25/07/2009 12:49:53 PM
My ideal position would allow me to combine work with the duties of a parent, so would ideally prefer an early start and early finish so I could be available for after sport pick-ups, providing early dinners for hungry teenagers or just being there to lend an ear.
Having a job is important to me: firstly it allows me to earn my own salary, which is important to me as it provides the money for my children’s schooling, as well as giving me the opportunity to meet new people and make new friends. Having an income allows me to do other things such as go on the occasional holiday, or buy art supplies for my painting which I do regularly. Working also gives me a sense of worth and confidence, as I find that when a good job is done people are usually appreciative.
I have well developed administrative and organizational skills including the ability to coordinate workflow, determine priorities, meet deadlines and effectively balance competing demands in a high pressure environment. These skills have developed over time in each of the companies that I was employed at, starting with our own business, Tzaros Foods. Each of the following jobs taught me how to be better organised and how to manage to get administration duties completed while attending to a busy switchboard with multiple lines, and with a steady stream of people coming in and out who needed attention. At Devine Homes, and more particularly at Abercrombie & Kent, a luxury Travel Company, this was a particular challenge, as there were many duties that required daily completion at specific times such as client on-line or phone requests for information which involved response to the client, data entry, mail merge, daily letter writing, and packaging up relevant documents in time for mail collection each evening.
In each of my jobs I have found that it is necessary to be versatile and flexible as changing demands require this – it is not possible in a reception position to sit on one job and think only of that until it is done, then tackle the next one. Priorities constantly change as each day progresses, there are constant interruptions by the phone, couriers and customers/clients etc which of course all need immediate attention, and have to be dealt with in good humour. It also takes self motivation to follow up on tasks as reception is usually a position which is separated from other staff members (in my experience, it has often been situated on a separate floor from the rest of the company, so self motivation is something I have had to acquire. Initiative is also important – I like to find better ways to do things, and tend to record a lot of my activities in Excel spreadsheets. Management usually ask questions about productivity at some point and I like to be prepared.
In addition to working as receptionist, I have experience in customer service, have excellent verbal and interpersonal communication skills, and feel that I have the capacity to deal with a diverse range of people. I have gained this experience while working in a variety of jobs:
· In 2002 my husband and I purchased a foodservice business selling and delivering fresh and frozen foods to restaurants and cafes (as well as counter sales to private individuals who came to the warehouse), dealing with delivery drivers and coordinating staff; we set up the business as a proper functioning office after converting it ourselves.
· In 2004, after we sold the business, I worked part time as receptionist at three separate companies concurrently for the next year or so – two specialist doctors’ rooms, and a flooring company. During this time I was required to deal with a wide variety of people ranging from specialist surgeons, doctors and other health practitioners, through to administration staff, patients (including some celebrities), to sales people, delivery drivers, couriers and cleaners. At the flooring company I was often seconded to the warehouse to help with more manual work such as sanding and grading the floorboards. I enjoy dealing with a wide range of people, and believe that I have a good rapport with most people I meet.
I have had training in Microsoft Word 2000 and Microsoft Outlook 2003 (both 1 day courses) in 2006 at the New Horizons Computer Learning Centre in Melbourne, and have had pertinent experience with these programmes particularly at the two most recent companies I have worked for Devine Homes and Abercrombie & Kent Travel. I have also used Microsoft Excel on a daily basis. I completed a 10 week Computer Graphics course in 1999 at the Melbourne School of Art & Photography in Elsternwick, as an update to my skills in graphics acquired in the late 1970’s (Certificate of Applied Art – Finished Art 1977 – 1979) and practiced from then until I took time out to be a full time mother in the 1990’s. These additional skills would be helpful for any design and production duties that might be required of me, as may be another skill not highlighted in my CV – illustration and cartooning (in 1990 – 1992 I worked in a licensed cartoon studio, first as a finished artist, and then after that as a freelance Illustrator).
People generally like me, and I have had many favourable comments over time from people who say that they like to see me at a reception desk as it makes them feel welcome when they enter the building. I always make an effort to remember names and if possible, details that someone has mentioned to me so I can, for example, ask after the new baby or grandmother, etc. Not to be best friends, but to make each visitor feel as if they are remembered and not invisible, or (as can be the case in some places I have visited) an inconvenience to the receptionist for venturing into their territory and disturbing them!
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