Secretary? Not Just People Who Can't Do Anything Else

By Author: David Villa
Total Articles: 26
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Underestimated
Though many people think the contrary, it's in fact not that easy being a secretary. It actually happens to be a tough position and you have to put your foot down in many occasions. Don't let people walk all over you, for instance. How do you make your job more productive? Best way to start is to sit down and realize what you want to get from your job. Is it just a way to make money or do you take it seriously and you want to get further in your career? If you've got a serious attitude towards your job, pay attention.

Focus
Let's start with your first day on the job. Like any new job, you'll be overwhelmed with a lot of new information. Concentrate, focus and stay calm. Write down the necessary points (as you'll be doing this on the job as well, it shouldn't be too hard) and keep in mind that the endless stream of info will sink in eventually. You'll fit in after a while and it will get easier once you're in the right flow. Because of the new experiences and your current lack of knowledge things might seem like quite the challenge. It will get better, of course it will! Once you know how it ...
... all works, you're like a police officer in a donut shop, like a fish in the sea, like a trucker on the roadyou get the drill.

No post-its!
Be sure to always have a notebook or writing pad in reach. Seriously, write things down where you can find them again. No loose notes or post-its that you might lose. Write down what you need to do tomorrow. That's right, like that you're well prepared and ready to go the next day. Try to organize your tasks by sorting them on relevance and urgency. Start with the deadlines and tasks that were asked to be done by your boss. Less important things can be done later.

Ask and thou shall receive
When you just started your job and you're still new, don't be scared to ask some relevant questions if you're confused or you don't understand something. It's a good thing to ask for more information as it shows your interest and your desire to learn! Stay relaxed while doing so though, you don't want to pressure your colleagues into helping you while they've got stuff to do themselves.

Learn to say NO
If you're being showered with all kinds of requests and tasks because you work in a bigger office, it might seem hard to decline. Don't be scared! There is a solution. Just tell them you are busy and you can't pick up their task immediately. Tell them you need to do this and this first and then you'll get to it after you finish. Unless of course, your boss has an immediate request.

How do I get there?
Employers looking for secretaries are looking for people who can deal with things that have gone wrong and fix them. Also people with secretarial skills who are so efficient that those things are unlikely to go wrong in the first place. High on the wish list are secretaries who are adaptable, supportive and are able to present a warm and friendly face. Even when things are not going according to plan! Keep on smiling, no matter what.

Being a secretary sure takes a lot more than picking up the phone and writing down phone numbers. In fact it's stressful and quite a challenge. But if you master it, you're in for some serious fun and money. Do you have what it takes? Check out the secretaresse vacatures or job offers!