Welcome to The Admin Advocate

On the first day of my second week in my new role, my executive told me that a large project I would be taking on would be planning a large offsite meeting in a neighboring town. I had a moment of panic, thinking about how difficult it could be to take on the event while still learning about the organization and industry. But after taking a deep breath, I thought about a few projects I had completed in the past that I could look back on and recall my experience, struggles, and learnings, all of which would have prepared me for this event.

This week’s post is going to be a bit different, as I’m currently in the midst of hosting a 60+-person week-long offsite, which requires my full attention. But fear not! Over the past few weeks, I’ve had the honor of being part of various media pieces from the American Society of Administrative Professionals (ASAP), which I am excited to share with you!

When you think about an administrative professional, what words come to mind? Words like dependable, adaptable, resourceful, or supportive? Maybe it is the words with more negative connotations, like “just an admin”, back office, or paper pusher. What if we internally embraced words that showcased not only our role, but the spirit we must have in it, such as encourager, influencer, and leader? How do we embody that spirit?

The Paris 2024 Olympics are in full swing, and as an Olympics Junkie, I’m juggling multiple live streams despite the time difference between California and Paris. This challenge got me thinking about the hurdles administrative professionals face when scheduling meetings across time zones, and how tools like EA Buddy and ShareCal can streamline this process, making it quick, accurate, and integrated with Outlook.

I don’t think anyone could argue that the job market isn’t horrible right now, because it is. Layoffs are seemingly being announced daily from sectors and industries across the board, and while it may seem like there is a plethora of job postings on LinkedIn, Indeed, or other similar websites, there is actually an alarming rise in fake job postings.