Personal Assistant Tips and AdviceThis Personal Assistant blog is a great place to find information targeted at Personal Assistants, Virtual Assistants and secretaries. This personal assistant blog will provide titbits on subjects like minuting meetings, event planning, and travel planning; as well as updates and notification of new articles. Right-click on the orange RSS feed button (located under navigation bar) to be notified when this blog is updated. BUSINESS APOLOGY LETTER - GOOD DRAFT TO RETAIN CUSTOMERWriting a good business apology letter is essential for damage limitation and customer satisfaction. Knowing how to write a good draft or sample business apology letter will help retain the customers. Permalink -- click for full blog post "BUSINESS APOLOGY LETTER - GOOD DRAFT TO RETAIN CUSTOMER" WEB CRAWLERS EXPLAINEDWeb crawlers are an important factor in search engine ranking. Permalink -- click for full blog post "WEB CRAWLERS EXPLAINED" SAMPLE COVER LETTERS AS JOB SEARCH TOOLGood sample covering letters are essential tools in your job search kit. Attaching a covering letters is a task often overlooked by job seekers in favour of maximising their resume. Permalink -- click for full blog post "SAMPLE COVER LETTERS AS JOB SEARCH TOOL" How to Boost Your Online Direct MarketingHere are 25 excellent tips to help you maximize your online direct marketing efforts. You will find these tips very useful. Permalink -- click for full blog post "How to Boost Your Online Direct Marketing" How to Develop a Business PlanKnowing how to develop a business plan is important as a business plan is an essential roadmap for your business, which needs to be tweaked as the business develops. Permalink -- click for full blog post "How to Develop a Business Plan" Office Technology and EquipmentOffice technology is constantly evolving, so it's important for Executive Personal Assistants and Office Managers to keep abreast of the latest office technology. Permalink -- click for full blog post "Office Technology and Equipment" Speed Reading TechniqueGood speed reading Technique is a necessary skill in this age of information overload. Knowing how to speed read will also help you to comprehend information quickly. Here are some useful tips. Permalink -- click for full blog post "Speed Reading Technique" Job Interview MistakesJob interview mistakes usually occur because of inadequate company research, a limited understanding of the job role and not listening to the interviewer, in addition to the following mistakes. Permalink -- click for full blog post "Job Interview Mistakes" Personal Assistant Mentor / CoachPersonal Assistant mentoring and coaching is an invaluable resource for PAs who are new to the profession, or secretaries that would like to move up the career ladder into a senior PA role. Permalink -- click for full blog post "Personal Assistant Mentor / Coach" The 40 Most Common Job Interview QuestionsResearching the 40 most Common Interview Questions is a good strategy if you would like to stay ahead of the pack and maximise your interview performance. I have listed these questions below. Permalink -- click for full blog post "The 40 Most Common Job Interview Questions" Behavioural Style InterviewsBehavioural style interviews are becoming increasingly popular as a tool to determine a candidate's past behaviour; therefore, candidates should always prepare for such an interview just in case. Permalink -- click for full blog post "Behavioural Style Interviews" JOB LOSS NEED NOT MEAN LOSS OF CONTROLJob loss can bring about a sense of hopelessness that leads to depression and anxiety. But it's important to take control of the situation. Permalink -- click for full blog post "JOB LOSS NEED NOT MEAN LOSS OF CONTROL" MATURE JOBSEEKERS CV TIPSMature jobseekers need all the help they can get to make their CV stand out. Here are some tips and tricks to help you optimise your job search. Permalink -- click for full blog post "MATURE JOBSEEKERS CV TIPS" Interview Clothes For Successful InterviewThe right interview clothes can nail that first impression in a job interview. Here are some tips to help you understand the dos and donts of dressing for an interview. Permalink -- click for full blog post "Interview Clothes For Successful Interview" Restaurant Bookings at Exclusive RestaurantsMaking restaurant bookings at top restaurants is an art in itself, but a necessary skill if you want a fine dining experience at the best restaurant in town - follow these tips to bag that table. Permalink -- click for full blog post " Restaurant Bookings at Exclusive Restaurants " Tips on How to Ask For a RaiseAsking for a raise can be a nerve racking experience. People worry what the boss will think of them after the fact, if the answer is no. This need'nt be an issue if approached in the issue right way. Permalink -- click for full blog post "Tips on How to Ask For a Raise" PERSONAL ASSISTANT - TIPS & ADVICE, ATTRIBUTES AND DUTIES TO HELP YOU SUCCEEDPersonal Assistant tips & advice to assist Executive Assistants, secretaries, Office Managers, Admin Assistant with taking minutes, compiling agendas, planning events. International travel checklist. LIFE COACH TECHNIQUES AND ATTRIBUTESA Life Coach improves the clients work-life balance and helps the client set achievable goals. Permalink -- click for full blog post "LIFE COACH TECHNIQUES AND ATTRIBUTES" VA CERTIFICATIONProfessional VA Certification is essential to stay ahead of the game in the Virtual Assistant industry. Permalink -- click for full blog post "VA CERTIFICATION" 5 Ideas To Deal With Difficult PeopleDo you find it stressful dealing with difficult people? For Personal Assistants, good customer service skills is essential. Here are 5 ideas to help you deal with difficult people. Permalink -- click for full blog post "5 Ideas To Deal With Difficult People" Five Interview Questions You Should Always AskInterview questions you should always ask should include the following questions. This will show that you have spent time in preparation. Permalink -- click for full blog post "Five Interview Questions You Should Always Ask" Is Your Website Struggling to Get Adequate Search Engine Rankings?The internet is a world of its own; with its own rules, conventions and practices. Making an impact in this market requires that you provide the best products and advice. But even with quality products, it is near impossible to get decent page rankings without insider knowledge and the best e-commerce advice you can find. I personally took one or two wrong turns before I discovered an exceptional e-commerce product called Site Build It. This all-inclusive e-commerce package is the perfect idiots guide to brainstorming the right niche, building a website, web hosting, domain name registration and internet marketing. Websites built with Site Build It typically rank in the top 3 of the major search engines. This is achieved using a keyword analysis tool, which analyses every page as it's built, and highlights areas where there are too many or insufficient keywords. This is an essential tool for keeping the search engine spiders (algorithms) happy; too many keywords and you will be penalised for keyword stuffing; not enough keywords and your page will perform badly. Site Build It also provides excellent advice and resources to help you make money from your website, such as keyword analysis tools; traffic analysis tools, and search engine analysis tools. In addition to this, you have access to numerous forums that provide insider information on every conceivable topic to do with site building and e-commerce. Click here for more information. How to Verify Commercial WebsitesKnowing how to verify commercial websites is an essential skill for security conscious online shoppers. There are a number of methods for finding the necessary information to verify commercial sites. Permalink -- click for full blog post "How to Verify Commercial Websites " Surviving Promotion Let DownBeing passed over for a Senior Personal Assistant role can be a painful and disappointing experience, particularly if you consider yourself to be a hard worker. However, even if you are convinced that the interviewer was biased, resist the urge to have a public rant. The important thing is to get back up immediately. If you were formally interviewed for the role, consider the interview more of a learning experience than a failure - even if you think there was an element of favouritism involved. Politely ask the interviewer for feedback. This will give you valuable insight into where you went wrong. Always thank the interviewer, and take his comments seriously. See each criticism as a valuable tip for how to succeed at your next interview. Adventure Team Building For SuccessAdventure team building is a great way to offer a change of pace to your team. It provides an opportunity for the team to learn new skills and helps teams to bond quickly. It can revitalise and motivate a flagging or disparate team through activities like archery, rock climbing, kayaking, rock climbing, sailing, horse riding, camping, barbeques and more. For the best results choose the activity that best reflects your company's core values. Adventure team building activities are essentially corporate events but with outdoor activities and adventures. They are held in parks, convention centres and resorts, to name a few possible venues. Activities can last for a few days or for a few hours, and depending on the activity, can accommodate up to 500 people. Successful adventure team building improves communication and leadership skills, and encourages problem-solving and decision making. Adventure team building companies can adapt their programmes to suit the needs of your company, in order to develop specific skills in the team. Not all adventure team building is geared to improving employee skills. Sometimes this type of team building is offered to employees as a reward for hard work, or for reaching a goal; therefore, it's also a great way to celebrate success. In this way, adventure team building is used to boost future team performance and ensure continued success. The bottom line is, adventure team building is a great solution for improving team morale. Dell Latitude E6400 XFR - Bullet-proof Laptop?You won't find a tougher laptop on the market than the impact-resistant, bullet proof Dell Latitude E6400 XFR. It's the ultimate outdoor computer; well adapted to extreme environments. Permalink -- click for full blog post "Dell Latitude E6400 XFR - Bullet-proof Laptop?" NATO PHONETIC ALPHABET - An Essential Communication Skill for Personal AssistantsEvery competent Personal Assistant understands the importance of clear communication. Using the NATO Phonetic Alphabet in telephone communication speaks volumes about your Personal Assistant skills and professionalism. Make a statement, learn the phonetic alphabet - let's face it, it's impressive to listen to.
Want to Break the Glass-ceiling? Play Golf!According to Barrons, an estimated 90% of Fortune 500 CEO's regularly play golf (March 30, 1998 cover story:"Investing in Golf"); therefore, it's no co-incidence that golf is the preferred sport of many senior managers. They understand the correlation between professional advancement and golf. In the world of big business, they can't afford not to play. Golf is considered to be an important tool in the modern business world. As a relationship-building resource, it facilitates deal making and networking at the level of big business - you can achieve a lot in 4 uninterrupted hours. Golf is a skill-set that aspiring female executives can't afford to overlook; it's an effective strategy to help them break the glass-ceiling, as women who play golf well will earn more respect and prove themselves in a non-threatening and friendly environment. Many aspiring female executives miss the point when it comes to setting aside their work to play a game of golf. They are not comfortable with the idea of putting leisure before work, even if it allows them to spend time having fun with clients and colleagues. The truth is, golf provides access and proximity, so spending time with the right people in the right setting amounts to working smarter. Golf can be a difficult game to play, because of the need for good eye-hand co-ordination, but this need not be an insurmountable problem. Find a good training programme, and enjoy! Goal Setting For Continuous DevelopmentFor me "goal setting" is an act of will that requires discipline. I admire people who are methodical; for them goal setting is like breathing...it's the natural thing to do; they plan their work and personal lives with military precision. For those of us who tend to ignore instruction manuals; who like to jump in and push all the buttons, goal setting is a challenge. The truth is, goal setting is one of the requirements for high achieving. It's particularly essential for career development, as it forces you to:
- visualise your progress up the career ladder,
Goal setting also allows you to measure your progress. Without it, everything may seem pointless. Assessing progress is essential; it's a reward in itself. When you have reached a milestone you can tick a box, pat yourself on the back, and feel quietly satisfied that you are well on the way to reaching your goals. Your confidence and sense of self worth will also improve, as you work towards being the very best you can be in your career and personal life. For career development education is the key. Secretaries and Personal Assistants who are progressing towards becoming an Executive Personal Assistant will need the right type of training and development. Why not consider becoming a member of The Association of Personal Assistants (APA). This will help you to plan your professional development and keep up to date with best practices in the PA profession. APA offers professional PA courses and champions a professional code of conduct and ethics. 9 MORE TIPS FOR EFFECTIVE MEETINGS9 more tips for effective meetings that will enhance your image as a leader and meeting facilator, and save time and money. Permalink -- click for full blog post "9 MORE TIPS FOR EFFECTIVE MEETINGS" Avoiding Instant Messaging VirusesInstant messaging (IM) viruses are similar to email viruses in that they can be equally malicious and are proliferated through IM. Like email viruses, IM viruses are usually spread by clicking on a link within an IM message. These types of viruses are particularly successful because they often appear to come from friends and acquaintances. The virus becomes active when you click on the necessary link. In some cases there is no apparent effect. In others, the computer becomes noticeably slower, and in more extreme cases the virus will cause the computer to crash.
An IM Virus will secretly install a programme that can result in some of the following effects:
Like any virus, one of the aims of the cyber virus is proliferation, so the virus may seek to send itself to every person on your instant messaging contacts list. Therefore, be suspicious of links in IM messages. If you are unsure of the sender - don't download, accept or open the message. Better to check with the sender to verify it's origins. Other ways to combat the problem include using the latest version of instant messaging, such as Windows Live Messenger - this is designed to scan attachments for viruses. In addition to this, you should sign up for Microsoft's regular updates. Once installed they should combat the latest virus threats to your computer. Make sure your anti-virus software is up-to-date, and install antispyware software, such as Windows Defender (free downloadable software). Click here for other free anti-virus downloads. Permalink -- click for full blog post "Avoiding Instant Messaging Viruses" Symptoms of Carpal Tunnel SyndromeCarpal tunnel syndrome is a condition that is becoming increasingly common amongst Personal Assistants, secretaries and typists. It's important to identify the symptoms and seek medical advice asap. Permalink -- click for full blog post "Symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome " VIRTUAL NETMEETINGSA virtual NetMeeting is a versatile alternative to videoconferencing, because it allows you to save money on flights and travel, while facilitating audio, video, etc. Permalink -- click for full blog post "VIRTUAL NETMEETINGS" WHAT IS BLUETOOTH?What is Bluetooth? Bluetooth is the answer to the jumble of cords and cables that plague the modern workplace. Permalink -- click for full blog post "WHAT IS BLUETOOTH?" Google Web Analytics ToolsGoogle Web Analytics is every Webmaster's must-have tool. For accurate and detailed information on website traffic, and insight into activity on individual landing pages, this free tool is invaluable Permalink -- click for full blog post "Google Web Analytics Tools"
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