Professional Assistant Blog

AUGUST 18, 2008

I work in a back office environment, where 99% of our client interaction is via the phone, e-mail or outside of the office, so I can wear jeans and a t-shirt. I worked for a software company with a casual dress code and men and women both wore shorts all the time (it was in Houston and warm close to year round).

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Professional Assistant Blog

DECEMBER 31, 2007

I also work in an environment where it gets a little too loud at times. Its an open-concept office and at times, I would like my colleagues to simmer down a bit. Do you wish you could take a fog horn and toot it around, just so that they would quiet down?

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Laughing all the Way to Work

AUGUST 15, 2009

Sometimes I wish I had something to warn me when I am with someone with a cell phone so I can know that we are going to be interrupted. I find it frustrating when people either text while in a conversation or are constantly taking phone calls. Apparently not, when its by phone. A person I know does this all the time.

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Professional Assistant Blog

NOVEMBER 29, 2007

So the next time you drink a cup of java and realize that its not the greatest in taste (like the one I have at work - but have gotten used to it over time and loving it), ask your office manager if they are willing to dish out a little extra green to supplement a better working environment.

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Professional Assistant Blog

OCTOBER 31, 2007

Theres just 8 hours in a work day (give or take, depending your work environment) and you can only do so much. They are there to help, since they are managing you. Dont feel that you are not doing your job. Dont think of yourself as a robot.

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Professional Assistant Blog

JANUARY 22, 2008

The default colours would be: Tentative: Blue with white diagonal stripes through it Busy: Blue Out of Office: Purple Keeping these tips in mind will create a more productive environment for you and your staff members. Until next time, Take care - of your clutter!

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Professional Assistant Blog

FEBRUARY 29, 2008

Virtual Assistant Manager is a website that I recently stumbled upon which helps you and/or your organization thrive in this type of environment. This lessens the time you have to spend on the phone. Here are some core benefits that were taken directly from the site: Allowing clients to enter in their own task requests.

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Professional Assistant Blog

JANUARY 10, 2008

Basically, this allows you to connect to your work environment via your internet connection. If youre feeling well enough to be able to work from home (telecommuting), an alternative would be to ask your IT department to set you up with VPN (virtual private network) access.

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Professional Assistant Blog

FEBRUARY 25, 2008

It’s considered a more family friendly environment. Small Firm: You have more of a “second home” type of feel. Your co-workers are more friendly , since you are more closely knit with each other. You get to have more one-on-one contact with your clients.

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2008 Cubicle Google Docs 2007 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

NOVEMBER 1, 2008

I can interact where I am now, but I have to get up and go if I want to speak with someone and then when I get there I may find they are busy or on the phone so I have wasted my time. It was wonderful to have that uninterrupted time to think and craft my words the way I wanted to. ► February (5) We did it Canada!

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Laughing all the Way to Work

MAY 10, 2009

Of course before I recommend anything I try it out so I picked up the phone and it asked me what I was looking for and what city and province. I chose details and was given the street address and phone number and I still had the option of having my call put through to the store number. You can use google to get similar information.

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Professional Assistant Blog

NOVEMBER 1, 2007

Home About Me Advertise Cubicle Etiquette 101 By The Professional Assistant on Thursday, November 01, 2007 Filed Under: Office Gossip , Productivity D o you find that your colleagues are hovering around you when youre on the phone? If you need to talk on the phone, make sure that you keep your voice to a lower volume.

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Professional Assistant Blog

OCTOBER 31, 2008

Remember that you are in a professional environment and have to upkeep this attitude. Check with your Human Resources Department or manager to see if this falls into your corporate policy. If you are going to wear a costume, make sure to wear something tasteful, not too scary or revealing.

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Professional Assistant Blog

DECEMBER 4, 2007

Do they make inappropriate comments in a professional environment? At times, I would think to myself, “If I could only talk to them.&# Do you feel that they are overbearing and don’t know when to keep their opinions to themselves? or “I wish I could quit!

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Laughing all the Way to Work

JANUARY 19, 2009

The switchboard can get so busy at times that its just not possible to introduce every call that comes through (except, of course, for those calling for the big bosses). The cure: always answer the phone professionally - this way youre never caught off-guard. January 19, 2009 Patricia Robb said. I am happy to hear from a receptionist.

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Laughing all the Way to Work

DECEMBER 17, 2008

Be protective of your boss’s time. Be professional on the phone and greet people who come calling, but not everyone needs to get in to see the boss. Be very selective and guard their time. Great Article--As we at American Folder Company understand the challenges that many office environments face each day.

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Laughing all the Way to Work

DECEMBER 19, 2009

When I receive an initial request for a meeting, I use a meeting form and write down the information I need: who is requesting the meeting, what is the purpose of the meeting, where it will be held and a phone number or an e-mail address and dates that are available. ► March (2) Admin Buddies Are you prepared? 411 Look Up 411.ca

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Laughing all the Way to Work

OCTOBER 4, 2008

How can you survive in this kind of a working environment? Building Relationships one Assistant at a Time ► April (2) Keeping focussed in a busy environment When your boss arranges meetings behind your back. ► March (2) Admin Buddies Are you prepared? ► February (5) We did it Canada! 411 Look Up 411.ca

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Laughing all the Way to Work

JANUARY 19, 2009

The last online course I took was under $70 and was interactive using both the computer and a speaker phone for audio. Building Relationships one Assistant at a Time ► April (2) Keeping focussed in a busy environment When your boss arranges meetings behind your back. I have found them to be really helpful. 411 Look Up 411.ca

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Laughing all the Way to Work

FEBRUARY 7, 2010

They said it works with most phone services. Building Relationships one Assistant at a Time ► April (2) Keeping focussed in a busy environment When your boss arranges meetings behind your back. I thought I would pass this tip along in the event you find yourself wishing you could take your words back. 411 Look Up 411.ca

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Laughing all the Way to Work

FEBRUARY 28, 2010

CountryCode.org is a comprehensive guide to make phone calls from anywhere to any country in the world. Building Relationships one Assistant at a Time ► April (2) Keeping focussed in a busy environment When your boss arranges meetings behind your back. ► March (2) Admin Buddies Are you prepared? 411 Look Up 411.ca

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Laughing all the Way to Work

MAY 9, 2010

I breathe a sigh of relief when I get someones assistant on the phone or receive an email from them. Knowing assistants and having a working relationship with them is very important and can make the difference when you need to set up a meeting or if your boss needs to have a quick phone call with their boss. 411 Look Up 411.ca

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Time Zones IAAP 2010 Meeting Minutes 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

NOVEMBER 9, 2008

Building Relationships one Assistant at a Time ► April (2) Keeping focussed in a busy environment When your boss arranges meetings behind your back. Taking stock We don't know what we don't know ► June (1) Playing nice in the sandbox ► May (2) Whose meeting is it anyway? ► February (5) We did it Canada!

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Laughing all the Way to Work

NOVEMBER 10, 2008

Building Relationships one Assistant at a Time ► April (2) Keeping focussed in a busy environment When your boss arranges meetings behind your back. Taking stock We don't know what we don't know ► June (1) Playing nice in the sandbox ► May (2) Whose meeting is it anyway? ► February (5) We did it Canada!

Time Zones 100

Time Zones IAAP Meeting Minutes Postal Code 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

FEBRUARY 27, 2009

Building Relationships one Assistant at a Time ► April (2) Keeping focussed in a busy environment When your boss arranges meetings behind your back. Taking stock We don't know what we don't know ► June (1) Playing nice in the sandbox ► May (2) Whose meeting is it anyway? ► February (5) We did it Canada!

Time Zones 100

Time Zones IAAP Meeting Minutes Google 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

APRIL 22, 2009

Building Relationships one Assistant at a Time ► April (2) Keeping focussed in a busy environment When your boss arranges meetings behind your back. Taking stock We don't know what we don't know ► June (1) Playing nice in the sandbox ► May (2) Whose meeting is it anyway? ► February (5) We did it Canada!

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Laughing all the Way to Work

MAY 31, 2009

Building Relationships one Assistant at a Time ► April (2) Keeping focussed in a busy environment When your boss arranges meetings behind your back. Taking stock We don't know what we don't know ► June (1) Playing nice in the sandbox ► May (2) Whose meeting is it anyway? ► February (5) We did it Canada!

Time Zones 100

Time Zones IAAP Meeting Minutes Postal Code 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

DECEMBER 28, 2009

Building Relationships one Assistant at a Time ► April (2) Keeping focussed in a busy environment When your boss arranges meetings behind your back. Taking stock We don't know what we don't know ► June (1) Playing nice in the sandbox ► May (2) Whose meeting is it anyway? ► February (5) We did it Canada!

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Laughing all the Way to Work

JANUARY 10, 2010

Building Relationships one Assistant at a Time ► April (2) Keeping focussed in a busy environment When your boss arranges meetings behind your back. Taking stock We don't know what we don't know ► June (1) Playing nice in the sandbox ► May (2) Whose meeting is it anyway? ► February (5) We did it Canada!

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Time Zones IAAP Meeting Minutes Postal Code 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

NOVEMBER 8, 2009

What dates and times does he or she have available (keeping in mind time zones for away meetings)? Secure the date and time in his or her calendar, taking into consideration travel time if outside the office. Does your boss need to be at the meeting? Can someone go in his or her place if they are not available?

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Laughing all the Way to Work

JULY 16, 2010

Doing too many things can actually waste time. Check: Are phone calls planned? For each one, write down what you hope to accomplish with the phone call to help you stay focused. I run the outlook journal and it logs the time I spend with a given task. Manage: Create a list of calls to be made and make them all at once.

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Time Zones IAAP 2010 Meeting Minutes 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

APRIL 8, 2009

It is great training for the office environment, no matter what field you end up in. Building Relationships one Assistant at a Time ► April (2) Keeping focussed in a busy environment When your boss arranges meetings behind your back. link] We dont typically call ourselves secretaries anymore, but they do still exist.

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Laughing all the Way to Work

NOVEMBER 22, 2008

An e-mail like the one I received would have been better delivered face to face or by phone in order to get the tone of what the person was trying to communicate. I stop the flow and pick up the phone. It is amazing how quickly a matter can be handled on the phone or in person. This little tip has been a huge time-saver for me.

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Laughing all the Way to Work

JULY 5, 2009

I am sure after that call her husband got off the phone and kicked the dog or was cranky with a sales clerk at the grocery store. It ended up that the phone lines were down because of a thunderstorm in town and he had been trying to reach her since early that afternoon. What happened? Crankiness and bad moods can be passed on.

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Time Zones IAAP Meeting Minutes International 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

NOVEMBER 27, 2008

A change of scenery and a change of conversation is good for us to recharge and just get away from it all from time to time. Talking about work all the time is not healthy for anyone. I am not taking a wireless phone with me and I am not going to talk about work with my friends where I am visiting. I cant wait!

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Time Zones IAAP Holidays Meeting Minutes 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

DECEMBER 5, 2009

I have a network of assistants that I call friends, although some are just phone colleagues, but we help each other. Building Relationships one Assistant at a Time ► April (2) Keeping focussed in a busy environment When your boss arranges meetings behind your back. GET TO KNOW YOUR CO-WORKERS. We are not an island.

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Time Zones IAAP Interviewing Holidays 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

JULY 9, 2010

Did I phone to get my electricity turned on? Building Relationships one Assistant at a Time ► April (2) Keeping focussed in a busy environment When your boss arranges meetings behind your back. The meetings were stress free and I was able to depend on my checklists and templates. ► February (5) We did it Canada!

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