While office administration positions can be found in almost any industry, the majority of these jobs are in health care, business services, banks, government agencies, insurance companies, and schools. They usually include employees from all departments and levels of the organization. Due to the large number of office personnel and administrative office assistants, administrative office managers are frequently required to plan, direct, and supervise daily workflow in order to meet the organization’s operational goals. There are a variety of paths to becoming an administrative office manager, including education and internal promotion.
A secondary degree, whether an associate’s degree, bachelor’s degree, or higher, is required for the majority of administrative office manager positions. Traditional four-year universities, community colleges, and trade schools all offer classes and programs for office administrators. Accounting, business math, computer applications, office technology, human resources, and business law are typically required courses for an administrative office manager’s certification or degree.
Even after meeting all of the job’s educational requirements, any candidate interested in becoming an administrative office manager should have relevant work experience. Internal promotions are often the most common way to obtain this position. Administrative office managers are responsible for a variety of tasks, including work planning, staff supervision, work review, employee evaluations, and hiring and terminating employees. With such a broad range of responsibilities, office administration managers must be familiar with and understand employee strengths and weaknesses, the length of time it takes to complete tasks, and how to train and manage others.
A person who begins their career as an administrative office manager in an entry-level position such as a receptionist, accounting clerk, administrative assistant, or other position that helps them learn about the company and its people is a good candidate. Candidates must usually prepare by taking professional development classes on topics such as interpersonal relationships, coaching, time management, and project management in addition to on-the-job experience. It’s also a good idea for a candidate to look for supervisory opportunities in their current jobs. When promoting from within, companies may look for skill sets such as teamwork, organization, leadership, and effective communication.
Excellent people skills are another important personality trait that is typically required to become an administrative office manager. Office administrators are frequently tasked with acting as liaisons between all levels of the organization and resolving issues. Restructuring departments, implementing new company policies, and mediating interpersonal conflicts are just a few examples of projects. They must usually understand labor agreements and report any problems to upper management.
To work as an administrative office manager, a candidate must be able to work with people of various personalities and professional levels. Everyone from the mail clerk to the vice president is usually included. To be successful in this position, you must be detail-oriented, analytical, creative, and flexible all at the same time.