How To Surf The Web Without Getting Fired

Okay, you’ve been at work for an hour and you have already completed all of your administrative tasks for the day. It’s 10:15 and after wiping down the break room, scrubbing the employee loo, and organizing the storage room, you are starting to run out of productive things to do. Your boss is in meetings all day and you are condemned to an afternoon of fighting off that compulsion to check and re-check your Myspace, Facebook, and all three personal email accounts.

If you’re like me, this can make for a pretty wearisome countdown until quitting time. For many administrative assistants, being on the Internet feels a bit miserable. Especially if your company doesn’t have a concrete policy concerning your usage. Generally, most employers don’t like to pay employees to amuse themselves but if you have done all the cleaning, catch-up, and forward thinking work you can get your hands on, then the web can be pretty tempting. Here are 8 creative tips that will satisfy your web cravings and improve your work performance that are bound to mark your boss:

Tip 1 – Be a Better Employee
The Internet is full of good advice. Why not take advantage of all the great sites that can give you tips to be a better assistant, receptionist, or whatever. Wiki-how and About.com are fair two of the sites that I have found to be very informative. There are also lots of free on-line tutorials for software programs that your company might be using. Want to score promoted to the Accounting Department? How about taking a free on-line class on Quickbooks? Or unbiased impress your boss by taking advantage of the many features of Outlook she may not know about yet.

Tip 2 – Shopping!
Who doesn’t love on-line shopping? However, in order to occupy your sense of employee integrity, try shopping for whatever it is that your company routinely orders. For example, if your company usually orders office supplies from a major supplier, try finding the exact same supplies for less on a competitor’s situation. Or just google the price name of what you are looking for and see who carries it. Then you can shop comparatively. Find it cheaper elsewhere and you are an instant hero! You can then compile all of your cheaper products into a spreadsheet of current cost vs. cheaper cost. Voila! You have impartial produced a cost cutting proposal that will look good on any evaluation or resume. Don’t forget to select shipping costs into myth!

Tip 3 – CraigsList
Craigslist is the ultimate in boredom reduction. Not only can you find everything from free couches to vegetable seeds, it’s all local and that makes it more attractive, right? So, when your boss goes by on his way to the sparkling clean restroom and sees where your computer is taking you, don’t let him wonder if you’re looking for a new job. Let him know that you are searching for less expensive marketing strategies. Craigslist is free to post on as long as you only post to one residence at a time. What better plan to get those phones ringing then to post a free advertisement for your companies products or services? You’ll be adding “Marketing Specialist” to your title before you know it!

Tip 4- Being the Go-To Gal/Guy
The number one reason I am allowed to be on the Internet as considerable as I am is because my boss needs me to be. If you work for someone who is not in the computer age yet, being able to use the Internet makes you the belle of the ball. Whatever search engine you may choose, you will be indispensable once you are recognized as being the person everyone in the office can go to for directions, phone numbers, weather reports, etc. Some of your most useful sites for this are Mapquest, Yellow Pages, and Google.

Tip 5 – Competitors Websites
Chances are that you are already knowledgeable about what your company offers, but what about those other guys? The Internet is a wonderful tool for researching who has what for sale and how much they are selling it for. If you let your boss know that your company is either higher or lower than the competition, he or she will want to know!

Tip 6 – Being News Savvy
This is a no-brainer. If you are using the Internet to entertain yourself, try cruising different news sites. Your local newspaper on-line can provide you with little tidbits that may interest your co-workers and your boss. Just try to stick to topics that relate to the industry. For instance, if you work in a construction office and the city council has just passed a new ordinance on building permits, your boss will be interested! Even if he was expecting it, being the first to let him know makes you stand out as a useful source of information. Just be careful not to always be the bearer of bad news. Try to incorporate positive information, too! Perhaps there is an opportunity to receive free publicity by donating to a local event. Find out the details and then pitch it to the powers that be.

Tip 7 – Today’s Historical Importance
Okay, this one might not wait on the company, but it will provide some relief from the reliable topics that tend to get rehashed over and over at the water cooler.
There are several sites dedicated to the historical importance of any given day. Today in History is a salubrious one. It provides different events that occurred on this date, categorized by era. Civil War, Vietnam, Crime, Literary, etc. There is bound to be something you find spicy and it can be a good distraction point when you see that guy from shipping who likes to talk about politics or the girl from A/R who keeps trying to get you come to her Wednesday Night Bible Study.

Tip 8 – Transportation Scheduling
Many times, my boss is too busy with customers to research his fill travel arrangements. Lustrous what trips he is planning and where he is going can be tricky, but a trustworthy assistant pays attention to these things. Using sites like Expedia, Kayak, or airlines direct pages is a capable way to comparison shop fares and then present it to him intelligently. I like to put in my own fantasy vacation plans while I’m at it so I can dream about going to Hawaii next Thursday. It might be silly, but your boss will appreciate your efforts and may give you the responsibility of making his reservations, which can be a precursor to more glamorous assignments.

Of course, beget sure that your company does not already have strict guidelines in set for Internet use before you commence. This works best if you are allowed to spend the Internet in moderation or if you have a job that uses the Internet already. Never, ever put off work you have been assigned in order to surf the web and always stop reading when someone is talking to you and give them your full undivided attention. Do not be furtive or secretive while surfing, but DO explain what you’re looking at and why if someone seems interested in your screen. Follow these guidelines and you will have less down time and more tasks to fill your workday before you know it! Surf’s up!

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