Be a Kickass Assistant: How to Get from a Grunt Job to a Great Career

by Heather Beckel

A practical guide to strutting your stuff from cubicle to corner office.

Genres: Nonfiction

240 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2002

Reviews

[Amanda Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book helped me so much in my first assistant job. I referred back to it many times, gave it to my successors and recommended it to many!
Thank you Heather!

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Book 1 in a series of reads recommended by work people.
While I'm sure this was more helpful at the time of publication, at this point, it's incredibly dated, not just in terms of technological references, but also things like -- it includes a list of common telephone area codes. Favorite lines include:
- "Save important files onto a floppy disk and keep it secure."
- "If he's modern and sophisticated, it is okay to send a man flowers."

[Cyndi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dated but Good

I read this as both an assistant and as research I’m doing for a novel I’m writing. I found it to be a better read than some of the novels I’m reading and I enjoyed the look at a different type of assistants life.

The information about work ethic and strategy will always be relevant. Some of the tools like fax machines and binders are a little out of date.

If you’re a creative problem solver you’ll be able to use this information and recognize what digital tools you have access to that will replace the dated information.

[Jake White · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book was good. It was nice to get the perspective of someone who started a whole new assistant role. Going into the role I am, it’s a nice start. The only reason I gave 4 stars was the switch in genders I saw. If the boss was negative it was a him. If it was positive they were a female. But overall a good book. I’m glad to have it on my shelf.

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this book saved me from getting fired from my first job out of college. Working under the director of a college events coordinator, I didn't have a clue what I was doing and was given very little training-but my boss expected meticulousness. The tips in this book are invaluable to anyone-not just assistants- really anyone in a support role or a job with any administrative tasks. It saved my job, like I said, but unfortunately could not help me purge my acquired loathing of an assistant role with no room for growth. I've since moved on, but still use a lot of the advice from this book.

[Lydia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very helpful guide for a new PA or Executive Assistant. It really puts you in the right mind frame of always trying to think ahead and anticipate your employers needs. The reference to technology are a little dated. Fax machines? What? And for some younger readers the fun name dropping might go a little over your head. Overall I found it to be a helpful guide and would recommend it to other new assistant or people struggling to settle into the job.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this how-to book written by the assistant to George Stephanopolus during the first Clinton presidency. Some of the name-dropping and her obvious worship of George aside, she had some valuable tips for being an efficient assistant. It was very affirming to see that I do a lot of these things already!

[Dawn Knox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book for executive assistants and easy read. Good tips relating to the day-to-day procedures and keeping your boss' reputation stellar, which will, of course, make you shine as well.