Re: secretary's day

["Gottlieb, Lynn" <Lynn -dot- Gottlieb -at- PSS -dot- BOEING -dot- COM>]

> Melissa,
>
> I understand.
>
> Despite my unisex name (an advantage in the business world), I am
> female.  In 1996 I was working on my engineering degree at UW and
> managing two conferences for the School of Public Health.  My title
> (Program Manager) and job responsibilities had nothing to do with
> being a secretary. Yet one of the PI's got me a Secretary's Day card
> and gift!  And this PI was the only female member of the team!  You'd
> think she'd have a clue!  But she was old enough to be my mother
> (barely) and a MD to boot...
>
> I approached her privately after receiving the gift (which was done in
> a public setting, the better to embarrass me) and explained that
> although it was very thoughtful of her to think of me, I was not a
> secretary, nor did I have secretarial responsibilities.  I told her
> that because I was not a secretary, I was uncomfortable taking the
> gift and would prefer to return it to her--perhaps she could give it
> to one of the department secretaries or office administrators.  I gave
> the gift and card back to her.
>
> She was clearly offended and refused it.  And that was the end of my
> career in that department.  Although my work quality did not change, I
> was told that my job performance was unacceptable and that I would be
> terminated at the end of the two conferences (four months later!)
> Because I didn't want to lose my educational benefits,  I stayed in
> that job till the bitter end.  I did find employment in another
> department just in the nick of time.  I graduated in June, she retired
> about three months later.
>
> Just my .02.
>
> Lynn Gottlieb
> ----------
> From:         Melissa Alton[SMTP:maalton -at- UNITY -dot- NCSU -dot- EDU]
> Reply To:     maalton -at- UNITY -dot- NCSU -dot- EDU
> Sent:         Wednesday, April 22, 1998 7:34 AM
> To:   TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
> Subject:      secretary's day
>
> Hello all fellow tech writers.
>
> I have a workplace dilemma.  Today is secretary's day.  Not something
> i
> would usually care about because I dont have a secretary.  But this
> year
> I care about it because when I got to work there was a card on my desk
> thanking me for my good work as a SECRETARY!  (i've been with this
> company for 4 months)
>
> While its nice to be appreciated, its not nice to be considered a
> secretary when you have a BA from a prestigious university and are
> working on your MS in tech comm. AND do not perform secretarial
> duties.
> I should also mention that I don't get a secretary's salary...nor do I
> have a secretarial title.
>
> Frankly I am highly insulted.  I feel like issuing a statement
> explaining
> that while I appreciate the card and being appreciated, I am not a
> secretary.
> WHat do you guys think?  Should I just forget it or voice my opinion?
>
> &^~~~
> Send commands to listserv -at- listserv -dot- okstate -dot- edu (e.g., SIGNOFF
> TECHWR-L)
> Check out topic summaries at
> http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/topics.htm
>
>
>