Practically Perfect PA

FEBRUARY 5, 2013

Do you think assistants should use social media for professional purposes? Now I think a lot of you might have guessed where I stand on this question? If you answered positively then yes you would be correct I think using social media for your professional development and networking is an absolute must! That must however does come with a big but! There are many many positives but there are some negatives and you do have to be careful to not damage your reputation in anyway.

Social Media 216

Social Media Job Hunting Suppliers Twitter 216

Office Organization Success

FEBRUARY 13, 2013

With all the different rules and regulations governing list management, it’s getting harder and harder to not only get your emails delivered to the recipient’s inbox – think all those spam filters – but to actually get your recipient to open and read your email. Just think about your own inbox for a second … how many emails do you get bombarded with each day?

Email 202

Email Management 2013 Business Cards 202

The Small Business Blog

FEBRUARY 28, 2013

Comes with enormous responsibility. The failure, the success, or a somewhat tacky mix of both- whatever result that your team achieves, they say, is a direct result of your leadership. At one time I really hated to think that having a successful team was all up to me- after all people came around with their own differences by default. How am I supposed to know that George and Rita would have a serious personality clash, let alone how I was supposed to solve their disputes?

Environment 191

Environment UPS Learning Management 191

Eco-Office Gals

FEBRUARY 4, 2013

Environmental issues have finally and permanently come out of the shadows, with everyone from politicians to scientists to pastors admitting that climate change is a real issue that must be addressed. The super storm that caused massive damage up and down the Eastern seaboard might have been the last straw for those that have been loudly promoting sustainability, and excuses are just no longer acceptable.

Temping 189

Temping Goals AT&T Promotion 189

Speaker: Joe Sharpe and James Carlson

Payroll optimization can be one of the most time-consuming and complex factors of small business management. Yet, organizations that crack the code on streamlining employee compensation often discover innovative avenues for growth. With the right strategies in place, outsourcing and streamlining payroll processes can result in substantial time and resource savings.

Payroll

Virtual Moxie

FEBRUARY 24, 2013

You’ve been you for however many years you’ve been on this planet. And who you are—the core of that—was formed pretty early. What you like, what you don’t, your style, what emboldens you, what infuriates you all can change with life experiences, but who you are really doesn’t. And that core has a voice that is critical to your being. No big surprise there.

Forms 169

Forms 169

Eat Your Career

FEBRUARY 6, 2013

Some of you aren’t going to like this article. I can hear you now: “Chrissy, who cares that my desk looks like a tornado hit it? I can find everything I need and that’s all that matters.”. I’ve got a sobering newsflash, my friend. Brace yourself. My response to that argument? Nope. Wrong. Not true. That’s not all that matters. Organization is as much about others as it is about you.

Filing 169

Filing Facebook Email Management 169

Office Organization Success

FEBRUARY 9, 2013

Having worked in a high-end management consultancy practice for many years (in my previous career), I’ve discovered a thing or two about market research, and how critical it is to your business success. Whenever we took on a new management consultancy project for a client, one of the very first things we did was to go and speak to their clients and customers about their biggest issues/problems/frustrations etc.

Interviewing 183

Interviewing Management Skills UPS 183

The Small Business Blog

FEBRUARY 21, 2013

Anybody who watches the news cannot have failed to notice the chaos that has been caused by extreme weather over the last few years. But behind every news item like the super-storm Sandy in the US or the floods in the UK is the often unreported story of the knock-on effects it has had for local small businesses. If your small business has lost valuable working days or has been financially affected by nature, you aren’t alone.

2012 188

2012 Forms AT&T 188

Eco-Office Gals

FEBRUARY 19, 2013

Electricity bills are constantly increasing on what seems as a monthly basis and because of this, many home owners are searching for an alternative to save money with any energy usage. One way to do this is with the water heater in the home. The hot water heater in the home takes up around 15 to 20 percent of the electric bill. This is not an enormous amount but it does add up over time.

UPS 175

UPS 175

Virtual Moxie

FEBRUARY 25, 2013

"Modeling" is simply teaching through action. In the context of your practice, everything you do in business models for someone else what it is to be in business for yourself. For instance, working with ideal clients models a variety of things: Having high standards. Engaging in joyful work. What beauty there can be in partnership. Choosing love over fear or abundance over lack.

Learning 164

Learning 164

Speaker: Tim Buteyn, President of ThinkingKap Learning Solutions

Join this brand new webinar with Tim Buteyn to learn how you can master the art of remote onboarding! By the end of this session, you'll understand how to: Craft a Tailored Onboarding Checklist 📝 Develop a comprehensive, customized checklist that ensures every new hire has a smooth transition into your company, no matter where they are in the world.

Equipment

Small Business Labs

FEBRUARY 5, 2013

A recent Pando Media article quotes noted VC Marc Andreessen saying traditional brick and mortar retail will be dead within the next the decade.  And by dead, he means really dead - as in we will do all our shopping online. Key quotes from the article: “Retail guys are going to go out of business and ecommerce will become the place everyone buys.

2016 163

2016 Environment 163

Practically Perfect PA

FEBRUARY 8, 2013

Earlier this week I wrote a piece on Social Media Do’s and Don’ts for assistants so I thought I would carry on with that theme and try to convince you all to join Twitter! Twitter really is a great place for learning as well as being social. Here is a list of people, companies and professional associations that I think will add real value to your career development.

Twitter 195

Twitter Social Media Lifestyle Mentoring 195

Stephanie LH Calahan

FEBRUARY 4, 2013

LinkedIn is one of the largest and most popular networking sites for business professionals.  However, many business owners don't know how to leverage the fabulous networking tool to their full advantage.  Today, I'm sharing an info graphic from Boot Camp Digital.  They share 37 tips to help you get more out of LinkedIn. So, what do you think?

Networking 161

Networking 161

The Small Business Blog

FEBRUARY 25, 2013

Top 5 Tips posts from the SME Blog are always full of hints and tips for small, home & micro business owners. 1. LinkedIn is a great way to make connections and maintain business relationships. It is the most professional of all the social networks and as such should be used differently to your company Facebook or Twitter. Except on rare occasions, try not to add many people who you haven’t actually met or had dealings with.

Facebook 183

Facebook Twitter Networking Social Media 183

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Management

Eco-Office Gals

FEBRUARY 15, 2013

Running a business not only requires a lot of hard work and dedication, but also a responsibility to take care of an organization’s employees and the planet. Although prosperity and growth are usually the main focal points of any company, it’s also vital to ensure business practices adhere to basic moral principles, such as caring for the environment and doing as much as possible to avoid adding excess amounts of waste into the fragile ecosystem.

Promotion 164

Promotion Environment Purchasing AT&T 164

Office Organization Success

FEBRUARY 2, 2013

One of the mistakes I see many, many business owners making is being so focused on the size of their list (i.e. the total number of subscribers) that they’re not paying attention to actually what’s going on in their list. And then they wonder why they’re not making the kind of money they want to be making. You already know that it’s really important to build your list, i.e. the number of people that are in YOUR database that have personally subscribed to receive your newsletter and other promoti

Purchasing 161

Purchasing Email Promotion Management 161

Eat Your Career

FEBRUARY 19, 2013

Perhaps you’ve heard the term “social resume” floating around. Well, I addressed this very topic in my recent interview on Fox 31 Denver’s Good Day Colorado. Watch the video below and learn how to use online tools to raise your visibility, expand your network, and establish yourself as a expert in your field. (Note: These new resources DO NOT replace the traditional paper resume.

Resume 160

Resume Facebook Interviewing Networking 160

Practically Perfect PA

FEBRUARY 22, 2013

Yesterday I attended the BNC Global Event Show and on a number of occasions I was asked if I work in the event industry. I do not work in the events industry but a strange voice irrupted from my month with the answer ‘yes…well sort of… I’m an EA’. With that answer I had a few knowing people nod back because they understood that assistants organise a lot of events and you know some of us take that side of our professions seriously.

Social Media 186

Social Media Twitter Promotion International 186

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Sharing your authentic self in a virtual interview can be an unwanted challenge. How do you break through the digital barrier when conducting a virtual interview and share your exceptional self? Think in unconventional ways to elevate the virtual interviewing experience.

Interviewing

Stephanie LH Calahan

FEBRUARY 7, 2013

  Creating a PDF file (one that can be read easily regardless of the computer it is being opened on) used to be cumbersome. You either needed to purchase expensive software or have a graphics person create the file for you. The other day my client asked me how to create a PDF file. (She was sending an agreement for the first time over the internet and did not want it altered.).

PDF 160

PDF Filing Microsoft Word Purchasing 160

The Small Business Blog

FEBRUARY 6, 2013

Recently I was looking to open a business bank account for a new venture I’m looking to start- so I thought I would do the rounds with the banks to see what was on offer. I’m not going to name names here, but I was actually quite shocked at what I found. I went in as a start-up business, completely ignorant of what I needed to do and what I needed in general- just to gauge what support the banks could offer.

Customer Service 181

Customer Service Confidence Training UPS 181

Eco-Office Gals

FEBRUARY 3, 2013

If you’ve been thinking about starting up a virtual office or transitioning the business that you already have into one, now more than ever, it’s actually a really wise thing to do. As a matter of fact, in the fall of 2012, Business Week did an entire feature on why many companies have decided to be virtual. One major reason is because it reflects the signs of the times; the ever-progressive stages in technology that command all of us to communicate in cyberspace.

2012 164

2012 Equipment Environment AT&T 164

Office Organization Success

FEBRUARY 16, 2013

Did you know that for EVERYTHING you want to do in your business you need to create a system for it? The real secret to a successful business is having the right systems in place that support and grow that business. And this comes down to getting new clients too. If you’re finding that you don’t yet have a full practice of clients, or your flow of clients is very inconsistent (think feast or famine), then I suggest you look at the systems you currently have in place for getting more clients.

2013 159

2013 Calendars Facebook Phones 159

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Policies

Virtual Moxie

FEBRUARY 18, 2013

After Moxie Tip 318 , Etta wrote a comment. I didn't publish it because it was the perfect lead in for today's post. She wrote: Anastacia, you said it's ok to be vulnerable, say what I need, and go take care of myself. I worry that if I do that, I'll be seen as bringing drama, which will be a turn off to my clients. How do I make myself vulnerable without bringing drama?

UPS 155

UPS 155

Practically Perfect PA

FEBRUARY 26, 2013

I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one that gets a little bit apprehensive about attending events, especially large exhibitions that are set up like a gauntlet that you have to navigate through while avoiding overzealous sales people pulling you from one badly designed stand to another. Conferences, training and networking events can be equally as daunting especially when you are attending on your own and have to join in group activities and network with strangers.As I’ve said in the past training

Networking 176

Networking Suppliers Training Social Media 176

Eat Your Career

FEBRUARY 18, 2013

Here’s a question I get all the time: “I feel unchallenged at work. I keep looking for new things to do and new responsibilities to take on, but I’m having trouble. How do I get my superiors to better utilize me and my skills?”. It’s a great question because it shows that you want to contribute to your organization in a meaningful way and you have more to offer.

Skills 155

Skills Facebook Email UPS 155

The Small Business Blog

FEBRUARY 4, 2013

Top 5 Tips posts from the SME Blog are always full of hints and tips for small, home & micro business owners. 1. You can’t predict the future for your business, but it is possible to conduct fairly accurate risk assessments so that you have a decent idea about the things that might go wrong and have a bearing on the direction your business takes in the coming years. 2.

Retirement 175

Retirement AT&T Management UPS 175

Speaker: Tim Buteyn, President of ThinkingKap Learning Solutions

💢 Do you find yourself stuck in never-ending review cycles? Are you wondering if your Subject Matter Expert actually got that last review request? Are you having trouble trying to decipher impractical or conflicting feedback? 💢 If any of these scenarios sounds familiar, you may benefit from a crash course on managing SME relationships!

Collaborate

Eco-Office Gals

FEBRUARY 7, 2013

It is reasonable to assume that the majority of states support their local universities. This tends to hold true not only on a financial level, with state schools receiving a chunk of change for their operating expenses from the state in which they reside, but it also pertains to various other types of support from the communities that harbor them. However, it is less often that you hear about institutions of higher education supporting their states.

2013 160

2013 Negotiating Budget Expenses 160

Job Advice Blog

FEBRUARY 8, 2013

With employers getting smarter, your resume should not just be about impressing the hiring manager. You resume should be such that a computer can also read it. This is the electronic part of the hiring process. Now, keeping this in mind, follow the 5 tips given below to write your digital resume. Be Precise and [.].

Resume 154

Resume Management Interviewing 154

Virtual Moxie

FEBRUARY 4, 2013

William wrote to pick my brain. Anastacia, I really have enjoyed reading Virtual Moxie for the past four years. I’ve learned so much about how to build my graphic design business in your posts here. Thank you. What I want to ask you about is something I’ve never seen you write about—negotiating rates with vendors. What do I need to know or think about in advance of trying to get better rates on things like print services, or from my accountant?

Negotiating 155

Negotiating Learning 155

Practically Perfect PA

FEBRUARY 19, 2013

Over the last few weeks I’ve been writing about social media and how best assistants can use it for their professional lives. This week I want to look at how we can use our skills in this area to add value for our companies and mangers. I know a lot of business are still banning certain websites and it can be difficult to change the executive management’s mind when it comes to using social media at work but if your company is embracing all of the positive aspects of Twitter, LinkedIn

Social Media 164

Social Media Skills Dropbox Twitter 164

Speaker: Tim Buteyn

Let's set the scene: you’ve identified a critical performance gap in your organization and need to close that gap. A colleague suggests training, but you suspect there’s something going on that training can’t address. How can you determine if training is the right solution before you commit your budget and resources to a new training program? In this webinar, you will learn how to determine if training is the right solution using the Behavior Engineering Model.

Training