I recently read an extremely unkind message that was hard to shake. The fact that it was from someone in our field made me realize that it’s vital to address how important camaraderie is amongst each other.
Some of my favorite jobs were because of the fellow assistants or administrative professionals I worked with and a huge part of that was because of the myriad of ways in which we supported each other on a regular basis. Even in roles when I didn’t work with other assistants, the support professionals that I connected with in other places often inspired me.
I used to feel alone being in a support role, especially when I was starting out in the profession. There were many times when I was the sole assistant in a household or worked remotely, but the feeling even popped up in roles when I was in an office setting with coworkers. This typically happened because I didn’t work alongside other assistants and wasn’t part of a specific team. I'm sure many of you have felt that way at some point. Before I landed my first roles working with other administrative professionals I had to learn how to network and find my tribe.
Attending “Be the Ultimate Assistant” conference a couple years ago was a game changer for me. Being in a room with 30 other assistants that were over the moon excited to share best practices, career advice and to generally meet like-minded peers was amazing! For 2 days there was a buzz of infectious positive energy. I still am in contact with several of the assistants and I can’t express how valuable those contacts have been. To have that support, especially during times when I felt like a lone ranger, has been incredible.
Since BTUA I have built my admin network through online communities as well as offline groups. I consider myself lucky to be part of a profession that has such tangible encouragement. Everywhere I have been involved, from OfficeNinja Admingling events to tweeting with peers on Twitter, a similar feeling of camaraderie has been found.
Support amongst our peers can happen in so many other ways. It can be as simple as clicking “like” on a peer's LinkedIn update, sharing best practices or tips with a coworker or swapping contact information with another admin in case they ever need someone to reach out to for advice. These are just the tip of the iceberg. It all comes down to choosing positive and supportive interactions.
Let’s continue lifting each other up. I choose to support fellow administrative professionals through positive interactions. I choose to foster that feeling of camaraderie amongst our peers both online and offline. What about you?
Do you support other administrative professionals? Please share your experiences in the comments below!
