Message #52475

[Katie G]

Hi Heather.

All told, I've got about 10 years experience.  I also have a bachelor's in education, but teaching in the "real world" wasn't for me, sadly.  When I made the move to this new department (and new division) about a year ago, I negotiated a salary about $5K more that I was making in my old department.  I moved because our office manager had left and they never replaced her and here I was practically doing her old job and not being compensated for it.

The organization as a whole is coming to realize that yes, good administrative help IS hard to find and if you find someone good, you need to PAY them decently to stay.  Some of the senior-level executive assistants are making in the upper 40s/mid 50s -- of course they're practically "on call" 24/7 and I'm not interested in that.  I did enough carting work home and working until midnight during my two years of teaching!