Expert Information for Administrative Assistants, Executive Assistants, Administrative Professionals

Karen Porter, The Administrative Professional Job Performance and Career Success Coach™

and Founder and President

of The Effective Admin

"I specialize in serving administrative professionals like you with job performance and career management advice. With almost 24 years experience interacting with the 'real' workplace and working administrative professionals -- including holding former admin pro level positions (and higher levels) myself at multiple different employers, -- I am well aware of the substantial job you and your administrative professional colleagues perform daily."

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In this section, experts provide administrative assistants, executive assistants and other administrative professionals with information and answers to common questions.

EXPERT Q&A FOR ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONALS:

QUESTION: I'm an administrative assistant who wants to proceed to the level of an executive assistant. But every time I see an opening for an executive assistant, the qualifications say that previous experience is required. This seems like a no-win situation. What can I do to overcome this "executive assistant experience required" hurdle? Read answer now.

QUESTION: I’m an administrative support professional who has just been promoted to the position of supervisor of other admin professionals. How do I make this transfer and keep relationships with my former colleagues, now my subordinates, comfortable and operating smoothly? Read answer now.

QUESTION: What is the difference between an administrative assistant and an executive assistant? Read answer now.

QUESTION: I’m an executive assistant who would like to take my career one step further. The next level appears to be office manager. Can you tell me what is the difference between an executive assistant and an office manager? Read answer now.

QUESTION: I am an administrative support professional who wants to stand out beyond the crowd (so to speak) professionally. I want to be first in line for advancement opportunities, or at least be first on everyone’s mind and have those types of choices offered or available to me. But there are many administrative professionals in my large company who are very good at what they do and they can do my job equally as well as me. How can I make myself unique so that I’m recognized as an above-average administrative support professional? Read answer now.

QUESTION: I am an administrative professional considering applying for an executive assistant position that recently opened up at my company. What are the differences between working for a mid-level manager and an executive, and how would that affect my duties? Read answer now.

QUESTION: I’m good at my actual work as an administrative professional, but I think that I’m less assertive than my admin peers at work. Perhaps you could even describe me as timid at times when it comes to speaking up at staff meetings or communicating verbally in-depth with my managers. I’m starting to wonder if this is affecting my chances at salary increases and promotions in a negative way. Do you think that being and appearing more assertive and self-confident at work gives administrative professionals an edge over their peers who are not so when it comes to career advancement and salary increases? Read answer now.

QUESTION: How important is a college degree these days to attaining a position and making a career in the administrative support profession? Please elaborate on why it is or isn’t important. Read answer now.

QUESTION: I have a few questions related to skills assessments:
♦Why do employers conduct these tests during job interviews?
♦ How can I prepare?
♦ If I get called back after an interview to take a skills assessment, is this considered a good sign?
♦ How much will my results affect my chances of getting the job? Read answer now.