What do you enjoy most about your administrative support career?

What do you enjoy most about being an administrative support? What do you dislike the most? Is it challenging? Are there many opportunities to learn and advance?

What keeps you at your job?

I worked as an administrative assistant for an architectural and interior design firm. I enjoyed some of the projects that I assisted with. However, as an admin you will be expected to do many things that are not within your job description. Also, admin positions these days require you to learn lots of different software programs. I was expected to use five different ones at my last position.
I suppose the only thing I really disliked, was the fact that the architects and interior designers there seemed to look down their nose at the administrative staff. We were not considered the "talent" that drove the firm, even though we were the backbone that supported it. Also, many of the designers there actually thought I wanted to be one of them. They couldn't be more wrong. I have never in my life wanted to go into the interior design field. In fact, if I could do anything I wanted, it would be nursing. Not interior design! But I sometimes felt I had to make them think I envied their job position, that I looked up to them. I didn't enjoy this charade at all.

Lupe: I have worked for architects and structural engineers before and YES they do have a ego thing going on with them. I can see them looking down on admin because they feel "self important" about their careers and all. They aren't doctors coming up with cures for cancer - don't want to go into it with that field. I just saw this posting you have here today and wanted to reply to you.

I was a paralegal for about 6 years then went down a notch and just became an assistant. I did administrative support at a non-profit, law offices and various other companies. I preferred regular admin. support because I had a set 9-5 schedule, no surprises. No overtime, no temper tantrums or ego issues/scheming that characterized the average law office domain. I have friends who are in admin support as well. As far as licensed state professionals with post-graduate degrees, many of them do in a way "look down" on administrative staff. It is a sad fact - be they lawyers, doctors, architects, etc. But hey, that's the way it is - I say if you can't beat them, join them - or at least upgrade yourself, go into a field where people treat you with respect. Get a better degree, become a licensed professional yourself, and it won't matter who looks down on whom and why. The reality is that to these people, we are all a dime a dozen, replaceable and no special skills or training are required.Although I can see it from their point, I also feel that it comes with the territory.

That is the sad part. Lack of dignity and respect for a fellow worker regardless of their position. It must be an American thing as you don't see it in Europe.

Happy in N Hollywood, CA

I read your post this morning and wanted to add to the point you made in respect for fellow workers regardless of their position. I don't think it is just an American thing in employees not getting respect at the office. They have temp agencies (and if you have been a temp, you know the disrespect you get most of the time from full time workers around you) in being a temp. So, employees in Europe do go through what Americans go through in the working environment. I have read posts here and saw people responding from Europe and they say the same things we americans say for the most part. And it is sad to have to work as a temp for the most part and not knowing if you will be at that position as an admin either the next day or the next week.

I think it's terribly ignorant to categorize every "lawyer, engineer, doctor" as disrespectful to their support staff. However, with that attitude, I can understand why you were not given respect.