3 years ago...

Three years ago I started a Clerical training, and as part of my training I had to do entries on Blogger. Today I began exploring google docs.  OH! Allow me to rewind.   I completed my clerical training on Feb. 2014 and went to work for a business, I loved the work, my duties were fascinating and kept me busy and I also learned new things, but I only stayed one month because I needed a steady schedule, a steady income and I was not where I wanted to be when I started my clerical training.  My goal was to take this course and then return to my old work site but into an upgraded position.  That didn't happen, well not at first I had to go thru three different jobs in order to land where I am to this day (three years later) I am currently a translator clerk and love my job!  I am truly blessed, it was not my original plan but it much better than what I wanted.☺

A Job Intervview

My clothes are neatly pressed, My resume is updated and I carry three copies, you never know what  could happen. I am very excited that I was called in for an interview.  I realize there might be dozens of candidates for this job, I will not allow this to bring me down however.  I practice answering possible questions I might be asked.  I am asked, "What are your weakness?"  It is obvious that we all have weaknesses.  If I tell the interviewer my weakness it might count against me, my weakness is taking orders from my peers,  I lost a friend because of it.  My ex-friend and I  were both working in the same facility.  I was always calling the shots because I had been there the longest and my friend would always do as I suggested.  Eventually I became just a regular employee, and was in a position where I was commanded to do something by my peer, thinking that I knew what was best I refused to do so, (not just on one occasion bu on several). I realized that at one time the person who headed our department had given the orders that I refused to follow, boy was that a slap in the face.  This to me was a slice of humble pie.  Yes I learned that it is important to be able to work together and that at times one will come and will be giving me orders even if we hold the same position and I've been in the company longer.  Think, think deeply about your strengths and weaknesses and be honest and truthful, be willing to learn from your mistakes, and grow as you face certain challenges. Don't be afraid it has been proven that honesty is compensated while punishment is received when being dishonest.
Don't be afraid and don't stress on any part of the interview. Be honest if you find there is a question you simply can't answer, be honest in an intelligent manner tell the interviewer you don't have an answer but you will be happy to look into it.  Remember this interview will only last a few minutes but the rest of your life may depend on the outcome. Prepare, be ready, and do not act insecure.  Your nervousness may make the employer nervous about hiring you.

Mail

When you receive mail at home just by looking at it you know if it is important.  Well not in the workplace especially if you work for  a big company.  You never know if an envelope has a simple advertisement or a contract has been anxiously expected, if you decide you are going to work for an executive you better put on your reading glasses get a cup of coffee and concentrate.
Make sure that you are very thorough, don't fall under the impression that everything is propaganda.  The rule is when you have a stack of mail on your desk set aside items marked confidential to make sure you do not open those.  Next step would be to sort three categories on the bottom you should place items that are clearly advertisement or entertainment like; magazines, newspapers and so on.  On top of this section are placed the items that are not so urgent like regular mail, announcements that hold dates a month or more away.  On the very top you would place items that are urgent and need immediate attention.  Below urgent matters you need to place those items you set aside marked personal unless they are marked personal and urgent.
Here is the tricky part though.  Most mail does not have the works urgent  and sometimes they don't even say personal on the outside.  Your boss has developed a trust in you enough to allow you to handle his mail.  don't disappoint him/her,  Read the mail thoroughly and it comes in handy assure  that you have a pen and sticky notes at hand when you begin opening mail, even paperclips just in case.  Sometimes the mail has extra papers which are mentioned in the front either by the full word enclosures or by the initials Enc.  Your job is to make sure that all mentioned documents are in the envelope if not make sure you add a sticky note bringing this to your boss' attention, in doing this you also cover your back, this tells the boss that it was the sender who forgot to add the enclosure and not you who lost the extra documents.  It also helps if you get to the mail at the time of day when you know there will be less interruptions.

Traveling

Traveling internationally is a little like being poor, just kidding  wow! I am from another country so I did travel internationally bu not by airplane I was not so lucky. I rode on a bus for three days.  Yeah!, you can imagine it was pretty tiring especially since I was a restless little six year old girl..  My parents came to this country seeking to give me a better future.  I read up on air travel and, did you know that traveling by airplane can be classy or just like riding a  bus for three days with the exception that by airplane you would not need to travel  for three days. I have yet to look up how long is the longest plane ride.  well if you plan to travel by airplane you need to do some homework.  Some airplanes can allow more baggage than others and there are regulations as to how much shampoo you can carry.  There are different choices as to how you may travel.  there confined seats and spacious seats it all depends on how much you can afford.

Participating in a meeting

The work of the administrative professional is endless.  If you are not acquainted with the term the translation would be clerk.  A clerk can be responsible for so much at time the clerk needs to fill in for or pick up the work of someone in a different department.  Therefore the administrative professional must be prepared. There is a place and time to catch up, on changes and update on future projects.  The time is company meetings.   Meetings evaluate the company's progress, and they asses future plans.  It is vital for all participants to prepare well by taking notes.  write down ideas for the future, and concerns about the past. Take notes at meetings and follow up on those notes.  Also participate, everyone's input is valuable, but be careful not to dominate the discussion. Personally I have a habit of thinking humbly, this means I don't want to draw attention to myself and sometimes this is not the appropriate approach as we sit through meeting. I have some good ideas which should be mentioned.  Some times there is no mention of negative aspects or possible outcomes and even though we think them we don't mention them, failing to bring up certain things can end up costing the company loses.

Finance and Investments

Personal Finance and Investment Strategies:  May seem like a boring subject to read about but it is so essential.  My life is not a good example I've not been taught about saving but rather about survival.  How can I plan ahead when I've not met the balance line.  I'm near forty years old and I have no savings, stocks or bonds, instead I have many, many, many debts.  It all started when I was born.  Born into an immigrant family not only poor in their original country but also poor in this country.  My parents divorced when I was nine my mother knew that in our country we would never get out of poverty she tried believe me she did. My mom attempted to sell things like corn on the cob, she put on a little store in our home, when all else failed she went to people's houses and cleaned and did laundry.  I know because I remember being with her. What about my Dad you wonder well he, to make a story short they divorced and my mother brought her four children to this country to find a better life. My mother worked in the fields sun up to sun down. One thing I remember is her saying, "The only thing I can give you is a chance to finish school and try to make a better life for yourself.  And here I am almost forty and barely learning about the need for a savings and stock purchases.  Don't get me wrong I did make one smart move, well my husband and I,we purchased a home ten years ago so we only have twenty more years to go.  But I see that as an investment for our retirement.  I feel that I've been irresponsible because I should have my excuse is that I have had to work minimum pay jobs and I have tried to do the things that my mother couldn't.  Not a valid excuse I know.  The fact is for those young readers you need to set aside and not touch at least $5 dollars a week in one month that's twenty, in one year that's for a young person that is good.  Adults you make a good wage so $20 a week is more reasonable and do the math.  Set a goal like a vacation,or a new car or a hose even the more you put dawn as payment the less money you'll loose in interest.  Stock market is like gambling sometimes but sometimes it is a good way to get a head-start on that savings account.  Employers also offer ways to save for your retirement like the 401(k) where you place aside a certain amount from every check and some employers even match the amount you put aside.  Allow your self a relaxed old age by preparing for it now.

Electronic records management

Managing records is work it is time consuming and sometimes a challenge.  But even in these, technology has made things easier.  With computers we can organize files easily because we have a feature that organizes things alphabetically.   There is however still the need for human touch, we decide what to program on the computer for example; we know how much time a document needs to be stored and when it needs to be discarded.  We have regulations and methods that need to be applied in order for a business to run smoothly. When managing electronic records we must first identify the record is ti automated, individual or a database record. After identifying the records you must manage here is a rhythm involved.  Managing records begins with creation and storage.  Use and distribution are also involved. Maintaining a file seems easy because it is in the  computer but again human touch is called for because sometimes we need to move files from one computer to another or to an external source like a hard drive or a DVD.