Admin. Professional is a Career?

[kellinm]

Hi Klein,
I am very happy to see this post.  I've been in administrative roles for ~15 years and took each one as a position that would give me a steady income & hours while I persued my outside passions that just don't pay the bills: gardening, music & yoga. You have to schedule that time in & be disciplined about it!  I also have moved from the west coast to NYC to Chicago and back and have never had a problem finding a higher level position than the one that I previously held.  I learn so much about business and psychology that coworkers and friends come to me for personnel advice & perspective.  

It seems that society is screaming that each of us should always be in the power position making gobs of money but you know, I haven't seen those people any happier than I am - it is just a different role.  If anything, they've got a lot more stress and put in the longer hours.  As far as advancing, I've known EA's that have the opportunity to travel all over the world and are compensated very well.  I have worked with men in this administrative assistant roles in the past and each was a great fit.  I guess what I'm trying to say is that if you love it 'own it' and people will respect you for that.

As far as advancing out of your job when you're ready - if you excel and you have a good manager, doors will open.  This position gives you a lot of exposure so it will hopefully introduce you to some possible roles.  I've had peers in similiar situations to yours that have moved into Project manager and Product coordinator roles and being an admin gave them a great foundation.

Good luck with the singing career!!!

[ozbound]

Hi Kellinm, seems like we share some of the same passions (music, yoga, gardening) = and you reminded me of another good point: I enjoy having an 8-5 job that I can leave at home at the end of the day so that I CAN enjoy those things. I value my time off more and more these days. I certainly would not want one of the managerial/supervisor positions here, or even a sales posiiton, where you have to work long hours and in some cases, be on call 24/7! Sure, I could be making more money but would it be worth it? There's something to be said for having a comfortable "day job," as long as you're relatively happy. But if/when you're thinking of "moving up", make sure it's something you really LOVE.

[dettu]

Oz, what sort of musician are you--singer or do you play an instrument? This thread got me to wondering how many DD regulars are musicians. I am.

[klein3351f]

Wow, I'd like to thank everyone here for their input.  It has given me a lot of food for thought.  When I turn off that 'dreamer' in me, I am quite happy in my role as an admin.

I wish I could let go of my dreams, but some stubborn part of me just can't.  I feel I'm doing a diservice to myself by not getting a job waiting tables to scrape buy while I desperately try to work on stage.  But, I just know that my psyche can't take that.

Anyway, Thanks again to all!

[ControlledChaos]

Hi Klein, don't let go of your dreams, ever.  Dreams are what individualise us.

I have been reading these threads but hadn't thought of responding until I saw your last thread.  I trained in Hotel and Catering Management and for nearly two years was responsible for running a restaurant for a well known company.  To cut a long story short I "fell" into admin when I followed my (now ex) husband with his work.  That was 20 years ago.  

For the last 20 years I have worked my way up from a temp who had absolutely no experience in secretarial work to the senior position I am in today - all of my skills are self taught and I pride myself in the fact that I can do just a good as job as others who have the qualifications.  

But that doesn't mean I have forgotton my dream - far from it.  Everyone I work with knows that I want my own tea shop / restaurant / guest house / hotel at some point in my life.  Ok, it may remain a pipe dream but there is always the chance that it will come true.  It's what makes me me.  It will always be there but at the same time I have made admin my career and I put my all into my job.  So hang on to your dreams, you never know when your fairy godmother/father will wave their wand...............................

[extemp]

I suspect this may be a tad controversial, but I'm afraid I wouldn't describe administration as a 'profession' per se. That is not to say that many individuals in administrative roles do not behave professionally; however, that is a subtly different matter. 'Professional' occupations invariably have a minimum entry standard, or a licensing or accreditation system that must be satisfied before an individual can be considered to be a 'professional', usually after an absolute minimum of several years. Granted, many high-level PA's etc may have more skills and qualifications than, say, a junior lawyer or engineer; however, the majority of plain old 'admins' clearly do not, so where do you draw the line? Yes, the idea of 'professional' status is exclusive and elitist by definition, but if just anyone could become a 'professional' simply by choosing a particular career, then the word would cease to mean anything. (So, all professionals have a career, but not all careers are professional).

On a cheerier note, I wholeheartedly agree that you should never give up on your dreams. I never did, and it paid off. (I'm not a musician, by the way!)

[raindance]

You are quite correct, Extemp, in that a true "profession" is an occupation requiring special training in the liberal arts or sciences, especially one of the three learned professions (law, theology or medicine).  Newer "professions" may be added to that narrow list, engineering and accountancy, for example.  

However, language and its usage is something that is a living thing, and so people often ask the question these days "what is your profession?", which in fact they may really mean "what is your occupation?".  

It's easy to get bogged down in semantics, and the questioner didn't intend us to do that, but thank you for pointing this out.  

[countrigal]

A bit late, but I have to stick my $0.02 in ...

I stumbled into the Admin role back some 12 years ago, and so no, never dreamed I'd be an admin at this point of my life.  But then, I'm not really now.  I started off as a receptionist, and have worked my way up through the ranks until I was an Office Manager, and have now made the switch to another career-line that utilizes a lot of my admin-honed skills and I'm better at this job for my time and experiences through the years as an Admin.

I'm proud to say I've been an admin, and was good at it.  And I'm glad to have moved on from that career to my current one, and look forward to the step that will take me into management and hopefully on to the Directorship of one branch or the other of the company I work for.  Quite possible, so it's not a pipe dream.  Just something else to keep my eye on as I work my way up the ladder, jumping/switching ladders when or as needed.

Guess what I'm saying is that if you think you could do the job of the managers, then work your way towards that job... and you may make it.  But be happy with where you are at the moment or you don't have a good foundation to spring from to the next step.  If you're not happy in your current admin job, but like the role, then find a new one... if you're not happy with the Admin job as a whole, then find a new ladder to hang on and start your climb.

And good luck with the musician part of your dreams!  Hang on to them too!!

CountriGal
Peer Moderator

[newtofl]

Yes, I always knew I wanted to work in an administrative assistant role (actually it was a secretarial role when I first started). I really enjoy working with others, getting to do new projects and learning from others. I have tried working in other fields twice now and have found that I always want to go back to my first love as an assistant. I just got my insurance adjusters license and am finding I really don't like working in the insurance industry in the manner I am working and want to go back - now!  I am finding not everyone is meant to do every job and like I tell my son you need to find something that makes you happy and go for it, no matter what the position is.

[Atlanta Z3]

I started school in the medical field, got married side tracked into accounting and from accounting to office manager to executive assistant.  No this wasn't my first choice and if you had asked me high school if I was going to be a "secretary" I would have denied it loudly.  My mother retired as a book keeper for a state bar association and I did not want to have to do anything close to what she did!  I even managed to flunk typing II in high school in protest!  
I've been an ea for the last ten years and LOVE my current position and I really can't imagine doing anything else at this point even after spending 2005 getting my paralegal certificate. No day is ever the same, my job stays at the office, and my bosses are great.  I don't want the stress of a commission salary, the month end year end number crunches from accounting or the hr stress of managing anyone else's time.  For me it may not have been the position I thought I would be in 20 years ago, but it fits me now.  I think any job is what you make of it, as my brother often says "the world needs ditch diggers too!"

[itsme_calista]

I was a bad girl at school and my career advisor told me I had no direction and wouldn't amount to much, her advice in a nutshell was to get a job in an office until I got married, gave up and  had kids

I was gutted by her words, but following her advice went to secretarial college. Passed all my exams, got a job in the office that employed the career advisor  and fulfilled her words.    

Howver ............................


I thoroughly enjoyed admin, worked my way up from receptionist to PA to the career advisors boss LOL.  Although I'm more ashamed about it now I felt so good when she had to leave because she'd got remarried and was leaving to have children!

I really enjoy my work now, it makes the best of my skills and personality and although I would like to move into another field at some point, can't see myself leaving admin entirely!

Callie