tattoomytoe Posted January 21, 2004 Share Posted January 21, 2004 apparently so..... I work in city government, and am a secretary technically, but i am an admininstrator, i set all scheduled inspections, license all rental properties(single and multi family) in the city, i license all vendors, home based bussiness, and amusement machines, in the city. I also am also unofficially the Landlord-Tenant Relations gal..meaning i try to disolve and resolve any landlord-tenant complaints in the city....which is alot! so My boss the Director took over for his boss, leaving this hole where he was......so 3 months have gone by, where i have been busting my *ss to prove that i should At the least be in charge of all rental housing issues, basically what i do now. THere is another guy who does the propety code stuff, violations, etc... and is also the previous director buddy...he does have all the know for the code stuff and all..but he knows nothing of rental housing, whichj is a major chunk of his responsibilties now, Since he got the promotion to director. It just really sucks! i was hoping that hey would split the duties between us and i could do rental housing, he do the other....but no.....Once a secretary always just a take it in the butt sercretary. i am soo pissed! Link to post Share on other sites
Errol Posted January 21, 2004 Share Posted January 21, 2004 My spouse is a secretary. Or Administrative Assistant. Or Executive Assistant. Or whatever administrative title you want to use. I've seen come home in tears becuase of the same attitude you described. Unless you have a degree from a college that says you can do the job - its almost impossible to move out of the secretarial role. And to hear people say "just a secretary" like the profession is made up of lower life-forms who aren't smart enough to do any better is just infuriating. Make the coffee, order the food, clean up the meeting room afterward, escort the clients to the conference room, oh, and make sure those bills are paid and reconciled, and that the permits are correctly issued, and call the tenent to let them know what is going on, and make those complicated travel arrangements - but make sure you stay in budget, and did you get those numbers into the report for me? Did you finish the report for me? yada yada yada..... I've heard it a LOT Link to post Share on other sites
quankanne Posted January 21, 2004 Share Posted January 21, 2004 don't demean yourself, Sarah. Secretaries are the most highly valued employees in an organization, just ask any journalist looking for information! You know how things work, you know who to contact and how to get hold of them, you know where many of the bodies are buried, you know of upcoming projects that no one else is aware of. You also are responsible for helping people get where they need to be. A big boss might have the "name," but believe me, you are able to run circles around someone like that simply because you know as much as you do. Believe me, I wouldn't be a fraction as good at what I do (writing) if it weren't for folks like you helping me "get" my story. God bless the administrative secretary, because SHE is the one who really knows what's going on! quank Link to post Share on other sites
Author tattoomytoe Posted January 21, 2004 Author Share Posted January 21, 2004 God bless the administrative secretary, because SHE is the one who really knows what's going on! i just want the compensation i deserve, if i made like 5 more thousand i wouldn't be so bitter. Link to post Share on other sites
moimeme Posted January 21, 2004 Share Posted January 21, 2004 People think North America is 'classless' but the workplace is the home of the caste system to this day. Once you're in one level, you could be Einstein, but since you're at that level, you're considered to be incapable of rising. Some people do it but that's not tremendously common. The trick is to land at the right level in the first place. Link to post Share on other sites
doniker Posted January 21, 2004 Share Posted January 21, 2004 I have worked for the same company for over 7 years. When I started I was making $25,000 a year and there were 4 others in my department besides myself. Total salaries of the 5 of us at the time...about $160,000. Due to downsizing the department is down to 1 person....me....I am the department!!! The work and responsibilities are still here and I was earning $31,000 last year but the whole company had to take a 5% pay cut last October. I am now down to $28,800. I am thankful I even have a job. If you aren't happy look elsewhere. I have learned that hard work and proving yourself only gets you one thing....more work and responsibilities and people taking advantage of you. In the end you are just another number...no one is indepensible. Link to post Share on other sites
reasontosigh Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 Government and non-profit organizations are known for paying less - budgets are tight everywhere but those areas tend to be the tightest. Why not send out some resumes (even if you don't plan on leaving your job, just put out some feelers) and find out what you're really worth? You may end up finding something far better than what you've got now - and at a nice price, too! Link to post Share on other sites
dyermaker Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 I totally misread the topic of this post, I seem to have switched "the" and "f*cking" with one another, made for an interesting title. Link to post Share on other sites
Arabess Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 Tatt, Government jobs are paid according to classification which should be covered somewhere by a 'job description'. It IS possible you are working in a position which you are not getting paid adequately for. The good part about government is that you can make this inquiry without worrying about losing your job. Keep in mind what Errol said though.....the job you are DOING may be a position which actually calls for a college degree. In that case, they won't consider you 'qualified' for the job.....even though you have proven you are. There are some parts of government jobs which are good.....and some which really suck. Pay being one of them. I would discuss it with my supervisor or whatever title he/she may have. If you don't get a justifiable answer....take it a step further until you find someone who WILL address your issue. Good Luck Tatt.... Arabess Link to post Share on other sites
Midnight Magic Posted January 26, 2004 Share Posted January 26, 2004 I hear ya! In my job I am the lowest paid worker, however I do it all. I handle three different departments There used to be three workers doing the same job that I am doing, But they retired and no one else was hired, because I was told that I am so good at my job, that I can do it all... but hey does my wage show for it NO!!!!!!!!!!!NOT AT ALL Like dont ask management anything as they dont know what the hell is going on Dont ask the ones that make the $ 47,000 or the $ 60,000, ( the men) ask me the one that does three departments and makes $ 28,000 the one that knows it all. My co-workers laugh at the sign on my desk that reads Do you want to speak to the men in charge, or the woman that knows whats going on But hey it is the truth... I no longer gripe tho. I am lucky to have a job in a province where unemployment is high, but yes it bothers me on a daily basis, when I see these other people driving their $ 50,000 cars living in their $ 150,000 houses, and hell ya it bothers me.... I drive a klunker and live in rental property.... But what is one to do!! Link to post Share on other sites
doniker Posted January 26, 2004 Share Posted January 26, 2004 what comes around goes around. Those high paying, do nothing jobs don't last forever. There was a guy at my company that got laid of 3 years ago after working here 23 years. He was making $90,000 a year and his job was a piece of cake, sitting in an office all day pushing papers around. Today he can't find a good job. Last I heard he was doing landscaping for $10 an hour. Link to post Share on other sites
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