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If you're an administrative professional ringing in the New Year with some personal resolutions, don't forget to set some related to your career aspirations too. According to a recent survey, three-quarters of the individuals polled who made career-related resolutions also succeeded in  achieving their goals. Yet unfortunately most workers did not make any career resolutions. Don't make that mistake! Here are a few administrative professional objectives that might help you to advance your career or find even more satisfaction in your career as an administrative assistant or other admin pro.

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New Year’s Resolutions Every Admin Should Consider

by Diane Domeyer, executive director of Office Team

Nearly everyone makes resolutions at the beginning of the year, but how many of these objectives are career related? Not many, according to a recent survey. Eighty-eight percent of workers polled by our company said they did not make any career-related resolutions at the beginning of 2006. If you’re among this group, you might consider changing course in 2007. Nearly three-quarters (75 percent) of those who did make career-related resolutions last year were successful in achieving their goals.

Many administrative professionals focus their New Year’s resolutions on ways to spend more time with loved ones or on other quality-of-life improvements. But work also contributes to your overall well-being, which makes this time of year ideal for re-evaluating your aspirations and developing detailed plans for achieving them.

Here are a few simple, but specific, objectives you might consider for the coming year:

Learn something new. In our survey, those polled ranked skills enhancement as their top professional priority for the new year. Acquiring a new skill may be easier than you think; many professional associations and colleges host training seminars and certification programs geared specifically toward those in the administrative profession. You also could volunteer for a project at work outside of your normal duties. Doing so adds to your skill set while also demonstrating your dedication and willingness to continually improve. The skill set you gain could be key to earning a promotion or landing a new position in 2007.

Refresh your resume. Whether you’re happily employed or in the middle of finding a new administrative job, you should always keep your resume current. Ready-to-go application materials are invaluable not only if your employment situation suddenly changes but also in the event you’re under consideration for a promotion.

Expand your network. A solid web of professional contacts can be invaluable for support staff interested in advancing their careers. Professional acquaintances can provide employment leads as well as job-search and career-management advice. To grow your web of contacts, start attending professional association chapter meetings or regular networking events. Remember that for career resolutions to be effective, they must be achievable. If you’ve done little networking in the past, start small. Aim to attend one function where you are likely to meet new administrative contacts each month, rather than two events per week. While noble, setting your sights too high can prove disheartening if you continually fail to meet the expectations you’ve set for yourself.

Also remember to reward yourself as you reach your professional goals throughout the year. Giving yourself regular pats on the back will increase your motivation to succeed.

Setting a career resolution for the year ahead may seem somewhat strange to you, but keep in mind that professional advancement requires careful planning. Take the opportunity now to set concrete goals for the future and dedicate 2007 to reaching them.
 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Diane Domeyer is executive director of OfficeTeam, the nation’s leading staffing service specializing in the temporary placement of highly skilled administrative and office support professionals. OfficeTeam has more than 300 locations worldwide and offers online job search services at www.officeteam.com.