You can get promoted from your assistant position by following these guidelines.
If you believe that being an assistant doesn’t scream ‘blossoming career over here!’ then frankly, you are wrong. You’re in the best position to move up the ranks. With some hard work, patience and the willingness to step out of your comfort zone, you can use your assistant position to make connections, gain experience and ultimately, get promoted.
Here’s how to make the move to the next level:
Learn to play the game
An assistant is in a position to see the ins and outs of their industry and company from a higher level.
It’s up to you to use this to your advantage. Take the time to use everything that happens at your desk as a learning experience. Talk to the people from different departments and ask about the type of work they do.
If you'd rather remain in your industry but broaden, an Occupational Health and Safety short course from GetSmarter is just what you need. Accredited by the University of Cape Town - Africa's leading university, this 10-week course, will provide you with skills you need to effectively implement best practices for health and safety within your workplace.
Be the assistant everyone loves
The people you meet, places you go and knowledge you acquire can have a tremendous impact on your popularity in the office. Plus as meeting scheduler, you get to decide who gets face-time with the big boss, and when they do. Yep, you’re pretty powerful.
The trick is to use your gatekeeping power wisely. Network with the people around you – the greater the contacts you have, the better the position you’ll be in when looking for the next step.
Read: Prepare for your admin assistant interview
Become the trusted companion
It’s simple. Be the best employee you can be to your boss and company. It’s only a matter of time before you’ll be trusted with larger projects and more sensitive information. Don’t betray this trust – it’s your most valuable resource. At the same time, pay attention to what you can learn.
Prove your worth
Don’t be afraid to take on tasks beyond your responsibilities. This will not only allow you to test the waters on other aspects of the company, but you’ll also enhance your CV and showcase your proficiency and competence. Perform miracles, go the extra mile, do everything that’s expected of you and more
By telling yourself that no task is too small or big you’ll soon be seen as a team player. And that’s the positive rapport and legacy you want all to remember when vying for a new position.
Of course if you've pulled out all the stops and there's still no progress, it could be time to find your next job. Let Careers24 help you get where you want to be.
