"How do you change a negative attitude from HR? What do you say? What do when HR has said directly to the EAs on more than one occasion that there isn't much to our roles? They have always placed responsibility back on our laps, indicating if you want to advance, you have to move to a more challenging position and forget about being an assistant. A few of them have been assistants but a long time ago. They use this as leverage that they know what they are talking about. They are now in higher positions. Other HR managers think the same way. What hope is there when HR has this attitude? Can management, the executive team, or anyone else really see us as anything more than bottom feeders? How do you change that attitude when they are not opened to listening? They have rebuked everything that was sent or addressed to them. This is a global firm, too."

This is not just this company's issue -- I see it with many Human Resource Departments in numerous industries. They are being closed minded; they don't have a clue about how the role has evolved and continues to evolve. And they are missing out because they aren't leveraging their assistants' talents.

On the other hand, their perceptions are formed because of how they see administrative assistants act, respond, and communicate. I'm not saying that is what is going on in this company. I am saying that admins also have to take responsibility.

My words of advice -- Seriously -- are:

1. Immediately print our 13-page Adminology White Paper which was released January 14, 2010, copy it and give it to any one you can in your organization; admins and management alike! (I'm not sure what you sent them -- and who was the credible source on the subject. Credibility is crucial to being taken seriously.)
2. Get all the administrative professionals in your organization to join, for FREE, at Adminology.org. We are redefining the administrative profession and creating a better future for this profession. I will give you specifics as to how to be a catalyst for change.
3. Maintain your positive attitude and professionalism in the office at all costs!
4. Ignore their negative comments. They truly are naive and closed minded. Feel sorry for them. They are missing out.
5. Gather with your fellow admins and brainstorm how to create positive change. There is strength in Unity. I just wrote an article on The Power of Ten! Action speaks louder than words.
6. Worst case scenario, you may have to find a new progressive employer who will treat you the way you want.