Administrative Assistant's Update

7 Administrative Assistant's UPDATE How to shine at work in 2018 By Julie Blais Comeau It's a brand new year. What do you want to shine at work in 2018? What do you want the buzz about you to be? What qualities do you want people to say about you when your name comes up? Just like the products or the rep- resentatives of your favorite brands: Michael Kors, Tiffany or BMW, your words and your actions affect the perception others have of you. Their perceptions influence the trust they have in you. True or false, the word-of-mouth that circulates about you has a direct impact on your career. You know it. You cannot change others or their perceptions, the only thing you can change is…? You. Take control of your reputation by aligning it with your vision with these five steps. 1� Decide on three qualities that you want to be known for� Start by writing all the qualities that you have heard or read about you at work. Look at past performance appraisals and recognition emails. Write, write, write. Take a step back. Let them simmer. Add some more. Finally, circle three. 2� Informally survey team members and customers� Explain that you are doing an ex - ercise to align your reputation and vision. Ask them what qualities they would assign to your professional abilities and work. 3� Unveil your results� Appreciate your talents. Yes, give yourself a pat on the back. ☺ Compile and identify your three most popular qualities according to your network. 4� Compare them with your vision� Note the differences with number 1. List concrete actions to remedy your reputation: read a book, sign up for a course or invest in private coaching sessions. Take action now. Your career depends on it. 5� Officialize what you want to shine at work� Place your three qualities where you frequently look during your work hours. From now on, your words and your actions should reflect these three qualities. If there is regularly a gap between your current performance and your vision, ask yourself this question and take action "What can I stop or start doing to shine at work?" If you change your mind, know that it is quite acceptable. You are the master of the brand called YOU. The important thing is to be aware. Whether it is consciously crafted or not, you have a reputation. May 2018 be your best year yet! Julie Blais Comeau is Chief Etiquette Officer at etiquettejulie.com, a firm dedicated to teaching the interpersonal skills necessary to professional success: client service, business etiquette, international protocol and cultural intelligence. She is a professional speaker, author and media collaborator. Make sure your reputation is aligned with your career vision. Book your free 20 minutes brand alignment with Julie – julie@etiquettejulie. com and shine at work in 2018. Julie Blais Comeau Employers seek agility in workforce By Staff What are today's employers looking for in job candidates? In a word: agility. This is the conclusion of Randstad Canada, a leading staffing, recruitment and human resources firm, and is described in its publication Agility Quotient: Develop - ing the skills of the future in today's workforce. "Employers are looking for talent that combines tech- nical know-how with general capabilities, or what we call soft skills," the Randstad publication asserts. Randstad suggests employers take the following steps to help employees strengthen their agility: (1) Give them the big picture. Employees too often don't see how their work is related to the organization's goals. (2) Coach them. Start with serious mentoring, not just a few tips now and then. Challenge them and help them grow. (3) Diversify training programs. For example, job- swapping and cross-training (across departments) programs "facilitate cohesion between teams and relationship-building." (4) Strengthen their critical thinking. Get them involved in organization problem solving, rather than always relying on management for a way ahead. (5) Nurture a culture of innovation. Break down silos, encourage collaboration with cross-functional project teams from various disciplines.

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