Office Manager Salary Guide
Professional responsible for several administrative activities, including supervising staff, purchasing office supplies and equipment, developing procedures for administrative tasks, analyzing and monitoring operational costs, and hiring and training support staff.
What Is An Office Manager?
An office manager is responsible for several administrative activities, including supervising staff, purchasing office supplies and equipment, developing procedures for administrative tasks, analyzing and monitoring operational costs, and hiring and training support staff.
Nowadays, many fresh graduates from any discipline are looking for a decent job with good salaries and growth opportunities. Office administration is one of those fields. An office manager or office administrator is responsible for several executive activities.
They also need to work with department heads to ensure that the work and activities run smoothly and efficiently and to keep them updated on ongoing projects. The salary of an office manager varies.
It depends on the responsibilities s/he has and to what extent s/he can perform for the company. For example, a good office manager possesses communication, problem-solving, analytical, and managerial skills.
They have several responsibilities that they must perform daily. For example, they have to communicate with the other department staff, monitor project(s) progress, communicate with their superiors about the status of the projects, and do a slew of other tasks.
Unlike other high-paying jobs, these positions do not require a fancy degree and plenty of prior work experience. Instead, job training is often provided, so newcomers are always welcome to apply.
Key Takeaways
- An office manager oversees administrative tasks and ensures the smooth operation of an office or workplace.
- Their responsibilities may include managing office supplies, coordinating administrative staff, handling correspondence, organizing meetings, and implementing office policies and procedures.
- The salary for office managers varies based on factors such as location, industry, company size, level of experience, and specific job responsibilities.
- Office managers with specialized skills, certifications, or advanced degrees may command higher salaries than those with basic administrative skills.
Office Manager duties and responsibilities
Office managers are the persons who get contacted by internal and external parties at the very first point of contact, which may affect customer service and communication to some extent.
An office manager must be able to work under pressure in a fast-paced environment and independently monitor multiple activities and projects. In addition, that person needs to be able to work with other staff and deal with any obstacles that arise.
They have plenty of work and responsibilities in a day, some of which have been discussed below.
- Responding to calls and emails from customers and directing them to the specific department and staff
- Monitoring the work of the other employees to make sure they are working accurately and meeting the company deadlines and standards
- Talking and counseling the employees if they are struggling with their work and providing them with effective advises
- Making a budget for the office so that every employee follows it and stays away from wastages
- Keeping records of the office supplies, stationeries and appliances, and ordering or fixing them if needed with the proper help
- Training and interviewing the new employees and providing them with the proper paperwork
- Helping the office superiors and reporting to them about the work progress and operations
- Contacting the maintenance companies keeping the office environment safe and clean, and taking proper steps if necessary.
They also need to have the following skills and qualifications as well:
- Strong verbal and written communication skills are a must to produce reports, accept instructions from superiors, assign tasks, and maintain contact with suppliers and vendors
- Flexibility capabilities to help the employees or newcomers to adjust to the office environment and their roles.
- The ability to multitask and organize work schedules and other work in the office.
- Leadership skills to manage the challenges and ability to maintain the staff.
- Strong interpersonal skills to communicate with them effectively and appropriately.
- Pay attention to detail to ensure tasks are completed accordingly and within the deadlines.
Office Manager Salary Guide – Jobs in the US
Candidates looking for office manager jobs only require a certificate or associate degree in the related field. However, some employers prefer fresh graduates with a bachelor's degree in business administration or other similar fields for the desired position.
Most of the time, on-the-job training is provided. Computer literacy and basic software knowledge are necessary but not required. Some employers look for candidates with at least two years of managerial experience.
One of the most important traits office managers need is interpersonal skills. They are required to work with and for people. Patience is a key in every job sector. They also need to be open to learning new things.
The pay rate may vary depending on various factors such as education level, experience, and geographical location. Based on 2018 data by BLS, an office manager's salary ranges from $31,282 to $66,386.
A candidate with the average experience and skills needed for the job can expect an average salary of $45,000. Unlike other high-paying jobs, this position does not pay a high salary to its candidates. The pay is very average compared to other similar-level jobs.
Compensation has been mentioned below in ascending order, from the least experienced employee to the most experienced employee. In addition, the approximate total amount of the compensation has been mentioned by BLS based on the experience level.
| Years/Level Of Experience | Salary Range |
|---|---|
| 0 - 2 Years | $31,000 |
| 2 - 4 Years | $32,000 - $40,000 |
| 5 -10 Years | $40,422 - $55,000 |
| 10 - 20 Years | $55,000 - $80,000 |
| > 50 Years | $80,000 - $100,700 |
Some similar jobs like office manager are office clerk, office admin, office coordinator, or office assistant. So, whoever is considering office manager as their career option can also apply to those mentioned positions.
Office Manager education and training requirements
Office Managers need at least a high school diploma or GED. However, some employers might ask for a bachelor's degree in business administration or other administration degrees. It may depend on the company policies.
If the business is in a certain industry, the company may ask for a specialized qualification or degree that suits the industry. These qualifications are not required but much appreciated if you have any.
If the business is in a certain industry, the company may ask for a specialized qualification or degree that suits the industry. These qualifications are not required but much appreciated if you have any.
For example, a degree in healthcare administration if you are looking for a job in a hospital or public administration if you are looking for a job in an educational institution. In addition, a degree in public administration is accepted in almost every administrative work.
Some institutions may ask for a certificate course in a particular field. It depends on the company's requirements or policies. Associate degrees or special courses are also valued in these fields.
Office managers are responsible for the basic office operations, which is why they need to have experience or, if not possible, some knowledge of the office environment. In addition, they can have experience working as an office admin or assistant, which will be helpful.
Most officials work in entry-level positions such as office assistants, receptionists, or other entry-level positions. The experienced posts often ask for three to five years of experience.
What are the daily duties of an Office Manager?
Officer managers start their daily work by checking their email or voicemail to respond to time-sensitive messages from upper management, employees, clients, or business partners. This is how their average or typical day starts.
They also check their schedule to be prepared for upcoming meetings, deadlines, or other administrative work. They also keep tracking their schedule and updates of their superiors. These are also parts of their job.
Office managers review their office's financial documents and statements during their office time. They also investigate their employees' work and try to solve their employees' problems if they have any.
They also review and sort out the applications for any vacant positions and schedule an interview if they find a good fit.
A good office manager needs to have some leadership skills. They need to have the patience to monitor other staff’s work too. They are the persons who maintain the smooth operations of an office daily.
They must have excellent written and verbal communication to write effective emails or memos and speak in meetings with office employees or company stakeholders. Therefore, communication is a very basic skill needed in every position.
They also need to have excellent interpersonal communication as they must communicate daily with employees, upper management, and company clients. They are the one who communicates both internally and externally, so they have to be careful while talking.
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