Continued from page 16


13:00: As lunchtime approaches, I heat up my lunch and come back to my desk – yip, I can indeed multi skill! My manager has returned from his meeting and will now go off to the gym for his daily swim. I remind him that he needs


to be back by 2:30 for his next meeting with fund managers from the UK. As he leaves his office for the gym he places a pile of unwanted documents on my desk.... commonly known as “filing”.


I work


through these immediately, shredding those that we do not need to keep copies of and filing what’s left. The sooner it is off my desk the better for me.


14:30: My manager’s 2:30 visitors arrive and I politely


offer them something to drink. We chat briefly about the weather, sport and other trivia. I sms my manager on his phone to let him know they have arrived so that he is prepared for their presence, and then once again toddle off to Seattle to purchase the visitors’ and his coffee’s, latte’s, cappuccino’s and espresso’s .... these people just LOVE that we have a Seattle here – I am sure that is the reason they visit so often!


15:00: A few minutes before 3pm, I set up my laptop


and re-check my meeting file. Its that time of week where I take minutes for one of our investment meetings.


I take a leisurely walk down to the meeting room, set up the laptop, check equipment and ensure that the refreshments arrive in good time. Managers arrive for the meeting, their prepared meeting files under their arms and the warm greetings and small talk


gather


momentum. My manager arrives, last but on time, as usual and the meeting proceeds. Taking minutes on my laptop is far easier and much quicker for me.


After two hours of intense technical discussions, I dash back to my desk to edit the minutes, send them to the attendees for their input and amendments, and provide them with a reasonable response time to ensure that the minutes are distributed completed, in good time. The afternoon starts quieting down. It has been a well oiled day and most things have gone pretty smoothly.


I receive an e-mail from a training vendor inviting me to facilitate at their next Secretarial Seminar, print out the information and take it home to work on a compelling message to share with my peers.


18:00: It is 6pm and I am glad to be packing up for the day. Tomorrow will be blissful – the boss is out of town .


Continued from page 16 13:00 to 16:00:


After


lunch my boss’ meetings usually continue (as described above). Depending on matters at hand, I will focus my attention on drafting correspondence, compiling and editing reports, drafting minutes, reviewing items received (faxes, purchase


requisitions, letters, proposals, internal correspondence, etc.), and if necessary I redirect some of the requests to the relevant departments within the company. I also follow-up on some of the questions my boss raised during our morning briefing with the relevant divisions.


My e-mail inbox is open at all times to ensure that I am constantly aware of any incoming emails. In between all of the above, I answer incoming telephone calls and return calls we may have missed.


18 issue 2 • careersuccess


During the afternoon, I also aim to file all finalised matters (online and in hard copy).


16:00: At the end of the day I review the “to do list”


and update where necessary. I always print an updated diary for my boss to take with him (you never know when Blackberry technology could fail). We usually have a debrief session and I attend to any final requests Prof Khumalo may have for the day.


13:00: Although official office hours are from 08h00 to


17h00 Prof Khumalo and I spend a lot more time in the office – of course depending on what we are working on. I prefer to stay in the office with Prof Khumalo until his last meeting ends. We pack our bags together and accompany each other to the parking area – each heading to our respective homes.


Special Feature


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