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The Exclusive Online Magazine for Administrative Professionals
January 2013
The Art
of “Managing Up”
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Hiring Outlook for Administrative Professionals Looks Bright
Top 10 Travel Insurance Mistakes to Avoid
Your Happiness Depends on the QUALITY of Your Sleep
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2013
SALARY
GUIDE
PERFECTLY TIMED ADMINISTRATIVE
SALARY DATA.
Download the 2013 Salary Guide, the industry’s most
trusted resource on salaries and future hiring trends.
officeteam.com/salarycenter
1.800.804.8367
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CONTENTS
of January ‘13
Editorial Team
Susan Silva
Managing Editor
susan@deskdemon.com
6
Hiring Outlook for Administrative Professionals
Looks Bright
Production & Design
Robert Olszewski
Graphic Designer
robert@deskdemon.com
10
Kulasekaram Vimalarasa (Raj)
Equipment and Gadgets
to Make Fitness More Fun
Web Developer
raj@deskdemon.com
Suresh Karuppannan
Website Designer
suresh@deskdemon.com
14
The Art of “Managing Up”
18
Top 10 Travel Insurance Mistakes to Avoid
Advertising
Susan Silva
Advertising & Sales US
susan@deskdemon.com
Jane Olsen
Director Advertising & Sales UK
jane@deskdemon.com
Business Staff & PR
Mek Rahmani
Founder, CEO & Publisher
mek@deskdemon.com
4
21
Your Happiness Depends on the QUALITY
of Your Sleep
14
6
10
18
21
CAREER
Hiring Outlook for Administrative
Professionals Looks Bright
by Robert Hosking, OfficeTeam
T
he hiring outlook for administrative professionals in 2013 is looking up. Now that the U.S.
economy seems to be steadily improving, companies are starting to fill positions they
left vacant through the downturn. What’s more, they’re adding new positions to prepare
themselves for the growth opportunities they see coming in the near future.
6
CAREER
According to the findings reported
Credentialing specialist.
in the OfficeTeam 2013 Salary Guide,
Forecasted salaries are in the range of $31,750
average starting salaries for administrative
to $39,750, a rise of 4 percent.
employees are expected to rise 3.5 percent this
year. Certain in-demand positions, particularly in
Administrative assistant.
healthcare, human resources (HR) and customer
These professionals will see compensation
service, will see even larger increases.
increase 3.9 percent to between $28,500
and $38,500.
Some of the professionals that will see
a higher-than-average upturn in base
These starting salaries represent nationwide
compensation as noted in the Salary Guide
averages, and will be higher for workers
include:
in major metropolitan areas, where the cost
of living is higher. In addition, professionals
Customer service manager.
with expert multilingual skills can command
The starting salary for this position will rise 4.2
up to 10 percent more in base salary.
percent, to between $38,750 and $53,500.
Designations, such as Certified Administrative
Senior executive assistant.
Professional and Microsoft Office Specialist,
Professionals in this position can expect a salary
can provide a salary bump of 6 and 8 percent,
of between $46,000 and $62,500, an uptick of
respectively. Senior executive assistants who
4.1 percent.
work for C-level executives in larger companies
can expect salaries that are about 10 percent
Medical customer service representative.
higher than average, as can customer service or
These professionals will enjoy base
call center managers who supervise more than
compensation of $27,000 to $34,750, an
20 people.
increase of 4.2 percent.
Obviously, this is good news for administrative
HR benefits specialist/coordinator.
job seekers. But employers are still very
Starting salaries are projected to increase 4
cautious when it comes to hiring. They can’t
percent, to between $36,000 and $49,000.
afford to make a mistake, so they’re selective
about the people they choose to interview
Call center manager.
and, ultimately, bring on board. Here’s a short
Salaries for this job are predicted to go up 4.2
list of the qualities employers are looking for in
percent, to between $39,000 and $53,250.
administrative professionals this year:
JANUARY 2013
7
CAREER
Experience, initiative and versatility.
Companies are looking for workers
who can jump right into the job and make
an immediate contribution.
They want experienced, highly motivated selfstarters who don’t need much training
to understand what’s necessary to do the job
right. They’re also looking for workers who
are flexible, adaptable and solutions-oriented,
the type who are willing to change direction
mid-course in order to get the desired results
on a project.
Strong soft skills. These days, administrative
professionals have a higher level of contact
than ever with clients, vendors, customers
and staff, in person, over the phone and via
email. So they need to demonstrate polished
verbal and written communication skills,
as well as a positive, professional attitude.
Organizations also are looking for employees
who will fit in well with the company culture.
Industry-specific experience. Almost every
industry, whether it’s healthcare, financial
services or information technology, has its own
terminology, systems and best practices.
It can take a long time, and a lot of training,
for a novice to get up to speed on the industry’s
nuances, technology and rules. For that
reason, employers often prefer candidates with
experience in the field they’ll be working in.
Tech savvy. As in the past, administrative
8
CAREER
employees are expected to have a high level
competitive companies also are speeding up
of proficiency with the Microsoft Office suite,
their hiring process, as the brightest candidates
particularly with Word, Outlook, Excel and
will sometimes receive multiple offers.
PowerPoint. Nowadays, they also must know
how to use social media platforms like Twitter,
It certainly looks like 2013 is shaping up to be a
LinkedIn and Facebook to keep up with industry
bright one for administrative staff.
trends and provide clients and staff with
company updates.
For more information on the 2013 hiring
outlook for administrative professionals, visit
Business acumen. Cost control remains at the
OfficeTeam’s Salary Center (www.officeteam.
top of the priority list for many companies.
com/salarycenter), where you can download a
Thus, professionals with a proven track record
copy of the 2013 Salary Guide, find a detailed
of creating efficiencies and saving businesses
analysis about hiring trends and compensation
money are in high demand.
in the administrative field, and look up salaries
for different positions in your area with the
In recent years, employers have enjoyed
Salary Calculator.
the luxury of time when it came to hiring;
with so few jobs available and so many job
candidates, they could be deliberate in their
interview process, bringing candidates in
several times before making an offer. This
may no longer be the case. Top candidates
are now in high demand, and they tend to
get snapped up quickly. In fact, 76 percent of
HR managers interviewed in an Office Team
survey said it’s challenging to find skilled
administrative staff today.
Experienced administrative professionals reap
the benefits of this situation; to land the best
candidates, many companies are bringing
Robert Hosking is executive director of OfficeTeam,
the nation’s leading staffing service specializing in
the temporary placement of highly skilled office and
administrative support professionals.
OfficeTeam has more than 315 locations worldwide and
offers online job search services at www.officeteam.com.
For more career advice, connect with us on Facebook,
LinkedIn and Twitter.
back or expanding benefits such as flexible
work schedules, bonuses, increased time off,
and health and wellness programs. The most
JANUARY 2013
9
LIFESTYLE
Equipment
and Gadgets
to Make Fitness
More Fun
by Thomas J. Walter & Molly Meyer
10
LIFESTYLE
Versa Loops
W
This versatile, small device is easy to travel with.
e all know we need to exercise in
These affordable systems of bands cost around
order to stay healthy and fit (and
$4.00 each and are excellent for toning and
keep the extra pounds off too),
as part of your Pilates workout. They work on
but sometimes it can feel like such a drag.
resistance with each color denoting a different
Believe it or not, fitness can be fun though.
resistance. Versa loops are certain to add a little
There are lots of gadgets on the market that
fun to your workout.
can make the grind a little less tedious.
If you’re a geek at heart, you’ll love the techy
Exercise Ball
toys. If you like to try new things, then there
These balls come in a variety of sizes and work
are plenty of exotic pieces of fitness equipment
great for Pilates, Yoga, abdomen training, and
that can spruce up your workouts too.
weight training. They are a fun and excellent tool
Let’s take a look at some of the offerings out
for doing crunches. And, hey, if you’re hard up for
there; maybe you can find something to make
seating, people have been known to substitute
your exercise time more fun.
these exercise balls for computer chairs.
Human Touch Board
How about a surfing experience while toning
Nintendo Wii Fit
your muscles? The Human Touch Board is a
lot of fun, and you can learn a whole new skill
If you want to add a little fun (okay, a lot of fun)
set while exercising. Who knows? You might
to your fitness workout, add the Wii. The Wii
actually be able to put your new surfing skills to
Fit and the Wii Fit Plus are designed to turn
use one day.
exercise into a game. Do you enjoy yoga?
Tennis? Aerobics? All of these are “games” you
iPod
can get for the Wii Fit. This can even save you
You might not think your iPod is a fitness gadget,
some money, since yoga classes and the like
but it really is. You can use it to inspire you while
can be expensive if you’re going to a studio.
walking, jogging, running, and during any of
With the Wii, you can get your workout right
your workouts. Music motivates and listening to
in your own living room. Don’t think that just
your favorite tunes makes your workout fun and
because the Nintendo is a gaming system you
helps it fly by. You can also find fitness-related
won’t sweat. The Wii can get your heart rate up
podcasts that can walk you through workouts,
and give you a good workout!
everything from jogging to yoga.
JANUARY 2013
11
LIFESTYLE
Treadmills
Fitness Cube
There’s no secret that the treadmill remains one
The Fitness Cube lets you burn fat without ever
of the favorite devices for exercise. Many people
stepping into a gym. It’s like 30 exercises rolled
consider using a treadmill as fun, and when
into one machine. It comes with mats, straps,
compared to some other types of exercise it
pull out benches, and everything you need for a
could certainly fit into that category. Right from
complete workout.
home, you can get fit while walking, jogging, or
running on one spot, with the course moving
We’ve looked at just a few of the gadgets and
below your feet. Today many home treadmills
new types of equipment that can make your
have extra features to make the workout fun.
fitness fun. There are plenty of others. It doesn’t
Examples include iPod integration, built in TV
matter what motivates you and keeps your
screens, LCD monitors with virtual workout
workouts enjoyable, just as long as it works
partners, and more.
for you.
The BodyBug
If you haven’t heard of the BodyBug you aren’t
The author runs a fitness blog
alone, but you should find out more about
[http://www.fitness-gadgets.com/] that posts daily health-
this device that can measure your calorie
and exercise-related gadgets.
expenditure. It will measure the calories you
She’s posted on everything from affordable treadmills
consume and the calories you burn and then
[http://www.fitness-gadgets.com/exercise-equipment/
compare them. There are however similar
affordable-folding-treadmill-options/] to crazy
products that cost less and do the same thing.
exercise clothing.
If you want to stay fit while keeping things fun,
12
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CAREER
The Art
of “Managing Up”
by Richard L Grimes
There are some ways in which a skillful subordinate can manage
“up” and exert some influence over their Boss. This can be a very
useful skill within an organization but, like so many other things,
it can have a dangerous downside, too.
14
CAREER
I suggest the primary motive behind using these
• Obtaining and sharing “inside information”
skills should be a genuine desire to help your
about current or pending organizational
Boss or a peer be successful trusting that he or
events or situations
she will “take care of you” as time goes on. (This
• Accessing and sharing any other particular
is the unscientific but often true concept that
advantages unique to their position and
“what goes around, comes around.”) Otherwise,
personal relationships with their superiors.
if you are perceived as a manipulator within the
office environment only looking out for yourself,
All of those advantages are potentially available
any good things you have done will quickly be
to a subordinate who is able to “manage up”; i.e.,
overshadowed and your career may have hit a
leverage influence carefully through developing
dead-end for the time being.
a successful relationship with the Boss.
Since the work place is changing, it is critically
These considerations will be helpful in managing
important that the Boss be aware of what’s
a relationship with the Boss:
going on below him or her. And, since their
skills in gathering information and developing
• Make sure you understand their goals,
relationships may not be sufficiently high that they
objectives, priorities, values, strengths,
can devise processes to collect the information
weaknesses, blind spots, and working style
they need, strategically-thinking subordinates
(i.e., can see the “big picture” but not good
can provide it if they are prepared to do so when
with details or the contrary as detail focused
the door of career opportunity opens. Before we
but has trouble seeing the big picture).
identify what the smart subordinate can do, let’s
• Be able to identify the pressures on him
review what Bosses can do that may be useful
or her and their source. (Perhaps you can
to a subordinate. Typically, they can exert varying
help to relieve some.)
amounts of influence through:
• Make sure you understand your own
version of #1 above
• Awarding (or withholding) rewards or
special opportunities to subordinates
• Helping to get (or hinder) special
• Understand the limits and extent of your skills
and how they may be useful to the Boss
• Determine the extent of your need for
consideration for transfers or promotions
directions and frequent approval for your
of subordinates
accomplishments. (Do you need a lot of
• Getting items or issues outside the normal
positive feedback on things or are you
flow of work placed before executives for
confident that you can do a good job
special consideration
without constantly being told that?)
JANUARY 2013
15
CAREER
• Make sure you have clearly understood
if the Boss is known for killing the messenger.
the Boss’ expectations of you and that he
They may be trying to manipulate you into doing
or she understands what you need from
their “dirty work.”
him or her. (Such as clear directions and
expectations - then leave me alone to do it.)
• Make sure no surprises occur for them
How willing would you be to team up with
someone else?
that you could have prevented or at least
With whom would you want to team up? How
warned them about.
would you get them interested in working with
• Be very selective about how you use their
you to bring up the situation?
time and resources for your needs.
• Read #1 again
• Speak up without arguing up. Make sure you
argue a different viewpoint using as much
Some key behaviors to consider before
objective fact as possible. Do not become
developing that relationship are:
argumentative by basing your presentation
on emotion or broad statements that have
• You must be willing to speak up if you want to
influence up. This is another example of the
little value such as “everybody knows” or
“it’s common knowledge that...”
potential amount of risk equals the amount
of gain. The Boss may not want to hear the
One way in which issues of concern can be
bad news but, if you are thoughtful in your
pushed up the organization is described by
presentation of it, they may be very grateful
Dutton and Ashford (1993) as “issue selling.” If
for your information.
a particular issue concerns you, the employee,
how can you escalate it upward so your Boss
How willing are you to speak up to the Boss
(and maybe even his or her Boss) devotes some
about situations in your organization?
of their limited time to address it?
What are some situations about which you would
speak up?
Here are some considerations for packaging your
concerns before sending them upward:
Before speaking up, you should team up. If what
you have to report may impact several others,
• Alignment - Make sure the issue is aligned
it is useful to have them on your side to support
with something valued by the organization
what you are doing. They can add credibility to
and aligned (reasonably) with your role and
your issue. However, be careful to make sure
responsibility within the organization. For
they aren’t trying to use you to deliver bad news
example, if you work in HR and bring up an
16
CAREER
accounting issue, there may be a stretch
implementing will enhance your reputation
in the minds of some as to why you are
as you piggy-back on a change that has
bringing up an issue so far outside of your
already been approved.
functional role.
• Credibility - Does the issue and your
• Teamwork - This was identified earlier but
is worth repeating here. The more people
presentation of it (instead of someone else)
that you can get to support your idea
indicate a genuine concern for the Boss
means the greater the chance it will be
and the organization or does it appear as a
noticed. (Also, the greater the chance
self-serving gesture on your part?
someone may suggest improvements in
• Publicity - Present and set the issue in as
public a forum as possible - meetings, face-
your idea that make it look even better
than you began with.)
to-face, emails, networks, conferences, or
newsletters. The more who hear about it
Obviously, managing up takes skill, attentiveness,
from you (or as your issue) increases the
and practice but can be very rewarding for
likelihood that it gets to the Boss’ agenda.
someone who wants to influence, but not sit in,
• Solvability - Identify how it can be solved
the seats of power.
(ideally using internal resources) because
issues that can’t be solved are ignored
and you’ll be seen as wasting their time for
listening and yours for addressing it in the
first place.
• WIIFT - “What’s-in-it-for-them” means you
specify as clearly as possible the benefits
of doing this. Topics such as redundancies
(cost elimination), risk reduction, good will
in the community, increased efficiencies
leading to reduced costs and greater
profits are all issues that would interest
senior management.
• Bundling - Bundle your new issue with
others already being considered after you
Richard (“Dick”) Grimes has used his 30+ years
experience in training and operations management for
private and public organizations as a foundation for his
company, Outsource Training.biz LLC.
Human Resource professionals can earn pre-approved,
re-certification training hours by visiting his website,
http://www.outsourcetrainingonline.com. If they send an
email to him after taking a course with the word “Ezine” in
the subject line, they’ll get a $25 REBATE on the course.
clearly link yours to the others. For example,
offering to share your user knowledge of a
new software application the organization is
JANUARY 2013
17
LIFESTYLE
Top 10 Travel
Insurance Mistakes
to Avoid
by Neil Clymer
E
ven after being extra careful, you may commit some
mistakes and then repent later. So, read on... top
10 most common mistakes that travelers make
when buying travel insurance. We hope they will help you
avoid the common mistakes.
18
LIFESTYLE
1) Don’t forget to analyze the coverage that
your policy provides.
2) Don’t write false information. When people
try to save money hiding the information it
leads to bad consequences in future. Provide
proper data about your existing medical
conditions because if the insurer finds out that
you were suffering from an ailment which you
did not disclose, the insurance contract can be
terminated.
3) Always read the fine print (terms and
conditions). Never buy travel insurance policy
if you have not gone through the terms and
conditions mentioned in the policy.
4) Don’t wait till the last minute. Last minute
bought policy might not have coverage that
you require and you don’t have time to read
terms and conditions of the policy. Besides,
planning your requirements in advance (e.g.,
comparing different options) will save you
money. Another thing is when you buy travel
insurance in the last minute, you are not
covered for any emergency occasions and
cancellation of the trip.
5) Try not to break the law. It is called the
golden rule of traveling: always put up with the
laws of the country of your travel. The coverage
of your travel insurance policy is limited to legal
activities only. Always try to find out the rules of
the country you plan to visit.
JANUARY 2013
19
LIFESTYLE
6) Don’t break travel insurance rules. Check
out everything you are covered for and do
not go to places which don’t come under the
terms and conditions of the policy.
7) Don’t buy travel insurance after you have
become ill or your trip was cancelled because
you will not be covered.
8) Don’t enter into hazardous activities and
sport unless your insurance covers it. Cover for
hazardous activities is an optional service, so
don’t forget to add this coverage to your policy.
9) Avoid not buying travel insurance while
traveling. It is good if nothing bad happen.
to save your money when you are put into a
However, if any unexpected events take
serious trouble. Thus, always try to be aware of
place such as cancellation of trips or one of
the conditions of your policy. Don’t be negligent
your family members is to be hospitalized
when buying travel insurance and be careful
you may not have enough money to cover all
while traveling. Have fun and enjoy your trips.
necessary costs.
10) If something is not clear for you about
terms and conditions of your policy, don’t
be afraid to ask questions. The reputed
Globelink provide cover for virtually any of your
insurance companies will provide you with
requirements. This includes a list of different types of
any information you need. Asking question will
policies including single trip insurance and annual travel
give you a clear close idea as to what you are
insurance plans, giving you an option to select either a
covered and what you are not covered for.
policy with a comprehensive or basic cover; an option to
extend your policy to provide an extra cover for hazardous
These are some of the important points that
sports/activities, baggage, golfer’s cover, excess waiver,
remind you to be careful in order to avoid any
event cancellation, wedding cover, and much more.
mistakes in travel insurance. Travel insurance
is not a waste of money. In opposite it serves
20
LIFESTYLE
Your Happiness
Depends on
the QUALITY
of Your Sleep
by Eric Karpinski
S
pending more time in bed isn’t
always enough - it’s the amount
of quality sleep that matters most
when trying to sleep our way happy.
JANUARY 2013
21
LIFESTYLE
I’ll be providing some tips for increasing the
where you consolidate memories and learning
quality of your sleep. First, those tips that you’ve
from the day. While there is no problem having
probably heard before (but I’m going to mention
a glass of wine at dinner or a beer after work,
them because they work):
more than that can greatly interrupt the quality
of your sleep.
Eliminate caffeine after 2pm. Right? Seems
obvious. And if you’re getting enough high-
Turn off the screens. While TV or web surfing
quality sleep, you won’t need a Diet Coke at
(or even playing Plant vs. Zombies on your
5pm to make it through your evening.
iPad... ) may feel like it helps you wind down,
these activities are very stimulating and fill your
Reduce fluids after 8pm. Waking up to pee is a
eyes with light, both of which can keep you
bummer on sleep quality.
awake and engaged well after your body may
want to sleep. Ideally, try to turn off the screen
Keep your bedroom dark and quiet. So obvious
for a full hour before bedtime. If that feels too
I can’t even comment...
draconian, give yourself at least 30 minutes.
Reading can be a good use of that time while
Don’t have stressful conversations or do
still allowing your body to get ready for sleep.
anxiety-producing work right before bed. Those
emotions head into sleep with you.
Maintain bedtime and wake-up times. Evolution
has pushed us to be creatures of habit when it
One you’ve tackled these entry-level fixes,
comes to sleep. By keeping a specific bedtime
you’re ready to move on to the many additional
and get-up time, you greatly strengthen your
ideas that research has uncovered. Most
circadian cycle and increase the quality of your
aren’t quite so obvious; some of them are even
sleep. This is pretty easy for most of us to do
counter-intuitive.
during the highly scheduled weekdays, but it’s
important to keep close to that schedule on
Reduce alcohol intake. Yes, alcohol makes you
weekends as well. An hour one way or another
sleepy, so why not have a night cap to help
can be absorbed, but really late nights and late
send you into LaLa land? It turns out that while
sleep-ins on the weekends can greatly confuse
alcohol can help you fall asleep; it also makes
your body, interrupting your sleep for several
your sleep much lighter and more fragmented.
days. (Do you really need to stay at the club until
This significantly reduces the time spent in the
2am? Or watch ‘Inception’ again, right now? No
two most important stages of sleep: deep sleep,
one is going to see that hilarious Facebook post
the most restorative stage, and REM sleep,
until tomorrow anyway... )
22
LIFESTYLE
Keep your bedroom cool. Lower body
temperature helps us sleep and higher body
temperatures wake us up. If your room is too
warm or you have too many blankets, the
increased body temperature will interrupt the
quality of your sleep. Of course, spending a
night shivering isn’t going to let you sleep either,
so play with what works for you. The experts
recommend something between 55 and 75 oF.
Exercise. It really is the wonder drug. Exercise
not only keeps you healthy and directly makes
you happier, it also helps you sleep better. And
this doesn’t have to be hard-core sweat-filled
workouts at the gym either; just 30 minutes of
moderate exercise over the course of the day
is enough. And if your schedule allows it, you
get the most sleep benefit with exercise 3 to 6
hours before bed.
Eric Karpinski, ACC, CPCC
The Happiness Coach
I am passionate about sharing the power of the science
of happiness through my talks, workshops and coaching.
I have seen the potential this work has to transform people’s
lives for the better and want to give this gift to as many
people as I can.
The Happiness Coach http://thehappinesscoach.biz/
JANUARY 2013
23
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