You may not read minds, but convince your boss you can!
Which is my way of saying…anticipate your boss’s needs. That may seem to be self-evident, but it’s something we, as administrative assistants, forget sometimes.
- Every afternoon before leaving the office, check your boss’s calendar for the next day. If he has a meeting on a topic, make sure the appropriate files are on his desk early enough for him to review them before the meeting.
- If she has several people coming in for a meeting, make sure fresh coffee is made before the meeting participants get there. Make sure water is stocked in the frig for those that prefer it. And don’t forget to look the participants up in your contacts so you can greet them by name and ask them about something personal. That’s always a nice touch that impresses them and your boss.
- If you hear on the grapevine that something important happened the night before, gather as much information as you can and hand it to the boss when he walks in the door in the morning.
I could go on forever about things you need to anticipate. The main point is that, as an administrative assistant, your job is to know what is happening in the office, the company, and even the industry, and anticipate the needs of your boss in connection with those happenings. Essentially, your job is to make his job easier. Everything you do towards that is a bonus to you and your reputation.
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