It dawned on me a few weeks ago when chatting with my boss... and I actually expressed it out loud to him.... that I never really planned that my career would be as an "administrative assistant. That phrase pretty much captures why I think it is important to get the CAP. What I have done for over twenty years has turned into my "profession." It may not have been what I majored in eons ago in college, and may not have been my "plan"...( just kind of turned out that way... gotta pay the bills)... but I realized that I have pretty much "piecemealed" my administrative skills over the years. I had my intro training to Word, Excel, PPT back when I worked for Andersen Consulting back in the 90's. One-off training on various systems and applications over the years... but nothing to really show what I know... or something to confirm to myself what I know. It was after my conversation with my boss that he suggested that I speak to another admin for recommendations on ways to enhance my skills. She referred me to IAAP and CAP. Through getting certified, I hope to gain an increased confidence in the things I am already skilled at and also learn/develop new skills that will allow me to be more confident in my role and enhance opportunities for promotion as I continue my career with my employer.

Good luck!

Best wishes on your CAP certification journey.

I completely agree with you Debbie. I actually worked in retail prior to becoming an admin. I stumbled into the administrative professional world. A friend knew I was trying to pick up extra cash and she recruited me to fill in for their admin who was going on maternity leave. The admin decided not to come back and I ended up staying on board. That was a little over 20 years ago. Like yourself, I have piecemealed my career over the years through trainings, contract work, and various jobs.

I just completed my certification this past Spring. I can honestly say, you will not regret it. You will learn a lot, you will confirm what you know and you will also gain confidence in your skill set. Enjoy the experience.