blind_otter Posted October 6, 2004 Share Posted October 6, 2004 I recently started a new job as a personal assistant. My last assistant job was a total nightmare - my old boss had an inability to separate personal from professional life, and told me waaaaaay too much about her personal life. My new boss is a woman as well, and in a much more powerful position (director). I have been warned by SEVERAL people (who have come out of the woodwork in the last week since my boss has been out of the office on a trip) that "she can be...um...difficult...." and there seems to be a lot of resentment towards her in general. Although she has been exacting and demanding, a harda$$, if you will, she hasn't yet made me cry (although she made the office secretary cry a few months ago, apparently). I expect that a woman who has gotten to her position has had to be a bit hard, especially because she is a minority as well, and english is her second language. I am VERY nervous, though, and walk on eggshells around her....since my last position was so disastrous I don't want a repeat, and I know it is in my power to control my reactions. Any suggestions? Link to post Share on other sites
tiki Posted October 6, 2004 Share Posted October 6, 2004 Stay cool. Don't be nervous. She'll respect you for that. You've got to judge for yourself....always two sides to a story. G'luck on the new job! Link to post Share on other sites
Mr Spock Posted October 6, 2004 Share Posted October 6, 2004 First of all, never be "familiar" with her. If she ever speaks to you in a way you consider abusive, let her know immediately. If you show you won't be trod upon as a human being, she'll have more respect for you for it. If she is the hardnosed b*tch she appears to be. Link to post Share on other sites
Haunani Posted October 6, 2004 Share Posted October 6, 2004 never show her that you are fearful of her even though inside you are....show her that you are very much in control, and that sometimes you have to *teach* them that yes, we have an opinion too, and that sometimes our ideas are workable, encourage her to have an *open door* policy, and use it. Be professional on a business level, and stick to your guns when and if *personal* things get in the way. And don't ever allow someone to harrass, cuss or basically be an a$$, always remember your sense of humor. I was a PA to a very serious minded lady, she was tough as nails, and her voice demanded/commanded respect and authority. I ws scared shi*less of her, just looking at her I was mush., I could hear her high heels clicking coming down the hall and I'd think *oh gosh, what did I do now*.....after her first few attacks on my *character*, I realized she's only human, so with a sense of humor, and some *fresh* ideas, I slowly made my foot in the door where she began to trust my judgment. Her solid and scary demeanor was as you said, being a woman in this day and age, one has to have some sort of *toughness* behind them, yet you know somewhere within the core, is someone gentle, just find it. I know the day this lady actually cracked a smile, and even laughed I would feign total *surprise* as she stood there and I'd say, *What was that? A laugh? No... you mean, you don't say, that you are actually human, not robotic? of course, you've gotta know when it's a good and not so good time for the humor lines and which lines you can and can't do..........this one was a chanced one, and she actually laughed........broke the ice. Good luck. Link to post Share on other sites
Author blind_otter Posted October 7, 2004 Author Share Posted October 7, 2004 Thanks for the advice. It actually helped immediately. She has this habit of interrupting me and giving me new things to do without letting me know the priority of any of the projects. do the letters of recommendation come before the package to rotterdam?!? ding dang it! She snapped at me because some idiot was blathering on about nothing in her office (he had no reason to wander in and was just schmoozing, which irritates me because I actually have work to do!) and I needed to know the deadline for a proposal submission that I was helping with. Ugh. But I smiled and apologized, I don't know if it was the right thing to do.... Link to post Share on other sites
Naive Posted October 7, 2004 Share Posted October 7, 2004 Because she's your boss you don't have tp lower yourself. Tell her what you think in a well mannered way. If not she will think that it's ok to keep talking to you like that. Link to post Share on other sites
Haunani Posted October 7, 2004 Share Posted October 7, 2004 When they interrupt you like you had nothing to say? I have a co-worker who while we are discussing something, she will *pause* as if she is done with whatever she's saying, and as i begin to start talking or explaining, she will begin again, and continue where she left off, and I'm still talking, she will talk right over me louder and has no comprehension of *listening* skills, I thought I had it down to when she'd *pause*, I would wait like 5 minutes before I responded to make sure she was *done*, and nope, she' always surpsises me. So I just stopped responding to her and just say *uh huh*..........that's pretty much all she wants to hear anyway. Just agree, she's the type that knows something about every single subject, and her opinion is *the one*.......... thank goodness I'm her boss......... I cut her out.......... Link to post Share on other sites
katie79 Posted October 7, 2004 Share Posted October 7, 2004 Okay, you left the old miserable job, you have a new one. Don't put this one on your resume and don't use this job as a reference! Start looking now! Apply, send resumes, call, be diligent. Leave as soon as you get an offer from elsewhere, but a place and environment you like. In the meantime, keep your cool, it may turn out to be the best job you've had, you never know. Administrative Assistants can have different meanings. It can be a personal/executive secretary, an assistant that support various depts on specific projects on a daily basis, or someone who sits at a front desk painting their nail and answering phones (maybe even some filing). It all depends. It also depends on what field you work in and who your bosses are. It can be a great job or a terrible one. My advice is stick with the type of admin that plays more of "supportive services" role. You don't sound like you enjoy being someone's secretary very much. Some admin's I know love their job. They help out the Advertising, Sales, HR, Executive, and Accounting departments with different projects. I am an admin and I do that mostly. I'm not a big fan of the "secretarial" portiion, but we all dislike some part of our job. We even go through periods where we hate it. But in the long run, it may be good for us. When you go for intereviews, ask the DETAILS of every task they EXPECT YOU to perform. Also, try to analyze your bosses personalities, b/c if you stay a secretary, this will be what your living with. And yes, there are exec secretaries where I work. They get paid VERY well, but they are more like second wives to the bosses. They wash their cars, take their suits to the cleaners, etc. Link to post Share on other sites
Author blind_otter Posted October 8, 2004 Author Share Posted October 8, 2004 I would look for another job. But considering the fact that it's taken me nearly a year to find a new job that I can tolerate, I doubt I'm leaving any time soon. It's not a big deal....I interned at a forensic mental hospital and dealt with violent male criminals. I just want to get opinions on a more diplomatic way to deal. Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts