9 Tips to Be a Great Admin

Who am I to write such a post? Nobody - but I happen to think I'm awesome. And I think that most of the time (ha!) my boss(es) would agree. I started off in my current position as a data entry person, then administrative assistant, and currently I'm the office administrator. Yes, it's a very small company. That doesn't mean I have any less work. My boss is just as crazy as yours (maybe crazier). This post could go on forever, but I've narrowed it down to the top 9 things that have helped me and may hopefully help someone else.

1. Learn how your boss thinks; adjust accordingly. This is not brown-nosing. You are going to spend 40 to 50 hours per week doing work for this person. You want this process to go smoothly. Unfortunately, different people think differently. I know that your boss is insane and thinks like a crazy person. That's okay. You don't have to think like a crazy person, just understand how Boss thinks. When you do, you will be able to understand what Boss wants when they ask for things and exactly how Boss wants it done.

2. Invest in an awesome stapler. No, really. This sounds dumb, I know, but bear with me. You know how Boss wanted you to magically put those papers together five minutes before the meeting? Remember that you almost did it and then your stapler jammed? Or that day Boss grabbed your stapler really quick, it jammed, and then you received their wrath? Yep. Get a great stapler.

3. Take lunch out of the office. You need that 30 minutes away from your lists, desk, computer, e-mail, phone, Boss. Trust me, your psyche will thank you.

4. Understand that everything is your fault. Of course it is. It's your job to make your Boss look good. It's your job to do . . . basically everything. When something isn't going right, it will be your fault. Deal with it. In two years you can move up and then it will be somebody else's fault. Just remember that it is NEVER your Boss' fault.

5. When you mess up, 'fess up. Your Boss would much rather hear it from you than discover it on their own and then realize you did it. This is hard for all of us, especially if we're new at a particular position. I have a hard time with this too. I have a system for when I mess up. When I realize the mistake, I first try to fix it. Then I apologize and 'fess up. This lets my Boss know that at least I was proactive about fixing it. Boss is not as mad this way.

6. Realize that it is your job to be awesome. You will not be thanked. It's important to take pride in your work and go the extra mile. The reward comes from your own good feelings. Boss pays you to be awesome. Being awesome is nothing special. If you weren't awesome, you wouldn't work there. This means you will rarely get a Thank You or a Good Job. It's okay, nobody else did either.

7. Proofread everything. This is how a typing project should go: Type, proofread, spellcheck, proofread. It takes an extra 3 minutes, but will save you from looking dumb for misspelling something. The same goes for typing an e-mail, writing a note, etc.

8. Never say I Don't Know or I Forgot. Those phrases should not even be in your vocabulary. We both know you forgot or truly don't know. We know you are human. Boss thinks you are super human. Say that you'll follow up on it, you'll find out what's going on.

9. Appreciate yourself. You know that you're doing a great job. Reward yourself once in a while. Let your Boss know you'd like to take an extra half hour for lunch for Administrative Professionals Day. It really is okay.