Prepare for a Secretarial Job
Once you have been offered a secretarial job, you need to utilize the period of time before you start working to prepare. Knowing how to prepare for a secretarial job is really dependent on the type of work you will be doing. The process of preparing for the position is very important because it allows a time of transition from your previous status to your new one. It also provides an opportunity to wrap your mind around a new situation. Consider these steps as you prepare.
Steps
- Ensure that you are up to date on the company's mission, policies, and history. You may be new to the company, but becoming versed on this information will help you get a better understanding of what the company expects of you.
- Confirm everything as part of the secretary job preparation process, including the date and time that you will be starting your new job. Make sure also that you are aware of the dress code, and whether you are expected to go through a testing and/or orientation process prior to your first day at work.
- Sharpen your secretarial skills, especially if you have been out of the loop for a while. This means testing your own typing speed, shorthand, and phone manner.
- Get some rest as you prepare for a secretarial career. Don't stress yourself out with the anticipation of your first day. You want to be nice and relaxed and ready to get down to work. The first few days will be full of new information and processes, so you want your mind to be clear and stress free.
- Freshen up your wardrobe by going shopping. Even if you have a tight budget, you can invest in some nice accessories to jazz up your current closet. Dressing for success is a great way of building your confidence and helping you start your new job on a positive note. A nice pair of shoes or even some new shades of lipstick can sometimes be enough to help build your self confidence and esteem.
- Treat yourself, if possible, to a visit to the hairdresser. Again, you don't have to go crazy with a color, highlights, or an expensive perm. A simple cut can make you feel refreshed and ready for a new start in your life. Feeling confident with yourself will be reflected in you attitude, and your new boss and coworkers will see this and, in turn, have confidence in you.
- Attempt to make a great first impression, without being overconfident and a "suck-up." You want to please your boss and your co-workers with a positive, ready-to-get-to-work attitude, but you don't want to be overly obliging, above and beyond what is expected of you, as this may cause hostility with your new coworkers.
- Establish the expectations of your new boss during the secretarial profession preparation process, so that you fully understand what your priorities are. If you are aware of what your boss expects of you, you can better organize your day so that your boss' main concerns are also yours. Your boss may not always be open to informing you of what is important, so understanding priorities may be a task that you have to undertake on your own by being observant to his or her daily needs.
