Expert insights. Personalized for you.
Do you have a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet where you have firm names and figures? The spreadsheet might contain other types of data, but is similar to this example? Imagine your boss comes to your desk and asks you to provide him/her MORE
One thing that some people tend to do is read an e-mail that they think might be for them. Since this is a shared mailbox, it's considered acceptable. Once they read the e-mail and realize it's not for them, they leave it as is MORE
Here are a few Latin words that will come in handy if you work in a legal office: bona fide means good faith prima facie means first glance res judicata means been determined res ipsa loquitor means the thing speaks for itself (rarely used) ex facie means on the face of it and et cetera is Latin meaning other things of that type Tip : When Latin words are used in a document they should be italicized. MORE
Cultures and laws in different countries can vary quite largely. Here in North America, we have to abide by laws that do not discriminate against age, gender, race, etc. On the other hand, other parts of the world have different laws MORE
Have you ever wondered how to copy pictures from and to Microsoft Word? Do you have a big project coming up and want to show your boss that you can handle this type of task? Recently, someone asked me how this is done MORE
You're on the phone with a client and an argument breaks out between two of your colleagues. You try to plug your other ear to drown out the noise. The noise keeps getting louder and louder. What do you do? Has this ever happened to you MORE
Are you trying to book a meeting with someone or a group of people? Do you find that you book a meeting date/time, but one or more people from the group let you know that they can't make it during that date/time MORE
Did your boss just ask you to copy a table, picture or text to another source of software, such as Microsoft Excel or Word? Are you struggling with trying to figure out how to do this in time? This is actually quite a simple task to MORE
Do you get staff members coming to you for all sorts of questions? Are you the main contact in your department? When you're on a phone call, do people hover over you? You usually are the main source of contact for any and all questions MORE
Micro Business, Recession and Exporting. by Stefan Töpfer on Jan 23, 2008. The last couple of days you could follow what can only be described as a panic on the world stock markets. The markets tumbled between five to ten per cent or MORE
It is exciting when you get the call telling you that you were selected for the job. There is a lot of work that goes into preparing for the interview and to know that you were successful is a great feeling. You will want to be the best that you can be. Here are some things you can think about as you continue in your career whether you’ve been on the job one week or 20 years. MORE
In writing, it all depends on who your audience is. In personal e-mails and letters I will write don’t, can’t, doesn’t, etc., but in a business letter that would be a no-no and I would always spell the words out. Business writing is considered more formal. In e-mail it can be less formal and if writing an internal e-mail I would use a short form, but when writing an e-mail to a client outside of my company I would be more formal and write the words out. MORE
You write an e-mail to a staff member about a client having an issue with something. The staff member writes you back, but you don't quite understand it. You write them again, asking for clarification. Has this ever happened to you MORE
Do you find yourself going into work day after day, week after week, feeling like you could do just a little more? You feel that your work life is in place and need to find some balance in other parts of your life MORE
I recently had a vendor send us an Excel spreadsheet that he created in Microsoft Word 2007 format. Unfortunately, our firm still only has Microsoft Office XP and was curious as to how this would work MORE
Are you stuck at home because you're sick? Did your co-worker, significant other or a client give you a surprise by coughing and sneezing around you? Don't you wish you could be where they are (to the left) instead MORE
Are you running out of things to do? Do you find yourself wanting to just goof off and surf the net? Believe it or not, there are some people that run out of things to do at their office. I am one of these people (at times MORE
Are you being asked to check your company's website stats? Do you have software in place for it? I have been updating my firm's website stats for quite some time now and wanted to share some tips on getting the information correct - the MORE
Do you have trouble figuring out how to call a client or even a colleague in another country? Do you want to fax some documents to a client, but not sure if the fax number you are dialing will be correct? I had the same trouble in the MORE
Decorate Your Cubicle Do you want to decorate your cubicle/office? Are you worried that you might put things up that are not appropriate for the office? I recently had someone ask me how they should go about decorating their cubicle MORE
Decline of Small Business Sector in the UK! by Stefan Töpfer on Jan 14, 2008. In a report, due to be published next month, from the European School of Management – ESM, it is reported that there has been a marked decline in small MORE
No Business Plan Needed To Start Small Business! by Stefan Töpfer on Jan 13, 2008. Two professors, Julian Lang and William Bygrave, from Babson College in the US have found that the business performance of businesses started MORE
I hope Lynn's poem on filing will motivate you to do this necessary but boring task. Enjoy! Someone's Gotta do it. MORE
Do you find that when you come into the office in the morning and get to your desk that you have a large pile of papers placed neatly all over your desk or on your chair? Do you think that your staff members should be using the mail MORE
Have you ever wondered or tried to sort a table within Microsoft Word? Do you already have a table set up in Microsoft Word, but don't want to copy to Microsoft Excel and back again, just to sort it? One of my colleagues came to me and MORE
If you were good with numbers when you were in high school, a career guidance counselor or teacher probably steered you toward becoming an accounting major in college. Or, if you showed a flair for working with children, perhaps a counselor recommended a career in teaching. But you may be discovering as you advance in your career that you have been steered down the wrong path. MORE
I had not planned on posting again today, but when I got tagged by The Career Encourager , I couldn't resist. Seems there's a fun little game going on among the bloggers, where you are "tagged," by a fellow blogger and asked to tag three more. Since this may be the most exercise I get all day, and I have a little bit of a competitive streak, I thought I'd join right in. MORE
One of the great things about being a journalist is that you get to ask a lot of questions and people (generally) don't get annoyed with you. Since I've been covering the workplace for more than 15 years, I've spent a lot of time asking some very smart and wise people about a wide variety of issues, ranging from how to get a promotion to how to handle a bully boss to how to get along with co-workers. MORE
Well, as many of you may have noticed, I wasn't nominated for an Oscar this year, but I'm not going to be upset about it. After all, I really didn't have a thing to wear, and now I have more time to devote to this week's Tidbit Tuesday. MORE
Do you share files on a network within your office? Are you the type of person that needs to run between your desk and other places on a regular basis? I am one of these people. Since I help out a staff of 30, which includes 6 managers MORE
I've never had a discussion about mentoring without someone offering a story about the mentor from hell. Stories of micromanagement, hostility, uninvolvment or just plain weirdness are some of the tales of woe from the mentees. The most difficult situation is when the mentee can't find a way to put an end to the relationship. Finding a way to be diplomatic and not totally sabatoging a career while ditching a mentor at the first opportunity can be tough. MORE
The last time you gave a presentation did you claim that the reason the audience dozed off was because of a stuffy room, too much lunch, or perhaps some weird sleep disorder? If you did, perhaps it’s time to go to the true source of the audience snores -- you. One of the biggest mistakes people make when putting together a presentation is that they sit down at their computer and begin writing a speech with long sentences and big words. MORE
I'm still waiting on the Kennedy family to endorse this blog, but until then, let's see what I can round up for this Tidbit Tuesday: * That will teach you to go on vacation: If you want to see the ultimate cubicle prank, check out this posting from the folks at TechRepublic. Personally, it's my idea of a great place to work -- I think everyone is going to want the same thing. Where's my sweater? If you've ever had a battle over it being too hot or too cold in your workplace, you're not alone. MORE
Minute taking is an art! Anyone who is good at it is to be commended. I have never had to take minutes, but I almost did many years ago. My boss came to my desk and told me he needed me to take minutes for a meeting. I was not aware of the meeting so I wasn't prepared. I started to sweat and my heart started pumping as I mumbled something about it being a long time since I had taken minutes and he had better tell me when I needed to write something down. MORE
Today, I put five nickels in my pocket. Now, you may be thinking that five nickels (25 cents) won't do me much good. After all, there is hardly anything that can be purchased for that amount, not even a stamp. But I believe my five nickels are going to buy me a lot. I believe that 25 cents, which I found rattling around at the bottom of my purse, will by the end of the day have a) made me feel good; b) be a great investment in my career; and c) perhaps help someone else do great things. MORE
I am officially on vacation for a week so this will be my only post until I get back on Monday, February 4th. Consider this my blog version of an Out of Office Assistant. Why is it when you decide to take some time off it seems like you couldn't have managed another day? I finally finished putting my desk in order for my replacement. Which is probably along the same lines as people who hire a cleaning service to clean their homes, and then they proceed to clean it before the cleaners get there. MORE
With the use of the wireless hand-held device, our bosses now seem to be working continually. Is the ability to conduct business 24/7 the new high? How is that impacting the role of the assistant and can we help? The Wireless Corporate Addiction A young lawyer puts his wireless hand-held device under his pillow so he won’t miss that all-important call or e-mail. He doesn’t want to miss the opportunity if someone should want to get in touch with him. MORE
It’s no secret that many of us are doing twice -- if not three or four times -- the amount of work we were doing a few years ago. Downsizings and layoffs and the reliance on teams have caused organizations to ask each individual to perform a multitude of tasks, many of them simultaneously. And, of course, with all that works comes a lot of stress. Trying to find enough hours in the day to complete demanding projects while trying to please bosses and customers is a daunting task. MORE
The Small Business Blog
JANUARY 13, 2008
No Business Plan Needed To Start Small Business! by Stefan Töpfer on Jan 13, 2008. Two professors, Julian Lang and William Bygrave, from Babson College in the US have found that the business performance of businesses started
Professional Assistant Blog
JANUARY 11, 2008
Decorate Your Cubicle Do you want to decorate your cubicle/office? Are you worried that you might put things up that are not appropriate for the office? I recently had someone ask me how they should go about decorating their cubicle
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Laughing all the Way to Work
JANUARY 11, 2008
I hope Lynn's poem on filing will motivate you to do this necessary but boring task. Enjoy! Someone's Gotta do it.
On The Job
JANUARY 11, 2008
It’s no secret that many of us are doing twice -- if not three or four times -- the amount of work we were doing a few years ago. Downsizings and layoffs and the reliance on teams have caused organizations to ask each individual to perform a multitude of tasks, many of them simultaneously. And, of course, with all that works comes a lot of stress. Trying to find enough hours in the day to complete demanding projects while trying to please bosses and customers is a daunting task.
The Small Business Blog
JANUARY 14, 2008
Decline of Small Business Sector in the UK! by Stefan Töpfer on Jan 14, 2008. In a report, due to be published next month, from the European School of Management – ESM, it is reported that there has been a marked decline in small
Professional Assistant Blog
JANUARY 31, 2008
One thing that some people tend to do is read an e-mail that they think might be for them. Since this is a shared mailbox, it's considered acceptable. Once they read the e-mail and realize it's not for them, they leave it as is
Professional Assistant Blog
JANUARY 30, 2008
Do you have a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet where you have firm names and figures? The spreadsheet might contain other types of data, but is similar to this example? Imagine your boss comes to your desk and asks you to provide him/her
Administrative Professionals Pulse brings together the best content for administrative professionals from the widest variety of industry thought leaders.
Professional Assistant Blog
JANUARY 28, 2008
Have you ever wondered how to copy pictures from and to Microsoft Word? Do you have a big project coming up and want to show your boss that you can handle this type of task? Recently, someone asked me how this is done
Professional Assistant Blog
JANUARY 25, 2008
Cultures and laws in different countries can vary quite largely. Here in North America, we have to abide by laws that do not discriminate against age, gender, race, etc. On the other hand, other parts of the world have different laws
Professional Assistant Blog
JANUARY 23, 2008
Have you ever wondered or tried to sort a table within Microsoft Word? Do you already have a table set up in Microsoft Word, but don't want to copy to Microsoft Excel and back again, just to sort it? One of my colleagues came to me and
Professional Assistant Blog
JANUARY 22, 2008
Are you trying to book a meeting with someone or a group of people? Do you find that you book a meeting date/time, but one or more people from the group let you know that they can't make it during that date/time
Professional Assistant Blog
JANUARY 21, 2008
You're on the phone with a client and an argument breaks out between two of your colleagues. You try to plug your other ear to drown out the noise. The noise keeps getting louder and louder. What do you do? Has this ever happened to you
Professional Assistant Blog
JANUARY 18, 2008
Do you get staff members coming to you for all sorts of questions? Are you the main contact in your department? When you're on a phone call, do people hover over you? You usually are the main source of contact for any and all questions
Professional Assistant Blog
JANUARY 17, 2008
Did your boss just ask you to copy a table, picture or text to another source of software, such as Microsoft Excel or Word? Are you struggling with trying to figure out how to do this in time? This is actually quite a simple task to
Professional Assistant Blog
JANUARY 16, 2008
Do you find that when you come into the office in the morning and get to your desk that you have a large pile of papers placed neatly all over your desk or on your chair? Do you think that your staff members should be using the mail
Professional Assistant Blog
JANUARY 15, 2008
Do you find yourself going into work day after day, week after week, feeling like you could do just a little more? You feel that your work life is in place and need to find some balance in other parts of your life
Professional Assistant Blog
JANUARY 14, 2008
You write an e-mail to a staff member about a client having an issue with something. The staff member writes you back, but you don't quite understand it. You write them again, asking for clarification. Has this ever happened to you
Professional Assistant Blog
JANUARY 10, 2008
Are you stuck at home because you're sick? Did your co-worker, significant other or a client give you a surprise by coughing and sneezing around you? Don't you wish you could be where they are (to the left) instead
Professional Assistant Blog
JANUARY 9, 2008
I recently had a vendor send us an Excel spreadsheet that he created in Microsoft Word 2007 format. Unfortunately, our firm still only has Microsoft Office XP and was curious as to how this would work
Professional Assistant Blog
JANUARY 7, 2008
Do you have trouble figuring out how to call a client or even a colleague in another country? Do you want to fax some documents to a client, but not sure if the fax number you are dialing will be correct? I had the same trouble in the
Professional Assistant Blog
JANUARY 4, 2008
Are you being asked to check your company's website stats? Do you have software in place for it? I have been updating my firm's website stats for quite some time now and wanted to share some tips on getting the information correct - the
Professional Assistant Blog
JANUARY 2, 2008
Are you running out of things to do? Do you find yourself wanting to just goof off and surf the net? Believe it or not, there are some people that run out of things to do at their office. I am one of these people (at times
Laughing all the Way to Work
JANUARY 18, 2008
Minute taking is an art! Anyone who is good at it is to be commended. I have never had to take minutes, but I almost did many years ago. My boss came to my desk and told me he needed me to take minutes for a meeting. I was not aware of the meeting so I wasn't prepared. I started to sweat and my heart started pumping as I mumbled something about it being a long time since I had taken minutes and he had better tell me when I needed to write something down.
On The Job
JANUARY 31, 2008
I've never had a discussion about mentoring without someone offering a story about the mentor from hell. Stories of micromanagement, hostility, uninvolvment or just plain weirdness are some of the tales of woe from the mentees. The most difficult situation is when the mentee can't find a way to put an end to the relationship. Finding a way to be diplomatic and not totally sabatoging a career while ditching a mentor at the first opportunity can be tough.
Laughing all the Way to Work
JANUARY 31, 2008
With the use of the wireless hand-held device, our bosses now seem to be working continually. Is the ability to conduct business 24/7 the new high? How is that impacting the role of the assistant and can we help? The Wireless Corporate Addiction A young lawyer puts his wireless hand-held device under his pillow so he won’t miss that all-important call or e-mail. He doesn’t want to miss the opportunity if someone should want to get in touch with him.
On The Job
JANUARY 30, 2008
The last time you gave a presentation did you claim that the reason the audience dozed off was because of a stuffy room, too much lunch, or perhaps some weird sleep disorder? If you did, perhaps it’s time to go to the true source of the audience snores -- you. One of the biggest mistakes people make when putting together a presentation is that they sit down at their computer and begin writing a speech with long sentences and big words.
On The Job
JANUARY 29, 2008
I'm still waiting on the Kennedy family to endorse this blog, but until then, let's see what I can round up for this Tidbit Tuesday: * That will teach you to go on vacation: If you want to see the ultimate cubicle prank, check out this posting from the folks at TechRepublic. Personally, it's my idea of a great place to work -- I think everyone is going to want the same thing. Where's my sweater? If you've ever had a battle over it being too hot or too cold in your workplace, you're not alone.
On The Job
JANUARY 28, 2008
Today, I put five nickels in my pocket. Now, you may be thinking that five nickels (25 cents) won't do me much good. After all, there is hardly anything that can be purchased for that amount, not even a stamp. But I believe my five nickels are going to buy me a lot. I believe that 25 cents, which I found rattling around at the bottom of my purse, will by the end of the day have a) made me feel good; b) be a great investment in my career; and c) perhaps help someone else do great things.
Laughing all the Way to Work
JANUARY 25, 2008
I am officially on vacation for a week so this will be my only post until I get back on Monday, February 4th. Consider this my blog version of an Out of Office Assistant. Why is it when you decide to take some time off it seems like you couldn't have managed another day? I finally finished putting my desk in order for my replacement. Which is probably along the same lines as people who hire a cleaning service to clean their homes, and then they proceed to clean it before the cleaners get there.
On The Job
JANUARY 24, 2008
I had not planned on posting again today, but when I got tagged by The Career Encourager , I couldn't resist. Seems there's a fun little game going on among the bloggers, where you are "tagged," by a fellow blogger and asked to tag three more. Since this may be the most exercise I get all day, and I have a little bit of a competitive streak, I thought I'd join right in.
On The Job
JANUARY 24, 2008
If you were good with numbers when you were in high school, a career guidance counselor or teacher probably steered you toward becoming an accounting major in college. Or, if you showed a flair for working with children, perhaps a counselor recommended a career in teaching. But you may be discovering as you advance in your career that you have been steered down the wrong path.
Laughing all the Way to Work
JANUARY 24, 2008
In writing, it all depends on who your audience is. In personal e-mails and letters I will write don’t, can’t, doesn’t, etc., but in a business letter that would be a no-no and I would always spell the words out. Business writing is considered more formal. In e-mail it can be less formal and if writing an internal e-mail I would use a short form, but when writing an e-mail to a client outside of my company I would be more formal and write the words out.
Laughing all the Way to Work
JANUARY 23, 2008
Here are a few Latin words that will come in handy if you work in a legal office: bona fide means good faith prima facie means first glance res judicata means been determined res ipsa loquitor means the thing speaks for itself (rarely used) ex facie means on the face of it and et cetera is Latin meaning other things of that type Tip : When Latin words are used in a document they should be italicized.
The Small Business Blog
JANUARY 22, 2008
Micro Business, Recession and Exporting. by Stefan Töpfer on Jan 23, 2008. The last couple of days you could follow what can only be described as a panic on the world stock markets. The markets tumbled between five to ten per cent or
On The Job
JANUARY 22, 2008
Well, as many of you may have noticed, I wasn't nominated for an Oscar this year, but I'm not going to be upset about it. After all, I really didn't have a thing to wear, and now I have more time to devote to this week's Tidbit Tuesday.
On The Job
JANUARY 22, 2008
One of the great things about being a journalist is that you get to ask a lot of questions and people (generally) don't get annoyed with you. Since I've been covering the workplace for more than 15 years, I've spent a lot of time asking some very smart and wise people about a wide variety of issues, ranging from how to get a promotion to how to handle a bully boss to how to get along with co-workers.
Laughing all the Way to Work
JANUARY 22, 2008
It is exciting when you get the call telling you that you were selected for the job. There is a lot of work that goes into preparing for the interview and to know that you were successful is a great feeling. You will want to be the best that you can be. Here are some things you can think about as you continue in your career whether you’ve been on the job one week or 20 years.
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