What do you do for a living??

So Keith and I had this fabulous discussion the other night about what exactly I do for a living. Well my job is one of MANY MANY hats, like alot of you in the clerical world. Technically I'm an office manager for a really cool architecture/engineering firm. We create green schools (what we're known for), we do jails, prisons (so glamorous!), higher ed, hospitals, and embassy work (HUGE part of our other office, not so much here).

My daily goal is to make myself so needed that they just can't do it without me. ;) but seriously...
Alot of my responsiblities revolve around keeping my office of 25 employees in supplies, in an organized space, updating people on new company practices (and developing those), keeping my receptionist busy with work to take the load off our staff (typing minutes, proofing final documents, filing, mail, shipping, various projects) printing out HUGE books of work called specs (specifications on what products are used on each project) keeping our equiptment in working order, planning our weekly fun time (beer 30 as we call it, little mixer for the staff every friday at 4:30). Hiring, terminations, benefits, timesheets, etc.

Then about 40% of my time is on specific project work. Everything from managing tasks with a client (when we do site surveys, we send an architect out to take a look at a school lets say, and we have to get them on campus, security badge info, calling the principal ahead of time, getting the equiptment ready, camera, etc. all the paperwork that they fill out has to be printed and ready for them SUPER labor intensive) dealing with project managers smaller tasks (which is what I'm doing this week, we have a meeting at a middle school for 100 teachers and I have to get supplies ready, anyone know where to get 15 yoga balls at the last minute? well I do) setting up meetings with clients and subconsultants (reservations, travel info, meet and greet, etc.). And the big one, contract administration. The principal of the firm gives me the bare bones and I create the contracts, get the signatures and get them all back out again.

And the super fun part lately?? We're moving. I've been dealing with movers, the State DOT (who purchased our space), all of our vendors of leased equipment (copiers, coffee service, plants, you name it) and all the fun that goes with cleaning stuff out that we don't want to move. I've been up to my ears in archiving!

I love what I'm doing right now, I have my days where I'm tired of dealing with 3-4 bosses but for the most part, they keep me busy, they reward me for my time and energy (no one loves a pat on the back more than I do) and I'm constantly learning how to perfect my craft.

There's the rough idea of what I do here at work, at home, that's another story.