Top 3 Awesome Resources for Administrative Assistants

Top 3 Awesome Resources for Administrative Assistants Being an administrative assistant can be a tough job. It’s often considered an entry-level position, but it’s a role that requires a large number of skills to perform effectively and support your manager. So how do you gain those skills? And once you’re in the assistant role, what kind of support is there for the supporter?These three online resources are great places to help admin assistants expand and improve skills.1. The American Society of Administrative Professionals (ASAP)ASAP is an organization created specifically to support professionals like you. Here, you can find career development opportunities like online training courses and webinars, articles on industry trends and business skill development, and a certificate program (Professional Administrative Certificate of Excellence, or PACE) if you  want to be certified as an administrative professional. Access to these benefits is part of a free membership, and with 50,000 members nationwide, you get th e support of an entire field- you’re not alone!2. LinkedInLinkedIn is a great resource for job hunters- but did you know that it can be a useful tool once you’ve been hired, too? Groups like the Administrative Assistant Office Professional Network (149,000+ members) and Administrative Assistant Office Professionals (All Levels) (189,000+ members) offer discussion and networking opportunities for all sorts of admin assistants and professionals. You can also find specialized groups relevant to your role or industry: for example, medical assistants, executive assistants, receptionists, etc. Want to connect with other assistants in your area? You can search for groups specific to your city or region, as well.3. Lynda.comThere aren’t many sites out there that can teach you everything from basic software use to advanced coding- and that’s what makes Lynda.com so special. This site offers online video tutorials for professionals in all industries and at all leve ls and features some great seminars for administrative assistants- whether it’s application training (Excel, Office, Word) or general business skills (marketing, leadership, project management).This site can also be excellent for bumping your skills to the next level, or helping you adapt to different office environments. For example, if you’ve always used a PC but your new office is all Mac, Lynda can give you tips on how to perform your daily tasks in iOS. It’s like having an expert mentor in your pocket at all times.If you’d like to build skills or just find others who can relate to the realities of being an administrative assistant, these resources can be a big help.

A Collection of Zulu Proverbs

A Collection of Zulu Proverbs Much of Africas history has been passed on through the generations orally. One consequence of this is that traditional wisdom has been crystallized in the form of proverbs. Zulu Proverbs Here is a collection of proverbs attributed to the Zulu of South Africa. You can learn wisdom at your grandfathers feet, or at the end of a stick.Meaning: If you pay attention to what your elders are telling you and follow their advice, you wont have to learn things the hard way through experience. If you dont absorb what they have to say, you will have to learn your lessons by making mistakes and accepting the often-painful consequences.A walking man builds no kraal.Meaning: A kraal is a homestead. If you keep moving, you wont settle down or be forced to settle down.You can not know the good within yourself if you can not see it in others.Meaning: If you want to build self-esteem, you need to practice looking for good qualities in others and appreciating them. This in itself is a virtue, which will build goodness in you.When you bite indiscriminately, you end up eating your own tail.Meaning: Think before you act, especially when acting out of anger or fear. Plan your actions carefully so you dont make things worse.The lion is a beautiful animal  when s een at a distance.Meaning: Things arent always as they seem at first glance, so be careful what you wish for; it may not be what is best for you. The bones must be thrown in three different places before the message must be accepted.Meaning: This refers to a divination ritual; you should consider a question multiple times in multiple ways before reaching a decision.Guessing breeds suspicion.Meaning: When you dont have all of the facts, you may come to false conclusions or experience paranoia. Its better to wait for solid evidence.Even immortals are not immune to fate.Meaning: Nobody is too big to take a fall. Your wealth, intelligence, and success wont protect you from random negative events.You cannot fight an evil disease with sweet medicine.Meaning: Fight fire with fire rather than turning the other cheek. This proverb advises war over diplomacy and not showing mercy to an enemy.Old age doesnt announce itself at the gate of the kraal.Meaning: Old age sneaks up on you; it doesnt simply arrive one day when you are expecting it.Almost doesnt fill a bowl.Meaning: You dont get partial credit for a failure; you will still suffer the consequences of the failure. You must complete a task and carry through to enjoy success. Dont bother to use the excuse that you tried and you almost succeeded. This is similar to Yodas, Do. There is no try.   Even the most beautiful flower withers in time.Meaning: Nothing lasts forever, so enjoy it while you have it.The sun never sets that there has not been fresh news.Meaning: Change is the one constant.