Message #4680

[lioness70]

Thanks for all your valuable insight!  Now, I'll add my answer to this question.  It's not too far off track from the views of Ozbound and Jadegrniiz.



I think admins, even though a LOT of us handle the duties of managers these days, are still lumped in with those who do basic admin duties like filing, copying, and typing.  Even though there are managers out there who recognize the potential of admins, a lot, sad to say, still do not.  A lot of younger admins don't want to stay stuck in that kind of job for their entire career.  Speaking as a "younger" admin (I'm 30), I viewed my first couple of admin jobs as biding time and, I'm not proud to say, I didn't do my best on those jobs.  I was only focused on getting to the next level and didn't care about developing a career as an admin.  I suspect this is why there's a lot of so-so admins out there.  They don't want to BE admins and don't care about their jobs.  In fact, there's a lot of problems very common to our field that causes this apathy.  When an admin is given no authority to handle her job, that job consists of mundane duties, the routine never varies, and there's no opportunity to move on, it's very easy to see why talented people won't come near this field.  Also throw in, like Ozbound said, low pay and not much respect or professional credibility.



I think management can solve part of this problem.  Joan Lloyd said it well:  treat your admin like a professional, boost their credibility, and make their job project-oriented.  Also, pay them well!



Even though my job is only part-time and is a very basic secretarial job, oddly enough, people treat me better than at my past full-time jobs.  Why?  I'm one of those juggling motherhood and a job.  I stay out of the office politics (this is easier to do when you're a part-timer, in my opinion), and I leave my job in the office.  I don't have time for a demanding career at this point in my life-my baby is my first priority.  My company respects this.  When I was a full-time, salaried admin, I always had people asking me, "What's an intelligent young woman like you doing in a job like this?"  Also, because I was salaried, I had bosses who expected me to put in tons of overtime.  I refused-I thought, why should I waste my time for them if I'm not going to advance my career and they're going to still insist on treating me like their maid/nanny/servant?  With this job, since I'm hourly, I get paid if I work overtime.  The only downside is I lose holiday pay and pay for any day I take off.  Six of one, half a dozen of another.



Wow, this got long.  That's my thoughts on this subject.