This  #12DaysOfAdminProfessionals celebration of peers you respect continues to grow.

Alongside those celebrations, here on Day Six, I’m bringing you excerpts from some more of my Real Careers interviews. If you’re ready for some inspiring reads, here are  more gifts of experience, highlighting skills and professional approaches that benefit all.

If you’d like to read an individual’s full interview, just click on that person’s name below.

Understand the corporate culture and mission

Kemetia Foley lives in Virginia, USA,  close to Washington, DC. What does she wish she knew at the outset of her career? First, “One doesn’t have to be friends with every person in the company.” Next? “To earn respect, you’ve got to give respect.” Kemetia also encourages people to walk away from gossip.

Some more of Kemetia’s recommendations? “Be professional. Dress professionally. Ask questions. Understand the corporate culture and mission of your employer/company. Invest in a head shot photo and make certain you have a relevant LinkedIn profile. Engage with other administrative professionals and leaders in the office support domain. My quote: ‘Administrative professionals are only as good as their resource network’.”

We are now at a stage where there is massive momentum within the profession to change perceptions

Kim Glover lives  in Teignmouth, is a seaside town near Exeter, England. Kim told me that she attends a lot of meetings alongside her executive, “… so that I have a good understanding of his priorities and agreed actions, and generally act as a conduit for information flow between key stakeholders.”

Kim added, “My boss is great, and he really values me and my role. He involves me and recognises my abilities. The challenge is around others, within and outside the business, who don’t understand the level of my involvement in management matters. Fortunately, we are now at a stage where there is massive momentum within the profession to change these perceptions, and I feel there is real traction and it is having a very positive effect.”

What matters to you may not matter so much to your executive – so it is about striking a balance

Ollie Minto lives in London, England. In his interview, Ollie encouraged talking with your new executive to understand that person’s priorities. “”Get to know the ins and outs of the role and what is really important/on the priority list for the executive. What matters to you may not matter so much to them – so it is about striking a balance between the two, and being able to flex to the demands of your executive and the business.”

Ollie also touched on time management. His strategy? “Prioritising – 100%. It is about working smart, not hard, and if you spend hours and hours on tasks that can wait until tomorrow, simply let them go. I am also a fan of lists, so I tend to jot down what needs to be done in order to visually determine what needs my urgent assistance.”

Nothing is impossible

Michele Thwaits lives in Johannesburg , South Africa. When I asked Michele about recommendations for those seeking an advancement, here’s what she said. “Whatever you decide to go for, whether it be promotion within your company or into a new area altogether, research, study, and get in touch with someone in that position/career and network. Find out more about the type of work they do, what is required, how to get into such a role, and take it from there. Nothing is impossible – just tell yourself, ‘I am possible’, and you will do whatever you set your mind and heart to.”