Office Manager

The Office Manager is the person in charge of the day-to-day activities in a given office. You are the first person there in the morning and generally the last one out at night. Whether ringing up a sale, preparing a bank deposit, or organizing patient files, as the Office Manager, you are the Jack-of-all-trades within your office. Not only do you interview, hire, and train staff, but you also fill-in for them as needed. Then you monitor them while completing additional paperwork and reporting duties.

Employees look to you, the Office Manager, to answer questions and solve problems. Vacation requests, payroll questions, employee evaluations—they all come across your desk. You use your organization and time-management skills to ensure the customer receives professional care, the product or service is delivered, and the employees excel at their jobs.

You use a variety of standard office equipment to help the place run smoothly. This means being familiar with computers, industry-specific software, and other large office equipment such as photo copiers and multi-line phones. In addition to your technical knowledge, you will hone those interpersonal skills. It takes the right person to diffuse an angry patient or resolve a dispute between employees.

This is a great position for someone with some office experience looking to advance within the company. It’s also a good starting point if you are changing careers. Patience, empathy, the ability to delegate, and an acute sense of accountability will drive you towards success as an Office Manager.