Moving up the Ladder in Today's Economy

You finally landed a job as an administrative support professional. And in this economy that can be quite an accomplishment. But as an HR manager once noted, "When I hire a person for an admin post, I'm also looking at him or her as a candidate for the next rung up the ladder."

Which means, that in addition to doing the job for which you were hired, you should be preparing for your immediate supervisor's job. Especially in these hard times, you have to constantly improve your professional image, learn new skill sets, and adopt a "can do" attitude when new tasks are assigned to you.

You should, whenever possible, sharpen your leadership and problem-solving skills and learn how to successfully motivate others. In short, you need to be proactive in managing your career. That means taking on new challenges and opportunities to grow.

To move up the ladder in your administrative position, you'll need to hone your social skills, your reasoning and decision-making abilities, as well as other specific job skills. You'll also need to enhance your communication skills. That means developing the confidence to speak effectively to communicate your ideas—whether it's to people individually, in groups, or through public forums, or even broadcast media like radio or web videos.

Here are 5 things that can help you move up the ladder:

Accept Volunteer Work--If the boss asks for volunteers to work over the weekend, step up. It will help you move up.

Be a Team Player--Success in the job means co-operating with co-workers. Put aside personality issues and past conflicts, get the job done.

Learn from Your Reviews--Taking criticism isn't easy, but it can help you grow. Analyze your reviews, learn from them.

Become Indispensable—Be the "go-to" person, the only one who understands the new software, or how to fill out that long, complex form.

Be Diplomatic--When problems arise, be calm and think through every word before you speak. Give your praise generously and publicly. If you must criticize, do so privately and unceremoniously.

For more tips on advancing your administrative career, check out "Moving Up in the New Economy" by Joan Fitzgerald

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