Don't Be Afraid to Look Up the Answer

The only stupid question is the one that goes unasked. Throughout your administrative career, you will have many questions and challenges, and you shouldn't be afraid of asking for help. It's how you learn to do your job well and grow as a person. Here are a few ways of finding answers to the problems you're attempting to solve.

Ask coworkers: Many people avoid asking for help from coworkers because they don't want to appear incompetent in front of their peers. However, your colleagues are a good place to start when seeking answers, especially if you're new. Coworkers who've been with the company for a long time are particularly great resources because they have likely had the same questions or struggled with issues similar to what you're dealing with. Identify a few people in your office whom you feel comfortable asking for help and make an effort to cultivate good relationships with them.

Managerial staff: Supervisors, managers, and team leaders are not just paid to crack the whip and make sure their staff members are getting work done. Part of their job is to assist employees when they need it. The advantage of asking for help from a staff leader is they're more likely to give an answer that conforms to company policies rather than recommend a quick hack that may or may not be allowed. Additionally, if you find you're struggling more than expected in your job, a team leader can connect you with a mentor who'll help you work through the challenges.

Official manuals: In general, companies have an assortment of official manuals and handbooks administrative staff can consult for answers to pressing questions. In fact, many companies have put these handbooks on private intranets that can be accessed via a special internal help site such as a wiki. If you are not able to locate the manuals, ask coworkers or your supervisor about a company website you can use for finding answers.

External resources: Depending on the nature of your problem, the Internet can be an excellent place to find solutions to problems. The trick is to locate reputable websites that provide accurate answers to your questions. Despite the popularity of Google, the search engine can sometimes serve up questionable results to search terms. Try alternative research options such as Duck Duck Go, Wikipedia, or Quora. Don't be afraid of asking for help from your social network on Twitter and Facebook. If you're friends with knowledgeable professionals, you're sure to get decent answers.

Asking for help can be difficult to do. At the end of the day, though, doing so can help you become a better employee. Take time to cultivate a list of go-to resources that you can quickly tap for assistance when you need it.

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