice from the participants here. (I hesitate to say women since I hope you're not the only man visiting this site.)



I do have one question, however. Are the comments you're receiving from co-workers or from people outside of work? If these comments are coming from friends and acquaintances, they probably couldn't be considered sexual harassment. They are uncalled for, crude, and unenlightened, but not necessarily harassment. You definitely should stand up to these folks and let them know you don't appreciate their attitude and won't stand for it.



If, in fact, these comments are coming your way at work, by all means follow up with HR. There is no excuse in this day and age for behavior of this type directed toward women or men.



Good luck,

Barb

In a previous life (read job), I worked with someone who was famous for going to administrative staff with the line "My procrastination has become your emergency." Drove me nuts!! It is so unfair to put something off only to dump it on someone else at the last minute. What makes it worse is that the "dumper" is usually the one to get credit for the job being done!



Thankfully, I don't often have to put out fires in my current position.



Barb

I think the answer to this question is very personal. It has been worth it for me, but I didn't join IAAP or earn my CPS because I hoped it would earn me a higher salary. I joined IAAP in order to network with others in my chosen profession, to be able to learn from others' experiences and share mine, to have and be a resource. I know of many people who received a raise when they earned the CPS rating. Unfortunately, this didn't happen for me, but I really took the test to prove to myself that I could.



Most colleges will give credit for passing the CPS exam. There is a book they use that gives them recommendations of how many credit hours in what areas. It's the same thing they would use to give public speaking credit for the Dale Carnegie Course, for example.



I agree with previous posters - you get out of a professional membership what you put into it. If, at a minimum, you don't plan to attend meetings, there is no point in paying for a membership. However, I find value in the networking aspect of the organization, even when I don't serve on committees or on the board.



IAAP is in trouble when it comes to adding new members and retaining old members. My own chapter is probably going to dissolve because our membership numbers are declining and the members we do have don't attend meetings regularly and aren't willing to work for the chapter. I'm sorry this is their decision, but I know how busy everyone is these days. I hope that IAAP will find a way to make itself relevant to people entering the profession today. I think it can be a great learning arena for the leadership skills admins who want to move into management will need.



Barb

I agree that it's respect and recognition. Money would certainly be the icing on the cake, and I love icing LOL! But for me, it's a) knowing I'm doing my best, and b) knowing that others also feel I make a valuable contribution and appreciate my efforts.

DonnaP99, I felt exactly the same way when we switched from Word Perfect to Word. What a struggle and I want my reveal codes!



Does anyone remember a word processing program on an IBM mainframe? That was the first one I used, but I don't remember what it was called any more. It was about 15 years ago.



Barb

I love what I do and the school I work for. I started in this field as a part-time receptionist. I moved up to different positions in the same company and on to other companies, always in the administrative area but usually at a higher level with more responsibility. I'm currently administrative assistant to the principal/administrator here. I find that I personally like to have some decision-making authority, but appreciate being able to leave work at work when I go home. I have supervised a clerical staff and really didn't like it. I'm just not the "boss" type.



I do feel that an administrative position can be a good stepping stone for someone interested in moving into other areas of business. One of the bank vice presidents I worked with had started as a part-time secretary. She knew what she wanted and was willing to work hard and advance her education to get it. More power to her and those like her! Unfortunately, it's just as common to get "trapped" and stereotyped as "just a secretary", which can make it very hard to move up if that's your ambition.



I think it's important to realize that being content in the field and hoping and working for something different are both valid viewpoints. This isn't a situation where there is only one right or wrong, but one where right or wrong really do depend on the person. If you're like me and are happy doing this type of work - congratulations! If you're are someone looking for advancement - give it your all and good luck!



Barb

Well, I sure can't beat Woodsy the Owl, but this March I did have to "dress" my boss. Actually, he was fully dressed, but as part of reading month he was reading "Eggbert, the Slightly Cracked Egg" to our preschoolers. He dressed as Eggbert to do so. (The kids were encouraged to dress as their favorite storybook character, also.) It was my job to tie him into his costume, which was made from a slightly altered beanbag pattern, and to help put in the stuffing that made it look like an egg. I was never asked to do anything like this when I worked at the bank!