Four Things to do While You're Still Employed

Here are four things to do now while you're still employed that will benefit you if you ever get laid off or lose your job for whatever reason. You should do these things now while you're comfortably employed with no expectation of ever being let go or job searching. This is a checklist for the currently employed administrative assistant or executive assistant (though the unemployed may find some useful tips in the details below too).


1. Build your network. Get out from behind your desk and purposefully mingle now and then. Get curious about other people in your professional network. Then you'll know their workplace or career needs and desires and how you can perhaps serve them -- before you want, or need, them to do you a favor, such as alert you to job openings, review your resume or be a reference.

Actually, you can even network while still seated behind your desk. How? Tune into online social networks like LinkedIn and Twitter. You can meet other professionals online and network with them there. Join discussion groups such as The Effective Admin group on LinkedIn (the group link to join is http://www.linkedin.com/groupRegistration?gid=2987736 ); it's for administrative assistants and executive assistants who want to start or join discussions related to administrative professional job performance and careers.

Also join nonadministrative professional groups so you can meet people in other positions (such as those at hire levels or lateral levels). Plus, you can learn new things (you didn't even know you needed to learn) from people not typically in your field. Then you apply those ideas to your administrative assistant or executive assistant job, career, and field. That's being innovative.

When you're in these online groups, be at least semi-active. Don't be a "wall flower." That serves no purpose in online networking or face-to-face networking. For instance, answer an online discussion group member's question now and then (just don't dominate a discussion board or conversation). Serve others. When doing so, you're also demonstrating your knowledge. If and when the time comes that an employer is researching you (including online such as through conducting searches in search engines and at social networks, which is happening more and more), your knowledge and attributes will be on display in your posts. You'll be more visible too. You never know from where or whom your next job offer will come from.

2. Research the job market. Read those online ads seeking administrative professionals, even though you are not currently seeking a job. What skills and attributes are employers asking for today? They may not be the same ones next week or next year. Don't stop reviewing the job market just because you are employed today, seemingly long term. You'll be behind the game of job searching if you're suddenly laid off.

For instance, I've seen some lively discussions in group forums on the usage of shorthand by administrative assistants and executive assistants and the need to know this skill, or not. Many administrative professionals in these discussions have pointed out how they use shorthand in the office to increase efficiency with note-taking or taking dictation from superiors (among other uses). That's a great use for shorthand...if you know it.

However, I challenge you to find a request for this skill in the majority of ads seeking administrative professionals. You won't. While it's definitely helpful for note-taking, and perhaps useful to flaunt with the right executive or hiring manager (some will certainly appreciate and utilize your shorthand skill), most employers today won't consider this a high-value skill. And therein lies the issue: You want to be a high-value employee with high-value skills. That's the image you want to portray at times.

So it's not always about what you think is a great skill to use and learn as an administrative professional but what the hiring managers and executives want in your skill set. It's about "them," not "you." What do they think?

Just today I saw an ad in the newspaper for an administrative assistant that said "individual must have experience in upper-level administrative support functions including extensive minute taking experience."

That statement was listed first in the ad; it's clearly something emphasized. So if you don't have that skill, but you have shorthand (which could help you take notes for minutes more efficiently), you're  NOT in the running. I can almost guarantee that, even if you're interviewed. The first person who comes along with "extensive minute taking" skills will be ahead of you for the job offer (all other things equal, and even if they do not know shorthand). And even in a good economy and job market, several hundred people apply for a single administrative job opening. At least one or more of those candidates will have the exact skill set the employer is advertising for.

And, if you're wondering, the other skills requested in that ad for an administrative assistant were ability to set priorities and meet multiple deadlines; ability to independently compose correspondence and agendas; excellent grammar and communication skills; ability to manage multiple schedules; proficiency in Microsoft Office; well-organized; detail oriented; efficient in multitasking; and strong people skills.

How many of those areas are you strong in? Weak in? Those aren't atypical request by employers for administrative skills.

3. Continue your education. As someone who offers educational products for sale to administrative professionals, I can tell you I hear plenty of, "I wish I could afford your training publication on abc because it's a skill I need to learn (or refresh), but I can't afford it because I'm unemployed."

Don't wait to find out what skills and attributes the market is seeking in administrative professionals (noted in point 2 above) and then lament that you can't afford to pay to learn them (through a course, publication, or whatever).

Increase your know-how in those in-demand skills before you need them -- while you're still employed. Take those refresher courses and get those helpful books before you need them -- while you're still employed.

It may not be the most glamorous way to spend a weekend or a week but this proactive measure will mean you won't be later saying, "I wish I could afford your publication on abc because it's a skill I need to learn (or refresh), but I can't afford it because I'm unemployed."

As an administrative professional, you anticipate regularly at work and on behalf of your manager or executive. Start using the skill of anticipation personally in your own career blueprint. Ask yourself: "What if I'm unemployed tomorrow? What skills are in-demand by employers seeking administrative assistants and executive assistants and how can I learn them (or refresh mine)?"

4. Write your resume. Start it today. It's the best way to see how in demand and employable you'll be before you're unemployed, perhaps unexpectedly. Would you call you for an interview based on your resume? Why or why not?

What could you add to your resume to make yourself more attractive to hiring managers?

Accomplishments? Set some goals at work. Initiate a project. Volunteer for a project.

Skills? Learn them and find ways to use them now. Get certified in popular software programs. Teach a class in-house at your company on a certain skill topic. What better way to show you know it than to be able to say you taught x number of classes on it for x years to x employees.

Make yourself employable now before you're unexpectedly, or knowingly, unemployed later. Don't regret later what you didn't do now.

For those of you who are thinking, "I wish you'd told me this six months ago, or a year ago, before I lost my job," I empathize. Hindsight is always 20:20 -- for me and you. When you do get your next job (and you will), remember these four points I've covered in this article today.

If you need some help with writing your resume and cover letter, or practicing how you'll answer questions during an interview, here is a resource I recommend. I've used one of this author's books with his advice in the past to help me successfully improve my job interview skills -- back before I was a self-employed company owner. So I know he knows his stuff. It works. It worked for me.