Monday, December 04, 2006

Some "DO"s and "DON'T"s

JUST DON’T:
Don’t tell me how excited you are to have me on board, then tell me there’s nothing “easy” for me to tackle.

Don’t tell me how capable you’re sure I am, then tell me you don’t have time to train me properly.

Don’t tell me how impressed you are with my experience, then give me a “lesson” on filing. For fuck’s sake—that’s the biggest don’t!

I’ve been a contract administrator for going on 10 years now. Don’t turn me into your file clerk.

If you really want to keep me here, don’t marginalize me. Give me work to do. Let me amaze and astonish you with my contract negotiating prowess.

WHAT TO DO INSTEAD:
If there’s a contract on your desk that you want to pass off, don’t worry if it’s confusing. Hand it to me anyway. Give me all your notes. Before I make any affirmative steps, I’ll touch base with you. But won’t it be easier spending 10 minutes reviewing my work than spending 2 hours doing it yourself?

If you can’t train me yet, set me up with some sales brochures, some contract boilerplates, even a website. Anything I can look at to see what it is we do and why it’s important.

If we have an actual file clerk, give her the stuff to file. If you want me to understand our filing system, fine. But do NOT introduce me as your administrative assistant. I am a SENIOR CONTRACT ADMINISTRATOR. Not an admin or a file clerk. I did not earn a fucking MA to be called a file clerk. Remember that now, or I’m outta here.

Give me something to do. Almost anything will suffice. Seriously. I’m bored, and a bored Aimee equals an unhappy Aimee.