I have been an administrative professional for over 30 years. When I first started out the big controversy was getting your boss their morning coffee. This was a line in the sand for many in our profession. Only, it wasn't a cup of coffee they were protesting. It was the lack of respect that the demand represented. What was lacking was the acknowledgement that knowing that small act could set the tone for their day. If you knew s/he was coming up from the parking garage and made sure to have that steaming mug on their desk for them to drink while they went through the pile of mail in their in-box (sorted in color-coded folders) it was one less thing for them to think about. And let's face it - that is what a lot of our job is - doing the little things so our boss doesn't have to think about them. As our profession evolved over the last 30 years, the little things I did turned into big things - instead of calendar, memos and mail, I now manage events, liaise with finance, HR and IT, manage real estate, manage our 50+ contractor pool, manage ad hoc projects, and still am the only one who knows how to get a light bulb changed, who to call to unclog the drain or how to drop the screen in the conference room! I've know about the certification for decades and have toyed with taking it, but I had so many reasons for not doing this for me. This year I said - I'm going to put me first! I put CAP Certification in my development plan. My boss signed off on this development plan which means that all materials and time needed for the test are covered by my company. They recognize the importance of this certification and back me 100%. I've made myself a priority in other ways too - I'll see YOU at Summit in July. I signed up for the Marie Herman study group. Last night at orientation I appreciated the frank presentation that this will be hard, but it will be worth. Putting the time aside and the tips on how to do it are especially what I needed. It has been years since I was in a classroom and I had such a hard time focusing. Marie's information and tips on how to make it interesting and how to ensure it is retained (my cats will probably be able to pass the CAP when I'm done!) were things I hadn't thought about. I'll be sharing my journey on my blog here I think. This post will make a good starting point - join me !

Thank you for providing insights to your story. Wishing you the best in your certification journey.

I really enjoyed your shared experiences. In all the years I was employed for a paycheck, I think the only time I ever got someone coffee was when there was a guest. I remember one person I worked for telling me we all got a paycheck and we all got our own coffee. Just so you know, I started my certification process when my youngest child left for college. My review course was at a college and I stayed there a few more years to complete my Bachelor of Science studies -- something I had started before marriage and children. You can do it and Marie is an excellent trainer. I didn't have cats but I had an electrical engineer husband who had no trouble answering questions (correctly) he knew nothing about. I look forward to your next share. - Joyce

Congratulations on taking this next step in your personal and professional development, Lori-jo. Your positive attitude will be an asset to you in this journey. Best wishes with your studies!

Woo hoo! I am so happy to share the journey with you. Our profession has indeed evolved substantially over the decades. it's amazing where we can end up in life, when we set our mind to it.

Good for you! I'm in the study group, too. We can do this!

Congratulations on making yourself a priority! Best of luck with your studies and the exam.

Emily

I am also in Marie's study group! I am very excited to be on this path! Sweaty palms excited, but excited! Let's do this!

Michelle