Question # 1 Can you have a great aptitude for all things Administrative and still not have success as an Administrative Professional?
Question # 2 Will your ability to take excellent dictation, set up great corporate events, and create powerful PowerPoint presentations put you on the fast track to success?
Answer # 1 Yes, according to this article and others your attitude can hold you back in your career. You may have the ability to do the job but having a bad attitude can be a large stumbling block. Part of being a great Admin. is your ability to partner with your co-workers to get things done. You also need to be able to maintain relationships with vendors in order to secure good pricing and service. Bad attitudes are often reflected in the way you answer the phone, speak to co-workers, or follow-up with vendors. Your organization is relying on you to represent them well at all times while you are on their time.
Answer # 2 Yes, and No. If you have great skills you will achieve a certain level of success, but a bad attitude can quickly derail you. It may also hinder you from landing that dream position in the future. As an Administrative Recruiter I work with HR Managers in selecting Administrative Professionals for their organization. One thing they look at when reviewing resumes is how many times you have switched jobs, and how long you were at each job. We have commonly found that some high skilled admins. don’t even get called for an interview for these very reasons. Why? Because without access to details as to why you may have had 6 jobs in 6 years, they are left to speculate. They often speculate based on previous experience in their own organization. Often they have had otherwise good Admins. who didn’t last long because of poor attendance and bad attitude. They may also consider (and I would tend to agree) poor attendance as a reflection of your attitude towards your job. Either way employers want someone who is approachable and positive about their job or career.
Listen, I know that many Admins. feel over worked and under paid and that can have and affect on your attitude. However it doesn’t have to. You Decide! Bad things happen to good people all time. Life is full of unfair things (in my experience). You can take the position of defense or offense. On defense you react to everything and everyone. On offense you make the choice to endure what you must for future success. On offense you attack your day with a positive attitude. You can make yourself a valuable resource by being approachable and having a positive mental outlook. Pair a great attitude, an excellent skill set and aptitude for learning together and you can turn your job into a fantastic career.
March 23rd, 2010 → 7:21 pm
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