Purposeful Blog

During the class, Communications 480, one of our assignments was to create and write our own blog.  Since I have always held job positions with some various version of the title Administrative Assistant, I decided to name my blog “Aims of the Admin”, with the particular aim, on my part, to get a permanent full time job with benefits.  I was laid off of my full time position in January of 2009 just as the unemployment downturn was really swinging into action.  Immediately after, I was able to get a part-time job.  The owners of the company assured me the job would become a full-time position in four months.  I left that job in September of 2010, it was still a part time job.  The failing economy had affected the agency I was working for and the business did not grow at the rate that it had been.  This meant that they did not have the finances to pay for a full time support person.  Even though I had not secured a permanent full time job, I left the agency because I had secured a temporary, but full time, position with the county.  I had hopes that the temporary position would become a permanent position.  However, the temporary project has been completed and I find myself unemployed once again.
The purpose of any blog can be varied according to the focus of the blogger.  The purpose of “Aims of the Admin” was threefold; to complete the course assignment, to learn how to create and maintain a blog, and to write about the concerns of a career administrative assistant when looking for a job.  In the actual creating and publishing of the URL and blog, the basics of the course assignment were completed.  Over the next weeks new blog posts have been added from the ongoing assignments.  Also, time has been spent learning different aspects of blogging and what additions and changes could be made to make the blog more appealing.
The website BlogSpot has very easy instructions and templates to help set up a blog.  This publisher is designed to be uncomplicated and to let a blogger get online to publish as soon as possible.  A blogger can choose from the design templates offered by BlogSpot or a blogger can choose to upload their own personal picture.  “The secret to making it work from the beginning is to do a bit of planning up front. If you visit other blogs, I’m sure you will see some nice blog designs that catch your eyes. “ (MacDonald 2010) There are many formats for the layout of the page.  Initially, a blogger may choose one that is pretty or that may have a connection with the subject of the blog.  Later, it can be changed at any time.  Blog design is dependent on the likes and dislikes of the blogger.  However, there are websites with specific information regarding how to design a blog that will appeal to a blogger’s specific audience. 
The specific audience I have had the past few weeks has been my classmates.  The audience that “Aims of the Admin” wishes to serve consists of other people in administrative careers that may be out of a job or even in one but looking for a better position.  Having 20+ years in administration  gives one a lot of experience from which to draw.  There have been many changes in the last 20 years, not only in the many titles the position of secretary now holds, but also in the list of requirements employers are currently looking for to fill admin positions, plus the roller coaster of value, i.e. salary, placed on administration support.
The purpose, design, content and audience are all part of the focus on learning new communication technology to use as new skills for administration support.  One of the lessons I have learned while searching for an admin support position in today’s market is that a prospective employee has to be up to date on all current aspects of technology and how technology applies to business communication.

References:

MacDonald, A. (2008) Effective Blog Design Tips for Successful Blogging, Design and Coding, Swift Media UK, Retrieved March 27, 2011, retrieved from
 http://www.bloggingtips.com/2008/04/03/effective-blog-design-tips-for-successful-blogging/

Admin Woes - Bad News Bearer

               When preparing for a situation that involves intense emotion and could easily escalate into a difficult conflict it is a good idea to research, review and practice the information needed to be conveyed and the conversation that may take place.  In other words, “plan your approach.” (Hooper 2008) When there is a situation involving an employee it is also a good practice to have some knowledge of the character of the employee.  In a situation where an employee is working at a substandard level it is required that the employee be made aware that their performance is not acceptable and that continued substandard level work will result in their dismissal.

                In preparation for the discussion with the employee the issue needs to be clearly defined ahead of time so that it can be clearly communicated to the employee.  A written assessment of the employee’s performance with a comparison to the performance that is expected from their job position is a good start.  If there is an operation manual with job descriptions listing the requirements of the job, this is a good tool to remind the employee that these expectations were in place when they started working in the position. 

                In this case the company has received numerous complaints regarding the employee, both from customers and from co-workers.  The names can be kept anonymous but the content of the complaints should be available for the employee to read or hear.  These complaints would not necessarily enter into the conversation.  Complaints, particularly co-worker’s complaints, are often subjective and can have emotional catalysts that may not be necessary to introduce into the discussion.  This aspect of the discussion can be kept aside unless absolutely necessary to the conversation.

                Before the discussion with the employee a few more steps should be taken.  A decision needs to be made regarding the proper time to approach the employee.  Calling a meeting during a less stressful time of the day would be best.  The meeting should be in a private area.  However, knowing that the employee has exhibited confrontational behavior in the past it will be a good idea to be able to leave a door open so any raised voices could be overheard.  It would be good to think out and practice the words that will be used to present the information to the employee.  One possible way to approach the discussion would be to ask the employee if they are aware of the requirements of their job position and could they list those requirements.  The discussion could go on with asking the employee if they feel they are fulfilling the requirements to the best of their abilities. 

                This would provide a point where the employee could feel that they are being listened to.  At this point in the discussion it would be the best time to clearly define the reason for the meeting while showing concern for the situation plus letting the employee know that the current level of performance is not meeting the expected requirements. The manager’s comments should include any pertinent previous input from the employee.  This would help the employee feel validated, and may help the employee feel less defensive and therefore less confrontational. 

                During the summation of the manager of the job requirements, and the current concerns, the manager should also make a clear statement to the employee that the changes needed to fulfill the job expectations have to happen soon or the employee will not be able to continue in the current position.  This would provide a good time in the discussion to ask for and offer solutions. “Explore options.” (Hooper 2008) The discussion would focus on moving forward, helping the employee brainstorm solutions that would help reach the required goals.   The manager and employee could map out a timeline, in this way the manager would be able to confirm the immediacy of the need for change while working together with the employee to create achievable goals.  

                In this way the discussion is managed with the “win-win approach” (Fisher 2000), keeping the positive goals of both the employer and employee in mind.  The employer wants a well functioning team player who is a quality employee and the employee wants to keep the job.  Hopefully, the employee also wants to be a productive and positive asset to the company.

References

Hooper, H. (2008) Handling Conflict in the Workplace, Creative Coaching Solutions, Retrieved 3/11/2011

Fisher, R., PhD. (2000) Sources of Conflict and Methods of Conflict Resolution, International Peace and Conflict Resolution School of International Service, The American University, Retrieved 3/14/11

Know Your Media

Keeping different types of media in mind; the following is a summary of four different media technologies that Administrative Assistants should know about and have experience with;

Radio was the first media that enabled information to travel immediately from the source to a large, widespread, and distant audience at the same time.  It has been used for almost 80 years for news, advertisement, public service and entertainment.  Radio broadcasts include different genres of music, news, religious talk shows, entertainment including interviews with popular icons, and talk shows with hosts of differing political views. 

Television was the next media that could be sent and received immediately from the source to a large, widespread and distant audience at the same time.  Initially, TV only offered a few stations.  This enabled TV to bring news, sports, entertainment and advertising into people’s lives.  What was on TV became a way for people to connect, either by watching together or by talking about what they had seen at a later time.  With the advent of cable television a viewer can now choose from hundreds of stations.  However, television is no longer free to watch.

Cell Phone use was initially only a replacement for home phones and consisted of voice conversations.  Now, they can be used for sending messages, taking and sending photos,  downloading, recording, listening to and sending music, and as a way to access the internet.  The cell phone has become the connecting method of choice for most people from children as young as 6^th grade to the large baby boomer population.

The advent of the internet created additional ways for people to connect to each other; social media such as Facebook, Twitter, You Tube, MySpace, PhotoBucket, Blogs and any number of ways to send messages such as Hotmail, Yahoo and Gmail.  An internet user also has access to worldwide news, entertainment and information.  The internet has become a choice method for businesses to connect to clients, advertise, send and receive documents, collect data and create data base information.

Many current employers want employees who use computers to have at least a basic knowledge of the internet.  Administrative Assistants are often maintaining websites and doing research for employers.  Some employers even have Facebook and Twitter sites that need to be kept up to date.  As Admins we need to be sure to keep up with the times.

Introduction

Good Day!  I am an out-of-work Administrative Assistant.  I hope to share my experiences with you, my readers, and maybe help others in my position with insight into the world of administration.  My jobs have always been admin assistant positions.  An admin assistant by any other name has been called a secretary, a girl Friday (so politically incorrect today), an associate, an aide, a partner and sometimes just “support staff”.  Admin Assistants can be called upon to do anything from accounting to carrying boxes, presenting reports to getting clients a drink of water. 

With the advent of the economic downturn, the agency I worked for closed its doors and I was laid off my job.  While looking for a new job I encountered a situation entirely new to me; employers wanted a college degree for admin positions while paying less wages.  I believe the current high unemployment gives employers such a large pool of applicants that they feel free to ask for as many qualifications as possible and yet pay as little as the market can bear.  By saying they “feel free”, I may be giving employers too much of a positive spin.  Maybe I should say, employers are exploiting their current advantage and trying to get more for less.

I know there are many admins out of work and in the same situation.  One of the first things I did in my attempt to garner a full time, well paying position is go back to school.  In my next blog I will cover my search for the right school and the right program.