Tips for Entry Level Admin

[Leigh 87]

Could you go back to that while you're in school? Beats some of the gigs I had, like delivering Chinese food and cleaning swimming pools.

 

 

 

I can't.

 

I was very good at the job but now days its a dead end industry.

 

You have to pay the gyms 2000 just to work there, then you pay rent of 200 a week immediately and you have to get all your own clients.

 

I don't believe gyms need all that money lol they have plenty of money from their members.

[GorillaTheater]

I can't.

 

I was very good at the job but now days its a dead end industry.

 

You have to pay the gyms 2000 just to work there, then you pay rent of 200 a week immediately and you have to get all your own clients.

 

I don't believe gyms need all that money lol they have plenty of money from their members.

 

Well, there's always delivering Chinese food or cleaning swimming pools ...

[Leigh 87]

Well, there's always delivering Chinese food or cleaning swimming pools ...

 

A bit hard when I don't have a car that is my own.

 

And i have gone for the fast food jobs and no one will employ me. I have been told that I am not suited to that industry and would be a good fit for entry level admin roles.

 

I'm doing an admin course now and getting unpaid work experience starting from today.

 

I am hoping that after a month or so of unpaid work experience I will find someone willing to employ me.

[MidwestUSA]

A bit hard when I don't have a car that is my own.

 

And i have gone for the fast food jobs and no one will employ me. I have been told that I am not suited to that industry and would be a good fit for entry level admin roles.

 

 

Can you be more specific about why you're not 'suited' to fast food, or waitressing, or anything of the sort?

 

 

Because heaven knows, many a student has earned their spending money or put themselves thru school doing it. I started at the age of fifteen, and I was horribly shy and awkward.

 

 

I'm just not seeing how other people are determining, for you, what you are and aren't suited to. Did you see a career counselor and take the extensive aptitude test? It seems like you should have some type of gut feeling, at the age of 28, about what you'd be good at. Instead, you grasp any suggestion from anywhere - friends, reading - and run with it. It's confusing.

[Leigh 87]

Yay.

 

I have arranged 15 hours a week admin work experience.

 

 

 

 

And I am good at studying and retaining information that has to do with science, particularly chemistry snd biomedical.

 

I always did very well in chemistry and biology. That is what I was good at.

 

 

 

 

I am pursing a degree next year that is in an area I feel I would be good in because my interests lie in anything science or medical.

 

 

 

 

And I have looked for waitressing work for years now. Same goes for retail. I never get the job because I am just not the sort of person who is good at performing the jobs despite my best efforts.

 

It is not for lack of trying I have tried for years to get hospitality and retail work.

 

 

 

I know plenty of students who just don't have the right personality for retail or hospitality. They are like me.

 

 

 

Trust me after six years of tying to get full time or even part time work in both " fields ", I am obviously not suited. However, I have had a few people tell me that my personality is suitable for admin.

 

I have had two recruitment managers tell me that they believe admin is my best bet during college. And yes I was assessed.

 

 

I have been labelled " not suitable for.hospitality and retail jobs " by two professional admin recruitment officials. Both of them also said I am well sited to admin work during college when I am just looking for a basic job for extra spending money.

 

 

 

 

I feel lot happier about studying podiatry next year and getting unpaid work starting next week than I did when I tried the social work degree and child minding jobs. I feel much 1000000000 times happier with my life going forward as I am following things I a more passionate about.

 

 

 

Admin is the only thing I haven't tried when it comes to the workforce. So far personal training was the only thing I was good at. I sucked at fast food and retail.

 

 

 

My friend who just graduated social sciences and is about to start her HR masters never worked during college as she lived at home and she just couldn't see herself working in fast food. It just wasn't " her".

 

 

 

 

Lucky she wasn't desperate for money and had government funding to feed her.

[clia]

I'm doing an admin course now and getting unpaid work experience starting from today.

 

I am hoping that after a month or so of unpaid work experience I will find someone willing to employ me.

 

Weren't you doing some kind of aged care certificate and/or youth diploma? (I'll admit I don't really understand all these various government sponsored certificates and diplomas that Australia offers.) Are you not doing those anymore? You are now only doing an admin certificate?

 

I don't understand why you are working for free. Wasn't that the problem you had with the nanny job, that they weren't paying you properly? You obviously know how to type, spell and speak. Why do you need to work for free to learn entry level admin jobs? Or am I misunderstanding what you mean by entry level admin jobs? To me, that means answering phones, filing, taking dictation, doing personal assistant type stuff, etc. It's not rocket science.

 

You also have a bad habit of comparing yourself to your friends. Don't do it. You aren't them and they aren't you. Don't worry about what your 22 year old friend has already accomplished, and worry about what you are going to accomplish.

 

Lucky she wasn't desperate for money and had government funding to feed her.

 

Luckily you also aren't desperate for money and have government funding and your parents to help you out.

Edited August 28, 2014 by clia

[todreaminblue]

Can you be more specific about why you're not 'suited' to fast food, or waitressing, or anything of the sort?

 

 

Because heaven knows, many a student has earned their spending money or put themselves thru school doing it. I started at the age of fifteen, and I was horribly shy and awkward.

 

 

I'm just not seeing how other people are determining, for you, what you are and aren't suited to. Did you see a career counselor and take the extensive aptitude test? It seems like you should have some type of gut feeling, at the age of 28, about what you'd be good at. Instead, you grasp any suggestion from anywhere - friends, reading - and run with it. It's confusing.

 

 

 

Hey midwest some people are not suited to hospitality......its pretty fast paced......deb

[MidwestUSA]

Hey midwest some people are not suited to hospitality......its pretty fast paced......deb

 

Well that's the answer I was looking for, if indeed it's Leigh's issue. If I kept hearing from others that I was 'not suited for' this, that and the other thing, I'd want them to expand on it, so I could either look to improve or go a different direction.

[todreaminblue]

Well that's the answer I was looking for, if indeed it's Leigh's issue. If I kept hearing from others that I was 'not suited for' this, that and the other thing, I'd want them to expand on it, so I could either look to improve or go a different direction.

 

normally anyone who has an anxiety disorder, cant handle stress, or the like isnt suited for hospitality......i actually love people.....one on one.....tried working at a cafe......not for me...smilin......you have to put your ass in the middle of people eating and deliver food to them and i have this defined personal space thing going on.....i am better at customer relations.....one on one...nitty gritty solve the complaint.....rather than service......i think leigh would have a problem dealing with impatient people....in fact i know it considering she wrote ....i dont like the customer is always right policy..having to be nice to irate people ....isnt easy ......i admire check out chicks and food staff....they are good peoples............deb

Edited August 28, 2014 by todreaminblue

[Leigh 87]

I can handle stress in areas I am actually passionate about.

 

I found myself too clumsy and not a bubbly or desirable personality for serving food.

 

 

Trust me I tried hard. I asked for unpaid work experience and I handedy resume out for years. I'd get trials or interviews but never got the job.

[Els]

Sorry but I scored in the top eight percent in my country in 2010 for college entrance exam, I scored in the NINETIES.

 

My friend scored 72. And.she studied her ass.off for.that mark.

 

 

 

 

There is.absolutely no way she is smarter than me naturally.

 

 

 

She is more accomplished. Not smarter academically speaking.

 

 

 

More successful people financially are not necessarily smarter than us.

 

 

She is in no way worlds apart from me. The only thing she has is more perseverance.

 

Leigh... no one has said anything derogatory about your intelligence or insinuated that your friend is more intelligent than you are.

 

She is worlds apart because when an employer has to choose between two applicants for a job, neither of whom have any significant experience in the field, the next criteria they are likely to look for is academic qualifications. Having a degree is a qualification. University entrance scores (on their own, without an accompanying degree) is not a qualification.

 

I'm not telling you this to make you feel bad, but rather to impart to you that this is just how it is. Unless you are willing to put in a LOT of time working your way up so much that your experience negates your lack of degree, you need to focus on getting a degree if you want to compete. And until you do, it is going to be harder for you.

[todreaminblue]

I can handle stress in areas I am actually passionate about.

 

I found myself too clumsy and not a bubbly or desirable personality for serving food.

 

 

Trust me I tried hard. I asked for unpaid work experience and I handedy resume out for years. I'd get trials or interviews but never got the job.

 

Leigh what were you doing when you had your breakdown.....you were passionate then......you are highly strung...passionate yes.....handle stress.....debatable.......deb

[Leigh 87]

Weren't you doing some kind of aged care certificate and/or youth diploma? (I'll admit I don't really understand all these various government sponsored certificates and diplomas that Australia offers.) Are you not doing those anymore? You are now only doing an admin certificate?

 

I don't understand why you are working for free. Wasn't that the problem you had with the nanny job, that they weren't paying you properly? You obviously know how to type, spell and speak. Why do you need to work for free to learn entry level admin jobs? Or am I misunderstanding what you mean by entry level admin jobs? To me, that means answering phones, filing, taking dictation, doing personal assistant type stuff, etc. It's not rocket science.

 

You also have a bad habit of comparing yourself to your friends. Don't do it. You aren't them and they aren't you. Don't worry about what your 22 year old friend has already accomplished, and worry about what you are going to accomplish.

 

 

 

Luckily you also aren't desperate for money and have government funding and your parents to help you out.

 

 

Well I don't think anyone should be homeless when they are genuinly looking for work.

 

 

And i volunteer with frail aged people and I enjoyed it a lot so I started an aged care certificate. Only to discover that I didn't want to spend entire days toileting or applying bowel care.

 

These are just jobs I wanted to do during uni. So the government funds a course so you are able to find work. I picked aged care but changed the course over to an office ce admin one.

 

 

 

 

I know I could do the job, however, you need experience to get even the most basic admin jobs in Australia.

[clia]

Well I don't think anyone should be homeless when they are genuinly looking for work.

 

I didn't say or even suggest that.

[Leigh 87]

Leigh what were you doing when you had your breakdown.....you were passionate then......you are highly strung...passionate yes.....handle stress.....debatable.......deb

 

 

 

 

When I truly enjoy something I handle stress. When I am busting my ass for something I hate just for money I find it hard to just " be good" at something that I am naturally not adept at.

 

When I just cannot in spite of my best efforts " be good" in an area, like working in hospitality or retail, I don't cope well with stress because I have no natural inclination towards being efficient at the job.

 

Hospitality is very hard. You have to be shown how to use a massive register with heaps of different products, you are shown once and expected to get the hang of it fast and to be able to type things in at break beck speed.

 

I have been successful at it at times but never consistently between the various places I try out for.

 

I had some admin experience today. I definately enjoy it more than waiting tables or selling retail products.

[Leigh 87]

I didn't say or even suggest that.

 

I am grateful for assistance but I'd rather work.

 

I believe assisting those who are not fortunate enough to get the limited, finite amount of jobs out there, should be a social construct. Not something " we should feel so darn grateful for not being homeless " because any nice person would want to help people and only evil people actually want people to be homeless if they cannot afford to live.

[Leigh 87]

In Australia you definitely need experience either paid or unpaid, in admin, before anyone will hire you.

 

Only juniors and trainees get trained up in admin and need no experience.

 

After I start working 15 hours a week, albeit for free, I can then apply for jobs and say that I have the skills needed.

 

Rarely will an admin manager or office manager train you in proficiently in excel and Microsoft office. I can use excel on a basic level but I need to be able to turn up to the first day of my admin role, and be able to do data entry. No one will hire me if they have to sow me how to perform those basic things.

 

It is not rocket science though so with experience I should move into paid work by February next year, when my degree starts.

[todreaminblue]

When I truly enjoy something I handle stress. When I am busting my ass for something I hate just for money I find it hard to just " be good" at something that I am naturally not adept at.

 

When I just cannot in spite of my best efforts " be good" in an area, like working in hospitality or retail, I don't cope well with stress because I have no natural inclination towards being efficient at the job.

 

Hospitality is very hard. You have to be shown how to use a massive register with heaps of different products, you are shown once and expected to get the hang of it fast and to be able to type things in at break beck speed.

 

I have been successful at it at times but never consistently between the various places I try out for.

 

I had some admin experience today. I definately enjoy it more than waiting tables or selling retail products.

 

 

I don't cope well with stress because I have no natural inclination towards being efficient at the job.

 

You have to be shown how to use a massive register with heaps of different products, you are shown once and expected to get the hang of it fast and to be able to type things in at break beck speed.

 

 

this is all stress leigh and you dont handle it.....you need a slower pace and one of the reasons you are not inclined towards hospitality is because you don't handle stress......my hair goes physically grey at stress and trauma...i am better suited to working at my own pace......i go a bit ocd when i am stressed and stress triggers bad things so i am not inclined to want to do the job at all..i lose focus and tangent off .......like you...........i am academically minded also....navy picked me for a writer who would specialize in the law room..i am actually fond of ethics.........even though i am an excellent passionately driven messy cook..doesnt mean i can handle cooking for 300 people.....do you see what i am trying to tell you

 

 

i dont handle fast paced i need to be on my own speed to do the best i can do......you cant be good at everything leigh....you need to focus and i think admin is a good start for you......to settle into for a while until you start studying maybe..then drop the hours if you can.......dont take on too much..you also have that problem...and what happens is you drop everything and tangent off because it gets too much.....keep focused...dont be defensive when people try and help....deb

[Leigh 87]

this is all stress leigh and you dont handle it.....you need a slower pace and one of the reasons you are not inclined towards hospitality is because you don't handle stress......my hair goes physically grey at stress and trauma...i am better suited to working at my own pace......i go a bit ocd when i am stressed and stress triggers bad things so i am not inclined to want to do the job at all..i lose focus and tangent off .......like you...........i am academically minded also....navy picked me for a writer who would specialize in the law room..i am actually fond of ethics.........even though i am an excellent passionately driven messy cook..doesnt mean i can handle cooking for 300 people.....do you see what i am trying to tell you

 

 

i dont handle fast paced i need to be on my own speed to do the best i can do......you cant be good at everything leigh....you need to focus and i think admin is a good start for you......to settle into for a while until you start studying maybe..then drop the hours if you can.......dont take on too much..you also have that problem...and what happens is you drop everything and tangent off because it gets too much.....keep focused...dont be defensive when people try and help....deb

 

 

 

I don't like the fast paces nature of hospitality. Since it is on your feet and you are handling food and it is extremely unpleasant.

 

I believe that with practice and experience, I could work in admin even though it is also fast paced. I just want a BASIC entry level admin job to tide me over whilst I am at Uni. I am confident that the unpaid work doing admin work will get me up to speed so I at least know what I am doing enough to handle the fast paced office setting.

 

Admin is my absolute LAST shot and chance at being able to work during college. I suck at everything else (food serving, hospitality, retail, working with toddlers which you do not need a qualification for and are paid peanuts for, and I AM good at volunteering for frail aged patients, but I would not want to wipe their bottoms for money; I would rather be poor)

 

It is either aged care (since I am good with my volunteer work, working with frail aged), or admin work. I literally suck at everything else.

 

Those are the only two types of jobs I have a shot at.

 

Podiatry is also a slower paced job in some respects.

 

I have heard a fare few podiatrist say that if you hate fast paced, high stress roles, podiatry is lower stress but of course it can still be fast paced, but they all said they felt " more than ready" to tackle the fast pace since they studied for years to have the knowledge in which to apply in their every day working situations.

 

You are on your feet all day and always taking patients through, doing paperwork etc, but it is not a 'go go go, hurry up finish NOW" type setting....

 

 

 

 

ALL JOBS tend to run at a fast pace because everyone wants a job and if you cannot get things done super fast someone else will.

 

I KNOW I will be able to handle the fast pace in a select few jobs. Or else I cannot do anything, seeing as I do not want to start my own business or work from home or any of the "slower paced" carees.

 

I seemed to work fast in personal training! I actually enjoyed the job so I didn't mind moving fast and carrying out all my tasks swiftly I just didn't fart about.

[todreaminblue]

I don't like the fast paces nature of hospitality. Since it is on your feet and you are handling food and it is extremely unpleasant.

 

I believe that with practice and experience, I could work in admin even though it is also fast paced. I just want a BASIC entry level admin job to tide me over whilst I am at Uni. I am confident that the unpaid work doing admin work will get me up to speed so I at least know what I am doing enough to handle the fast paced office setting.

 

Admin is my absolute LAST shot and chance at being able to work during college. I suck at everything else (food serving, hospitality, retail, working with toddlers which you do not need a qualification for and are paid peanuts for, and I AM good at volunteering for frail aged patients, but I would not want to wipe their bottoms for money; I would rather be poor)

 

It is either aged care (since I am good with my volunteer work, working with frail aged), or admin work. I literally suck at everything else.

 

Those are the only two types of jobs I have a shot at.

 

Podiatry is also a slower paced job in some respects.

 

I have heard a fare few podiatrist say that if you hate fast paced, high stress roles, podiatry is lower stress but of course it can still be fast paced, but they all said they felt " more than ready" to tackle the fast pace since they studied for years to have the knowledge in which to apply in their every day working situations.

 

You are on your feet all day and always taking patients through, doing paperwork etc, but it is not a 'go go go, hurry up finish NOW" type setting....

 

 

 

 

ALL JOBS tend to run at a fast pace because everyone wants a job and if you cannot get things done super fast someone else will.

 

I KNOW I will be able to handle the fast pace in a select few jobs. Or else I cannot do anything, seeing as I do not want to start my own business or work from home or any of the "slower paced" carees.

 

I seemed to work fast in personal training! I actually enjoyed the job so I didn't mind moving fast and carrying out all my tasks swiftly I just didn't fart about.

 

 

nothing is ever a last shot leigh it just feels that way...your last shot is something you say just before you choose your coffin....i have a coffin picking tip always match your nail polish...i plan to have blue nail polish so i am going to purchase a muted hue of blue coffin when my time comes if i have warning that is.......or you can worry about picking a coffin when it happens to be that you will be in need of one....that can be your last shot at anything.....

 

 

 

from what you have posted on loveshack over the years you had your breakdown when you were a personal trainer .....so even though you say you can work fast pace ....i dont feel you are a multi tasker...lots of people arent even really intellectual people are not all multi taskers...they set a task complete and move to the next at their own pace...does that sound like you?............ admin would be good for you you can stay to task until you finish one and then you can start a new one.........dont let them take advantage of you working for nothing though.....and consider if you are working when it comes time to do your degree...... to release hours of work so you can fit in study and relaxation time.......

 

 

i wish you well leigh,you got this...;0) ....deb

Edited August 28, 2014 by todreaminblue

[Leigh 87]

I can answer emails while talking on the phone lol.

 

I can multi task to some extent.

 

I prefer to finish certain things off systematically and to be organised and not to leave things lying around unfinished though.

[Leigh 87]

Hmm so I seem to be getting a lot of interviews even without actual data entry experience.

 

I can only imagine that there is plenty of entry level, causal or part time admin work around since I have already gotten one interview in my local area as well as that one with the bank.

 

I am confident that once I start the 15 hours a week of unpaid experience, I will soon acquire the level of skill necessary to carry out a reception or entry level admin style of role.

 

I am getting interviews without having finished the certificate three in business admin or having any formal training/experience.

 

And yes in Australia, if you want to work in reception you need either experience OR a certificate with unpaid experience behind you.

 

Even for basic roles you need certificates and experience often times.

 

Otherwise, everyone would just go for the roles since they are all essentially something you can just SHOW someone, minus the certificate/piece of paper.

[Leigh 87]

hmm once you have a year of reception experience there are plenty of reception jobs around that pay 50K a year for 30 hours work a week.

 

Plenty of 40K jobs about for receptionists who have 1 year of experience.

 

These 40K roles don't normally ask for more than a year of experience.

 

Seems like a good gig during college opposed to the usual fast food and awful jobs around.

 

I managed to get 15 hours a week of unpaid reception/admin experience where I will do the job for free for a woman with a lot of connections and hopefully my hard, unpaid work will eventually pay off.

 

Not many jobs require a cert 3 in admin but they prefer it I have been told as it shows a more keen interest for the area.

 

Fingers crossed something comes up.

 

I find out Monday about the medical reception job, I doubt I got it due to lack of experience in reception; the interview went well, I could tell they thought I was nice and a person they would employ BUT, others they interviews had reception experience so......

 

Not sure why they called me in when I only just recently learned how to use excel and I have no reception experience, against applicants who DO have prior reception experience?

 

Would be amazing to get the job but I highly doubt it, my interview skills are more sound now as I have had more interview practice lately; my experience in the job I am after is mostly what lets me down.

[anne1707]

Leigh

 

 

Whilst I don't think you should stress so much about lack of experience in specific fields as employers do not always expect candidates to have lots of 100% relevant experience, please don't get carried away and think 15 hours unpaid work will make you "experienced". It's only 2 days work after all and if that is all you are doing then you will be given the most basic of tasks such as photocopying as nobody is going to train you up to do anything even half way complex.

[Leigh 87]

Is this a scam?

 

Please help guys.

 

I was told by a company that there are plenty of reception and office roles in remote mining towns that pay 90K a year and go for short contracts.

 

The high pay is for the compensation of living away from home and in a remote area with nothing to do (I read a lot and would do a cert in business admin in spare time).

 

Is it a scam because they want 200 dollars to register with their company, which they say would, very likely, land me a basic reception/admin job.

 

I am not going to do it lol until I research the company more, I am giving it a large google search before I even begin to think this is a legit company.