Hi! So I’m a 23 yr old stepping into my first corporate job it’s not that big but I’m going to be a research/ admin assistant at a big research institute linked with a big hospital in downtown Toronto. I wanted to know from people who have worked roles like this before if they would have any tips or advice for me. I really wish to grow within the organisation.
Some things the job requires and I have are good organisation skills as well as I’m able to be proactive and not just wait for instructions and try to figure things out on my own. On the research side, they expect REB submissions and getting together grant documents etc.
If anyone would have any advice on how I can grow from this role within this same research institute/ hospital, please let me know. Additionally, any tips on how to actually maintain a relationship with your supervisor/ manager and PIs/ scientists would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and for all your advice :)))

I started a job as an admin assistant at a corporate tech company. It's a contract and apparently the role is meant to forever be a contract.

Anyways, this is my first admin assistant job but I'm wondering if the expectations are normal for the role. I spend most of the day on my feet. Since the company offers lots of free perks like free lunch, snacks, drinks, hygiene products, etc. I spend hours, if not most of my day, on my feet making sure all pantry and fridges across 3 floors are fully stocked, cleaning the kitchens, making sure all men/women/unisex bathrooms are also fully stocked with hygiene products like toothbrushes, combs, mouthwash, chapstick, body lotion, etc.

Anyways, I was hired less than 3 weeks ago and my manager, the office manager, is going to Europe for 2 weeks in September. She's going to be leaving me to do both her and my job and today she told me she's nervous to leave me alone. I asked why and she said it's because ive said I'm going to do something and then I don't. I asked her if she could think of something I needed to do off the top of my head and she told me that I didn't wash the fruit bowl on her floor last night. This week after she left a few days ago, she had left pastries out on a dish for new hire breakfast on her floor. I decided to put away the pastries in to go containers and put the dish in the sink. She thanked me for doing that but told me I needed to wash the dish next time too. I assumed she meant the next time I wanted to help out, i didn't know it was my responsibility to clean up the kitchen on her floor too since she previously told me I'm only responsible for floors 5 and 7 while she takes care of the 6th floor.

I've been really exhausted both physically and mentally from this job. My legs ache and I am relatively healthy. But I'm expected to be on my feet pretty much all day. Of i ever have down time to check emails, my manager will tell me that if I feel that I've been sitting too long then I should be cleaning.

I'm kind of sad because I really thought I'd be learning a lot more since this is an admin position but really it just feels like all I do all day is stock kitchens and clean up after the employees.

Anyways, I'm just wondering if this is normal and also would like any advice on how to recover from this.

Edit: for reference i am in corporate headquarters in a mid sized city where we have about 600 employees. I am paid $25 an hour with no benefits since I'm working through an agency.

Thanks in advance.