Andrea, this too has always puzzled me.  Many companies have no retrun address on their envelopes and most of the time they use plain white or manilla envelopes.  Although you should probably open all your mail, most people probably don't unless expecting something important.  It's just too easy to get inundated with spam when you have no idea where your mail is coming from.

I even got told off for writing our company return address on my bosses letters, though I explained to him that if letters were undelivered we would know it because they would be returned to us and easier to detect when recipients were being untruthful about never receiving his letter.  It would also facilitate finding out whose address was incorrect immediately rather then later.  He agreed and said he had never thought of that.  I had to roll my eyes when he wasn't looking.

My husband used to always send me post in the States with no return address and more then once my letters were undelivered to him and thankfully I, being an Americacn, had it ingrained in me to always write a return address.

Glad they are finally doing something about it here now.

Ah yes, the bain of existence these slick or trying to be slick sales guys.  I have found though they are very easy to get rid of though for instance

Marketer: Hi this is the company that supplies your toner, can you just tell me the model of your copier?

Me: What company did you say you were calling from?

Marketer: :::hangs up:::

I agree it's even more annoying when they call you up and ask to speak to "the person in charge of such-and-such" in my experience unless you are calling an extremely large organisation and calling the main switchboard 9 times out of 10 the person who answers the phone is generally responsible for ordering of various supplies or the first point of contact for whatever it is.  To piss that person off is obviously not a good idea.

It's even worse though when they try to pretend that they might know you by starting off "hi, how are you?" before stating who they are etc.  I never answer I always say "whom did you wish to speak to?" which always throws them off becuase it puts them on the defensive instead of the offensive so you've flipped it on them

I love it when they get upset if you are in any way rude to them.  I am always careful never to say anything verbally abusive or angry but I can be quite cold and always willing to hang-up on a salesman without further discussion if they are wasting my time which they usually are.  They get very irate and I've had them call back and yell at me which I just laugh at because I've thwarted them so thoroughly they can't take it, like I am supposed to play their game or something.  Not!

Thanks I'll check them out...the other annoying thing is that the Sales Director who is a real ...  and is still under his six month probation got 3months redundancy.  It's really unfair.

Yeah in the UK you usually have a contract of employment which is not something you usually see at the Administrative level in the States.

Our contract is 4wks but the law in the UK states that you can be dismissed or made redundant for no reason or entitlement if you have worked for a company less then 2 years, your lucky if they don't make you work your notice and let you take the salary instead.

Thanks guys, basically he said I am on 4wks notice but I only have to sort some stuff out of them next week and then I can go.

The laws here really don't protect you against this sort of thing, because I have only been here 9 months I can't really take them to tribunal.  It's not that I really want to work here but I would have liked more money then just a months salary since I can't go on the Dole if I don't get another job.

Well I find out tomorrow.  The new boss finally decided to request a meeting with me after I asked my old boss to speak to him.  He is coming her at lunchtime to talk to me.  All I can hope for is that it's quick and painless so I can go on my merry way.

Thanks Bea, I have been looking but it's very difficult since I don't know my status at the moment  and how long I'll have to stay here or not, and If I quit I can't go on the DOLE as I am not a citizen.

I really want them to give me this months redundancy so that I can concentrate on starting my own business and just get a pt job or do temping until my business takes off.

Hopefully I'll know by Monday if they go for the redundancy.

Oh I agree but unfortunately the law only protects you if you've worked for the company for two years, I've only been here 9mos

Still sitting here with nothing to do and no boss.  Have told my old boss when he sees the head hanchos tomorrow to broker a deal by where I will be give my notice (4wks according to the contract) and don't have to work it.

They may not do it but I don't see what advantage it would be to make me work out my notice since I have no work to do and nobody to work for.

Some people have rubbish personalities, and no social skills whatsoever and then have the nerve to turn the tables on you and make you look like the one who is in the wrong.

The way I usually deal with people like that is kill them with kindness because then they can never say it was you.

When you see them say hello and smile and that's all you have to do.  As long as you are pleasant and civil they can't complain against you.

Some people are so wrapped up in themselves that they either don't realise when they are walking past you and blanking you or that you have to say something to them.  It's bizarre.  Don't even try to work it out.

Just do the right thing for you and keep going.

None.  I was supposed to have training on our accounting system but they can't get it together.  I was also supposed to do the Exec PA course and a copy editor course but since my boss is now gone I'll have to start all over begging a new boss to sponsor me.



They still haven't figured out a way to your email to my brain, use the CC field!

Pup, but I am not convinced

They still haven't figured out a way to your email to my brain, use the CC field!

Well, first let me say Hi to everyone I've been off the board for a couple of months since we moved to our new office because company life got a bit nuts.

Last week my boss came to us and said he was being made redundant but it wasn't official yet.  So we, the team, went about business as usual, except I being the PA basically had nothing to do and just here waiting to find out was happening.

Then Friday the CEO sent out an email saying my boss had quit, but he didn't send it to me I had to find out from someone else.  My boss has been in touch with me and said not to do or say anything until I am contacted.  He still has to straighten things out apparently and although on "gardening" leave hasn't officially left yet.

So here I am again, nothing to do, just sitting here in limbo waiting for someone to remember I am here.

Last week I was really stressed, worried I was going to get made redundant as well and trying to think of all the possible scenarios to keep my job.  Over the weekend though I mellowed out and have just decided if they can't be bothered to worry about me I can't be bothered to worry about them.

I've re-signed with my recruitment agency and I am just going to sit here, collect my paycheck and wait for them to make me redundant so I don't have to quit.

Perhaps they will forget about me all together and I can just stay home and continue to collect my paycheck though I think they will notice when we are still sending in the invoices to pay the rent on this office.

They still haven't figured out a way to your email to my brain, use the CC field!

I predict there will be no pas/secs or admins.  Most of the functions will be incorporated into managers responsibilities.  As I see it now most of them could do the things I do for them themselves they just don't want to.  It wouldn't really make any extra work for them or take any extra time out of their day.  In fact by 2050 it will be even easier and there will be no justification for having a PA.  Which is good because I don't plan to be doing this then as I'll be nearly 80

They still haven't figured out a way to your email to my brain, use the CC field!

I so know how you feel, my last boss(s) were a married couple and often squabled over me as if I were their child.



They still haven't figured out a way to your email to my brain, trying using the CC field.