Dear All,
I have been an HR Assistant for more than 6 years now working in the academia. Last Monday, I was told by my HRD Head that the Executive Vice-President & Human Resource Director wanted to have me appointed as Secretary to the HR Director. Currently, he has an executive secretary but is not satisfied with her performance anymore, so he wants to have 2 secretaries - one as his executive secretary and one as his HR Director secretary (Me).
My concern now is, will this appointment drag me away from an HR career? Is this a promotion or demotion? They insist that the Secretary to the HR Director position has higher pay and a higher rank than an HR assistant. Please enlighten me. I am now confused. Thank you.
From Philippines, Quezon
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I have been an HR Assistant for more than 6 years now working in the academia. Last Monday, I was told by my HRD Head that the Executive Vice-President & Human Resource Director wanted to have me appointed as Secretary to the HR Director. Currently, he has an executive secretary but is not satisfied with her performance anymore, so he wants to have 2 secretaries - one as his executive secretary and one as his HR Director secretary (Me).
My concern now is, will this appointment drag me away from an HR career? Is this a promotion or demotion? They insist that the Secretary to the HR Director position has higher pay and a higher rank than an HR assistant. Please enlighten me. I am now confused. Thank you.
From Philippines, Quezon
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1. Ask them to help you with a job description.
2. Provide them with a list of Key Result Areas (KRAs).
3. Cross-check the above with your current job description and KRAs.
4. Inquire if they can suggest a different job title if you are not comfortable with the Executive Assistant title, while keeping the same job description.
5. Clearly communicate that you are uncomfortable with the job title, not the job responsibilities.
From India, Mumbai
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1542. Provide them with a list of Key Result Areas (KRAs).
3. Cross-check the above with your current job description and KRAs.
4. Inquire if they can suggest a different job title if you are not comfortable with the Executive Assistant title, while keeping the same job description.
5. Clearly communicate that you are uncomfortable with the job title, not the job responsibilities.
From India, Mumbai
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Hi Bhakti Narang,
That is my problem. This is the scenario: my HRD head is new, just nearly 2 years in the role. She is the wife of the EVP & HR Director. I handle all the communications for HR and the EVP. I created my own job description, and I find it challenging to express myself easily. I have been very close to them and their family. I wonder what else I can do. Anyways, thank you so much.
From Philippines, Quezon
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That is my problem. This is the scenario: my HRD head is new, just nearly 2 years in the role. She is the wife of the EVP & HR Director. I handle all the communications for HR and the EVP. I created my own job description, and I find it challenging to express myself easily. I have been very close to them and their family. I wonder what else I can do. Anyways, thank you so much.
From Philippines, Quezon
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In my opinion, it is an opportunity to work directly with the Director of HR and has a lot of learning potential. As an HR Assistant (your current job), you may have exposure to only a small portion of the overall HR function in your organization. As a Secretary, you will probably be required to coordinate not only with different sections of your HR department but also with other functions (like operations, finance, and business development, etc.) and deal with higher-level executives of the company. This will give you a chance to have a helicopter view of the entire organization besides learning about the HR strategy. You may be required to work on MIS and thus learn about data analysis and HR statistics.
Surely, you will have to put in long hours of work and be available to the HR Director all the time. If you are a career-conscious person, you should feel obliged to your HR Director for having picked you up for this job.
From India, Delhi
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Surely, you will have to put in long hours of work and be available to the HR Director all the time. If you are a career-conscious person, you should feel obliged to your HR Director for having picked you up for this job.
From India, Delhi
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Hello Naomi.forrosuelo,
You do have a problem... so to say.
Going by what you mentioned, BOTH you & them [HR Director & HRD Head] are right--from each other's perspectives.
Taking the different aspects one-by-one, it's correct that the chances are HIGH that this will drag you away from an HR career. However, their counter--'secretary of the HR director has higher pay and a higher rank than an HR assistant'--is also right.
It all depends on 'which side of the situation' one is looking at.
What you need to FOCUS ON is: what do YOU want & the direction YOU want YOUR career to take.
Based on what you mentioned, it SEEMS as though both the Head & Director own the company--please confirm.
Another point that CAN be needed to suggest more accurately is: IF the existing secretary isn't working properly, then why is she being tolerated instead of being FIRED? Practically, it doesn't make business sense [or 'common sense' for that matter] to add another person for the same function FOR THE REASON you mentioned. Is there something else to the whole thing?
Another way of looking at this is: Do you have the OPTION of REFUSING? What would be the likely consequences FOR YOU? Especially since you mentioned that you are close to them?
IF you don't have another option, for whatever reason(s), EXCEPT ACCEPTING the Offer, then try to make the BEST BARGAIN out of the situation: Ask for the HR Role also to be added to your Job Responsibilities, without being stuck with ONLY the typical secretarial functions of taking notes, typing letters, Minutes-of-Meetings, etc--IN WRITING please. The reason why I am suggesting this is: once you move away from the core HR role, then getting back into it again--here or in another company WOULD be TOUGH, if not impossible.
All the Best.
Regards,
TS
From India, Hyderabad
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You do have a problem... so to say.
Going by what you mentioned, BOTH you & them [HR Director & HRD Head] are right--from each other's perspectives.
Taking the different aspects one-by-one, it's correct that the chances are HIGH that this will drag you away from an HR career. However, their counter--'secretary of the HR director has higher pay and a higher rank than an HR assistant'--is also right.
It all depends on 'which side of the situation' one is looking at.
What you need to FOCUS ON is: what do YOU want & the direction YOU want YOUR career to take.
Based on what you mentioned, it SEEMS as though both the Head & Director own the company--please confirm.
Another point that CAN be needed to suggest more accurately is: IF the existing secretary isn't working properly, then why is she being tolerated instead of being FIRED? Practically, it doesn't make business sense [or 'common sense' for that matter] to add another person for the same function FOR THE REASON you mentioned. Is there something else to the whole thing?
Another way of looking at this is: Do you have the OPTION of REFUSING? What would be the likely consequences FOR YOU? Especially since you mentioned that you are close to them?
IF you don't have another option, for whatever reason(s), EXCEPT ACCEPTING the Offer, then try to make the BEST BARGAIN out of the situation: Ask for the HR Role also to be added to your Job Responsibilities, without being stuck with ONLY the typical secretarial functions of taking notes, typing letters, Minutes-of-Meetings, etc--IN WRITING please. The reason why I am suggesting this is: once you move away from the core HR role, then getting back into it again--here or in another company WOULD be TOUGH, if not impossible.
All the Best.
Regards,
TS
From India, Hyderabad
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Dear Tajsateesh,
My HRD head and his husband (the EVP & HR Director) are co-owners of the company. This is a family-owned corporation. Both of them are stockholders.
Yes, it is like I don't have the option to refuse but to accept. Would it be possible if the appointment wasn't only as secretary but like this:
"Concurrent to your position as HR Assistant, you are hereby appointed as Secretary of the HR Director effective ___. Blah...blah." Is this okay?
Another thing, my HRD head is asking for my job descriptions. I have attached my current job descriptions here. If you don't have another option for whatever reason(s) except accepting the offer, then try to make the best bargain out of the situation: Ask for the HR role also to be added to your job responsibilities, without being stuck with only the typical secretarial functions of taking notes, typing letters, minutes-of-meetings, etc.—in writing, please. The reason why I am suggesting this is: once you move away from the core HR role, then getting back into it again—here or in another company would be tough, if not impossible.
Can I possibly ask for your help to look into the attached JD? Would it be okay to maintain this JD and to add the Secretary of the HR Director JD, and what do you suggest? Thank you so much. You all really helped me in weighing things.
From Philippines, Quezon
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My HRD head and his husband (the EVP & HR Director) are co-owners of the company. This is a family-owned corporation. Both of them are stockholders.
Yes, it is like I don't have the option to refuse but to accept. Would it be possible if the appointment wasn't only as secretary but like this:
"Concurrent to your position as HR Assistant, you are hereby appointed as Secretary of the HR Director effective ___. Blah...blah." Is this okay?
Another thing, my HRD head is asking for my job descriptions. I have attached my current job descriptions here. If you don't have another option for whatever reason(s) except accepting the offer, then try to make the best bargain out of the situation: Ask for the HR role also to be added to your job responsibilities, without being stuck with only the typical secretarial functions of taking notes, typing letters, minutes-of-meetings, etc.—in writing, please. The reason why I am suggesting this is: once you move away from the core HR role, then getting back into it again—here or in another company would be tough, if not impossible.
Can I possibly ask for your help to look into the attached JD? Would it be okay to maintain this JD and to add the Secretary of the HR Director JD, and what do you suggest? Thank you so much. You all really helped me in weighing things.
From Philippines, Quezon
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Dear Tajsateesh, I have attached my current JD, which I wish you could make a review on it as to whether is it okay to add my secretarial JD Thanks
From Philippines, Quezon
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From Philippines, Quezon
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Hello Naomi.forrosuelo,
The JD looks OK from the HR function angle. But there's no mention of the new role that's being planned for you—maybe you can add it.
Coming to your query: "Concurrent to your position as HR Assistant, you are hereby appointed as Secretary of the HR Director effective___. blah..blah." Is this okay?
I suggest not indicating the Secretary of the HR Director as your Designation. You could have a tricky situation if and when you plan to leave later for a better job—there will be a dilemma on what designation to give you. It would be better to include/add the new role to your existing one.
I suggest using the following wordings:
"In addition to your primary responsibility as HR Assistant, you will henceforth also be responsible for the Secretarial functions/activities as Secretary of the HR Director effective___. blah..blah."
Also, suggest that you ensure the existing secretary REPORTS TO YOU. Else, there could be chances of clashes of interest/work assignments later. If she reports to you, you could decide your priorities as you go along and assign any lower-priority tasks to her, and you can focus on larger things.
Also, just a thought... can you squeeze in a change of designation from 'HR Assistant' to... let's say... 'HR Executive' or some such thing from them? The idea is to ensure that the rest of the company recognizes that your responsibilities have been increased/raised—though the actual effect depends on the total staff/employee strength.
All the Best.
Rgds,
TS
From India, Hyderabad
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The JD looks OK from the HR function angle. But there's no mention of the new role that's being planned for you—maybe you can add it.
Coming to your query: "Concurrent to your position as HR Assistant, you are hereby appointed as Secretary of the HR Director effective___. blah..blah." Is this okay?
I suggest not indicating the Secretary of the HR Director as your Designation. You could have a tricky situation if and when you plan to leave later for a better job—there will be a dilemma on what designation to give you. It would be better to include/add the new role to your existing one.
I suggest using the following wordings:
"In addition to your primary responsibility as HR Assistant, you will henceforth also be responsible for the Secretarial functions/activities as Secretary of the HR Director effective___. blah..blah."
Also, suggest that you ensure the existing secretary REPORTS TO YOU. Else, there could be chances of clashes of interest/work assignments later. If she reports to you, you could decide your priorities as you go along and assign any lower-priority tasks to her, and you can focus on larger things.
Also, just a thought... can you squeeze in a change of designation from 'HR Assistant' to... let's say... 'HR Executive' or some such thing from them? The idea is to ensure that the rest of the company recognizes that your responsibilities have been increased/raised—though the actual effect depends on the total staff/employee strength.
All the Best.
Rgds,
TS
From India, Hyderabad
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Hi Naomi,
You should just accept the offer because you can learn more than what you are currently doing. It is a position where you can work closely with the HR Director and quickly learn major aspects of HR. You can showcase your experience as an HR Assistant or Executive on your CV since you will be familiar with all the activities of the HR department.
Regards,
RK
From India, Mumbai
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You should just accept the offer because you can learn more than what you are currently doing. It is a position where you can work closely with the HR Director and quickly learn major aspects of HR. You can showcase your experience as an HR Assistant or Executive on your CV since you will be familiar with all the activities of the HR department.
Regards,
RK
From India, Mumbai
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Dear Naomi,
Your concerns are accurate; however, you need to weigh your pros and cons such as money, experience, gaining insight into both sides of the fence, etc.
Yes, EAs do get a better package (I know this, since I come from the same background). If you ask me, I'll take the opportunity since: 1. I get to work closely in the HR Director's office and attend all his meetings, see firsthand how he handles issues, etc. I think you'll learn more and get paid more in a shorter span of time. Besides, the HR executive position will always be there when you want to get back. :)
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I have corrected the spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors in the user input and ensured proper paragraph formatting.
From India, Bangalore
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Your concerns are accurate; however, you need to weigh your pros and cons such as money, experience, gaining insight into both sides of the fence, etc.
Yes, EAs do get a better package (I know this, since I come from the same background). If you ask me, I'll take the opportunity since: 1. I get to work closely in the HR Director's office and attend all his meetings, see firsthand how he handles issues, etc. I think you'll learn more and get paid more in a shorter span of time. Besides, the HR executive position will always be there when you want to get back. :)
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I have corrected the spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors in the user input and ensured proper paragraph formatting.
From India, Bangalore
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