Current job title:
Industry: Hotel Industry
Department: Executive Management
Years worked in this industry: less
than 2 years
Years worked in this department: less
than 1 year
Special training or attributes needed or helpful to
get job in this industry (or specific department): No,
previous job experience helped me land the position.
Number of
managers and/or staff supported: 1-2
Typical work hours: 8-5
Weekends or overtime hours: No overtime
pay, but need not work during weekends.
General salary range
(Note: This is a general figure or range provided by survey respondent and may
NOT be an exact salary in order to
give survey respondent some privacy. Also you must take into account that
the number of years worked in industry/department may contribute to this
salary as well as criteria such as level of position and person reports
to, required hours and geographical location.): approx.
40,000/annum
Benefits (direct or indirect):
Lingo you might hear in this industry:
HOTEL INDUSTRY
HOTAC – HOTEL ACCOMMODATION
CAPEX – CAPITAL EXPENDITURE
OPEX – OPERATIONAL EXPENDITURE
GOOSE DOWN – a type of duvet
A typical day on the job: Check
Manager’s calendar to ensure that I am up to date with his requirements
for the day.
Check pending work - list all things to do for the day
Update/brief manager
Check email then reply
Positive things about being an administrative
professional in this industry: The one advantage that I see
in this type of job is that an admin support is like a multi tasking or
shall I say jack of all trades kind of a person. In my experience, there
were instances that I was required to do something which I have not done
before. This made me more important in the department eventually and at
the same time I have learned other skills. All these skills that I have
learned in the past had helped me perform my current job (or future) and
as well negotiate performance appraisal or higher job offer.
Negative things about being an administrative
professional in this industry: Unfortunately, a lot of people
even the admin support themselves sometimes think of the position as a low
level type of job, fortunately I don’t!
Type of workspace/office:
office
Primary responsibilities as an administrative
professional in this position:
Travel Arrangements
Appointments
Top thing(s) incumbent admin would require of job
applicants seeking to be her/his position replacement:
Sincere
Articulate/Good communication skills
Confident
Organise
Pleasing personality
Office machines or equipment operated regularly:
PC
Photocopier
Printer
Fax Machine
Technology (hard) skills used regularly:
Same as above
Critical soft skills: Good
communication (listening) skills – because most of the people who we speak
to are coming from different parts of the world. It is very important to
be polite when you cannot understand the accent of the person you are
talking to and at the same time you have to be very clear with what you
are saying ensuring as well that both you and the caller fully understand
each other when you hang up the phone.
When doing your day to day job, it is vital that you and your manager
understand and are both updated on the daily activities.
Organisational Skills – the best part of this role is to ensure that all
small things up to the big things are organized. Our managers would not
want to worry about the next delivery of office supplies, etc. They SHOULD
only worry about the big picture. As admin support in my department, it is
important that I see both small and big picture and anticipate what is
required so I can action or ask my manager (if big issues), avoiding delay
and frustrations.
Pace of this position: Average
Geographical region: Middle East
By the way, so you know, in the Middle East, when you apply for a job as
admin support, it is acceptable that you don’t have the same professional
experience in the same industry. What is important is you have done the
same job before. For example, I have worked in a hospital and have learned
their lingo, airline/aviation/travel industry and have learned their lingo
and culture as well.
It is also important that you have worked in the same level before, for
example supporting the middle management is not too far from the executive
management but they would prefer an admin support with the top or
executive management experience.
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