I’ve always had clerical jobs. The sad part is, although in theory I don’t mind clerical work - typing, paper pushing, answering phones, blah blah blah - in reality I have a really hard time with the notion of feeling “less than” someone else, and/or being subservient to someone. As any kind of admin assistant, office clerk, secretary, whatever you want to call it, one is constantly being treated as the lowest of the low in the workplace.
In my little city, there are more jobs than employees right now, so new jobs are easy to find. I’ve managed to keep myself amused and motivated over the past year and a half (ever since I returned to the workforce after maternity leave) by switching jobs every time I got bored or cranky.
I’m not sure if anyone here can offer any advice, but basically I need an attitude adjustment and fast - I don’t want to job hop anymore, I want to enjoy my workday as much as possible, and I want to impress my manager so that I can feel like at least one person appreciates what I do. Any ideas?
If it weren’t for clerical support people, NOTHING in most offices would ever get done. Where I work now we’re short a receptionist, and it really cuts into everyone’s production, because we ALL have to be alert for the phone ringing, field the calls, transfer them (to the other person who should have gotten the call but did not), etc. The receptionist did all kinds of other stuff that definitely helped all of us to do what we do. She was so darn competent she went and got herself a promotion.
Anyone who thinks your contribution is not important is nuts. It is the foundation upon which the entire organization depends. Think of all the things you do. If you didn’t do them, how would the so-called higher-ups function? Not well.
You are not “just” a clerk any more than a stay-at-home mom is “just” a housewife.
I bet if you continue to competently do your job, and smile while you’re doing it, good things will happen.
In my experience, over-achieving support staff is well-respected within a month and worshipped within six.
Those stories about arrogant over-paid newbies who get kicked in the professional … formal dances, for dissing the ultra-competent support staffer are true.
Crisp professional attire and attitude are helpful, but not required.
I have terrific clerical support. I am now pushing for someone to recongnize that she is capable of much more and using what pull I have to see if there is a more challenging job she could be promoted to. In the meantime myself and any of the people she supports would go to just about any lengths to not only make sure she knows she is appreciated, but to run interference if someone is causing her grief.
There are rewards to becoming good at clerical positions.
I would echo the sentiment that you are crucial and if you do a good job, you make everything better there. My first “real job”, entry-level and relatively clerical, our big boss mentioned at my going-away how she knew when she called over and asked me to take care of something,** it would get done**. Be that person–someone everyone can count on who follows through.
Take the time to reflect on how you helped out that day–even if someone never says so, you probably did a lot to make everything run more smoothly.
Stainz, I know where you’re coming from. Five years ago, I took clerical work because I couldn’t find a job as a programmer.
As others have said, the admin assistants, receptionists and clerks are often as essential to the business as the bosses. Have you heard the saying, “Do you want to talk to the person who’s in charge or the person who knows what’s going on?” Think of yourself not as a clerk, but the one who knows what’s going on. Look at Jennifer on WKRP or Radar O’Reilly:
I can’t tell you how many places I’ve seen where, if you wanted something done, you talked to the clerk, not the boss.
As an indication of how important admin is (we don’t call it clerical here, for some reason), we’ve had more than one clerk move into project management. Once they know the department’s bureaurocratic processes and show that they can handle dealing with different personality types on the phone and in person, that’s half of project management right there.
We’re very nice to our admin staff. They keep track of all the process changes.
Think of it this way: if the boss is out for the day, life goes on. Maybe a meeting needs to be moved, maybe a few messages back up and people have to be told, “I’m sorry, Mr. Bigwig is out today, may I take a message?”. Nothing that can’t be caught up on within the first half of the work day tomorrow. If the admin assist. is out, it’s a hellacious day. No one can find their ass with a map.
No one is indispensable, of course. But the secretary is a lot less dispensable than anyone else, day-to-day.
(Except maybe the janitor…)
I have been an admin for about six years now, and three years ago, I got my current position.
In a month, I am leaving this position for a much higher-paying position with my current company in my hometown. I’m still technically administrative staff, but my duties will be much more intense, and I’ll be able to keep moving up. I have worked my ass off in this position - and it’s not always been easy.
I don’t consider myself ‘below’ anyone in the office in terms of smarts and/or status. We’re all fairly intelligent, we all care about our jobs, and we all work hard. But when they go out and get people to give us money, I’m here doing the stuff that just needs to get done. All of it has to be done in order for any of us to function. So I’m just as valuable as the next person. That certainly helps when I put it in that mindset. (Not to say I don’t get frustrated, but I think that’s standard with any position/company.)
I hope that makes sense. I’m having caffeine withdrawals and my head’s a little achy.
I did admin jobs for many years and the thing that I came to appreciate about them* (especially after I got other “higher” jobs) is that you can truly leave your clerical job at work at the end of the day. It is rare to have to think about a work-related problem while you’re cooking your dinner (or playing with your kids, or trying to fall asleep).
Your tasks are generally well-defined (and if they’re not, you’re usually the most qualified to figure out what to do) with clear deliverables, so you always feel like you’re accomplishing something (even if you have to repeat it the next day … at my current job I can work all day and have nothing at all to show for it. This never happened when I was admin). Also, when you’re good with office programs, cube drones bow down to your mighty skills when you save them from a formatting nightmare.
The skills are quite transferable so if you like the work, but can’t stand your office environment, it’s easy to switch.
Hierarchy, especially within the corporate world, is highly arbitrary. Don’t buy into it. You are every bit as important as you make yourself out to be. Small-minded people use the chain of command to generate feelings of self worth, so they treat those lower on the chain as unimportant. Let your self-worth come from within, because if it comes from that chain, then you will eventually become complicit in that dysfunctional culture, and you will have trouble judging yourself and others based on personal merit instead of some silly title.
Remember, the minute you walk out of that door, the company president is no longer the boss’s boss’s boss. He’s just another guy on the street.
That feeling of being low man on the totem pole isn’t coming from them - it’s coming from you, well, your ego actually.
Which is, actually, good news. You, and you alone, have the power to change that dynamic.
The fastest way to create the attitude change you want to see is to give yourself some props every night before you go to sleep. As you crawl into bed, remind yourself of how much you enjoy the benefits of your job, remind yourself that you rock because you brought your best game this day, review your achievements of the day (don’t revisit the disappointments, only the successes), offer yourself reassurance that you are appreciated for your contribution, (even if it’s not being said).
You do this one exercise, every night for a couple of weeks and you’ll be amazed how your attitude will change, yes, just that quickly.
Hell, the way I view it, even during work hours he’s just another guy. I treat him with the same amount of respect and courtesy that I do everyone else. Everyone has the potential to either help or hinder the company. We all make the world go 'round, if you catch my meaning.
We’re all important. We all have our jobs to do. Don’t let anyone - including yourself, Stainz - tell you different. Work hard - feel good about the quality of work/service you provide!
There is a lot of good advice above. I’ll offer a slightly different perspective that you might also find helpful.
There are clerical jobs that support people and there are clerical jobs that have their own workload. For example, secretary to a busy executive supports that person, and an insurance claims processor manages a caseload, such as the customers with last names J-M. Some people find one or the other types of these clerical jobs more enjoyable. You might prefer a job where you work side-by-side with a number of admin peers, relatively far removed from the non-clerical parts of the business. These jobs often have customer service, processing, or inside sales in the job title. I know I preferred this kind of work while I still did administrative work.
The pluses of supporting an executive or team of professionals seem to be working in a potentially more glamorous environment and more varied and often somewhat lower workload. The downside can be the feeling that you are low on the food chain, no opportunity to advance, never feeling you own any accomplishments, and isolation. The pluses of being part of a team of admin/customer service workers seem to be ownership of your work, sometimes good relationships with peers, and perhaps more opportunity to move up or at least rotate. The downsides tend to be high, constant, sometimes crushing and monotonous workload.
This is something to keep in mind if you do decide to jump ship, or maybe it will put in perspective what you like about your current job.
An admin is as valuable as they make themselves. Our admin is awesome, and she is the one who makes sure stuff happens. We’ve had lazy and/or incompetent admins before, and they make life hell for everyone.
Go out there and make yourselve incredibly valuable to everyone! You are important!
I can only add to what the others are saying…don’t sell yourself short. I’ve seen VPs completely at sea because their assistant is out…they barely know how to turn on the computer, much less schedule a meeting.
It may not be flashy, it may not be glamorous, but don’t let anyone tell you that you are “beneath” them. You know you have a good admin assistant because his or her absence is greatly noticed.
In addition to all the good advice you’ve already received here, I think it also helps to remind yourself why you’re doing what you’re doing. You’re obviously getting something you need or want from clerical jobs - do you know what it is? I’ve worked as a temp for about 13 years now, with some permanent jobs mixed in. I’m currently working at a permanent part-time job as a payment processor. I know exactly why I am at this job, and what I’m getting from it - it’s close to home, the hours are good, the work is mostly painless, the money is good (heck, I even get full, paid benefits at half-time hours!), and I have plenty of time to have a life as well as make some extra money. I’m meeting my criteria with this job - no one else’s opinions are really all that important. If you’re meeting your criteria with your new job, who cares what anyone else thinks?
I don’t think anyone’s mentioned it yet, but part of what you’re feeling is societal - there are still some jobs/fields that are considered women’s work, and they are not as highly esteemed as male jobs. That part sucks and it’s taking us a loooooong time to get over these attitudes. Maybe it would help to remind yourself of the good parts of “women’s” work - we work in nice, climate-controlled offices, with regular hours, doing very easy duties that don’t usually lead to losing limbs or dying. That’s something, isn’t it?
