Are you a natural leader? Do you possess excellent interpersonal skills? Can you handle stressful situations with ease? If so, consider office management training and begin your corporate climb.

What Office Managers Do

What type of job does office management training prepare you for? In a nutshell, office managers coordinate the support services that allow organizations to operate efficiently. These services may include administration, conference planning and travel, information and data processing, mail, materials scheduling and distribution, parking, payroll, printing and reproduction, records management, secretarial and reception, security, telecommunications management, and personal property procurement, supply, and disposal.

In order to effectively coordinate all these services and ensure a smoothly operating organization, office managers need good communication skills and the ability to establish working relationships with people ranging from other managers and supervisors to clerks and blue-collar workers. Office management training will help you develop such skills. In addition, soft skills needed include being analytical, decisive, detail-oriented, and flexible. They must also be skilled multitaskers, problem-solvers, and time managers.

In small companies, one manager may oversee all support services. In larger organizations, first-line administrative services managers may report to mid-level managers who report to top-level managers.

Office Management Training

Regardless of the level of management to which you aspire, it's important to undergo management training. First-line administrative services managers of secretarial, mailroom, and related support activities should pursue an associate degree in business or management. Managers of more complex services such as contract administration should attain more advanced management training, at least a bachelor's degree in business, human resources, or finance. This management training curriculum may include courses in accounting, business law, business mathematics, computer applications, human resources, and office technology. A master's degree in business administration or a related field is encouraged.

Of course, formal management training is enhanced by office management experience. That's why many managers are able to climb their organization's ladder -- they can acquire office management experience in various administrative positions before assuming first-line supervisory duties.

Management Training Gets You Hired

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, administrative services managers held about 268,000 jobs in 2004, and employment is projected to increase 9 to 17 percent through 2014. Median annual earnings of administrative services managers in May 2004 were $60,290, with the highest 10 percent earning more than $110,270.

Increase your management marketability by pursuing the Certified Manager (CM) designation offered by the Institute of Certified Professional Managers of James Madison University. CM is a generalist certification for all types of managers, at all levels, in all fields. The CM program, which focuses on the application of practical skills and techniques, is composed of three modules: foundations of management, planning and organizing, and leading and controlling. Once you pass all three exams, you may use the Certified Manager title.