Gotta add one more thought-the proliferation of bad bosses.  Jadegrniiz pointed this one out-I'll expand.



There seem to be a lot more bad bosses out there than there was even 10 years ago, due to all the downsizing and restructuring.  Pressure is put on everyone to do more with less, and companies hire managers who, even though they treat their staffs (and especially their admins) like slave dogs, are kept because "they produce results."



I worked for two horrible managers (at two different companies) and it drove me out of the admin field for a year, because I didn't want to work for another horrible manager.  One guy was so bad that I almost went out on doctor-ordered stress leave.  Since I didn't like being treated like dirt and I stood up for myself (I wasn't afraid of having no income for a while), they simply tried to replace me with someone who WOULD lie down for them, like a dog.  In return, that person would get no respect, no raise, and no promotion.



Sorry.  I can't work for people like that.  No self-respecting person would.  Good admins seek out good bosses.  There's not too many *good* bosses, so naturally, there goes all the *good* admins.