Office Manager Resume Examples [2 Samples & Writing Guide]

Offices are critical environments that must operate smoothly and efficiently. For this reason, organizations have administrative managers mandated with coordinating and overseeing administrative duties, allowing employees to enjoy uninterrupted productivity. These professionals’ duties and responsibilities vary from office to office, even though they mostly revolve around office administration. 

Today’s article aims at helping you land an office manager job. It covers the job description and requirements, including education, experience, and skills, to help you gauge where you stand and whether you can thrive as an office manager. We have included two detailed resume examples to guide you through your resume-writing journey and a FAQs section. Let’s get started!

Office Manager Job Description

An office manager’s primary mandate is to ensure that the office runs smoothly and efficiently. They coordinate and oversee all administrative duties in the office and offer overall administrative support to senior managers. These professionals have different duties and responsibilities, including welcoming visitors, answering incoming phone calls, and supervising office staff to ensure high productivity levels.

This job requires proven experience in office administration, excellent organizational skills, and proficiency in several software programs such as Microsoft Office. An office manager must also have outstanding leadership and problem-solving skills, owing to the duties and responsibilities of this job.

Office Manager Roles and Responsibilities

• Coordinating and overseeing a range of administrative duties in the office to ensure that everything is running smoothly and efficiently
• Supervising general office staff to ensure maximum levels of productivity
• Reporting any significant issues or incidences threatening general office productivity to senior office management
• Performing inventory management duties to ensure steady and adequate office supplies
• Conducting receptionist duties such as receiving and directing visitors and attending to phone calls
• Providing general oversight on office operations
• Regularly creating presentations( through programs such as Microsoft PowerPoint) and reports as required by top-level management
• Regular supervision, mentoring, training, and coaching of office staff to ensure maximum productivity
• Delegating assignments to general office staff and supervising them
• Coordinating office meetings and appointments
• Managing office budget and documenting related expenditures
• Working closely with staff members, management, and industry professionals to spot opportunities for process and general office improvements
• Designing and implementing new systems aimed at improving the effectiveness of office operations
• Assisting in the planning of office layouts and management of IT infrastructure
• Keeping the office habitable and productive at all times through policy and procedure development
• Managing incoming mail and directing them to the proper recipients
• Managing outgoing mail and correspondences
• Participating in the orientation process for new employees
• Building and maintaining working relationships with all office vendors
• Keeping the general condition of the office and making plans for repairs
• Performing invoice management duties by ensuring that purchases are invoiced and paid at the right time.
• Offering any administrative support as needed, including research and calendar maintenance
• Working closely with the HR department for necessary policy updates and maintenance
• Organizing and supervising all office procedures

Office Manager Required Knowledge and Skills

• Solid knowledge of office administrator responsibilities and the relevant systems and procedures
• Extensive knowledge of MS Office programs such as Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint
• Familiarity with relevant email scheduling tools, e.g., Boomerang and Email Scheduler
• Excellent time management skills
• Ability to multi-task without compromising on work quality
• Solid organizational skills
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment
• Excellent planning skills
• Great attention to details
• Excellent problem-solving skills
• A creative mindset
• Excellent computer skills
• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• High degrees of flexibility
• Excellent interpersonal skills

Office Manager Education and Experience

• A Bachelor’s degree in business administration, communication, or any relevant field / A high school degree with supporting qualifications in administrative assistance or secretarial work
• Prior/proven experience as a front office manager, office manager, or an  administrative/ executive assistant
• Hands-on experience with different office machines, e.g., fax, printers, photocopiers
• Experience working in team settings

Officer Manager Salary

Office managers are paid according to the scope of their duties,  responsibilities, qualifications, and organization of engagement. Glassdoor estimates that these professionals receive an average base pay of $47,000 and additional payments amounting to $10,000+, bringing their estimated total income to $57,000 or thereabout. Senior office managers earn $60,000+ according to this estimation.

Office Manager CV Example 1

Office Manager CV Example 2

Office Manager Resume Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Which Certifications Apply to My Office Manager Resume?

Here are some of the standard certifications you can acquire and include in your office manager resume:

• Certified Professional- Human Resource (IPMA-HR)- This certification is valid given that office managers are leaders in specific workplaces. It encourages excellence in HR and continuous learning needed for leadership development. The International Public Management Association offers it, and it must be renewed every three years. ‘

• Certified Medical Office Manager– This office manager certification is specific as it applies to the healthcare environment. It covers four main areas, i.e., exceptional administrative skills, extensive knowledge of financial management, personnel and time management, and managed care contracting. Additional areas include facility management and medical record-keeping.

• Microsoft Office Specialist Master Certification– This certification proves a person’s mastery of Microsoft Office Programs- tools that office managers use in their day-to-day activities. The Microsoft Corporation offers it.

Other certifications worth considering include the renowned Certified Administrative Assistant by the International Association of Administrative Professionals, HR Senior Ceetufued Professional and Fundamental Payroll Certification by the American Payroll Association(APA). Remember, a good percentage of these certifications must be renewed periodically.

2. What Should I Include in My Technical Skills Sub-section?

Technical skills are mandatory for perfect task execution. They include specialized knowledge and expertise that are, in many instances, quantifiable. Here are a few that you should include: excellent record and document preparation skills, excellent administrative support skills, ability to operate and maintain different office equipment, excellent data entry skills, outstanding budgeting skills, database administration skills, computer/ Information Technology Skills, MS Office Suite program, email scheduling and management skills and record management skills.

Additional technical skills include project management, problem assessment, administrative support, and recruitment. Look at the job posting and find out what the hiring manager needs from the mentioned skills.

3. How Should I Highlight My Office Management Skills in My Resume?

Highlight your office management skills in your resume’s profile, work experience, and skill section. Even though your profile/ resume summary should be short, identify some critical skills from the job posting and mention them as you describe yourself. In your work experience section, your achievements in your former workplaces should show that you can indeed apply these skills toward the perfect execution of tasks.

As for the skills section, we urge you to break it down into sub-sections, meaning that you should list your technical and soft skills separately. It will increase the readability of your resume, making it more appealing. Remember, you will also get another chance to prove your skills and qualifications to the employee during the interview.

4. Which Are Some of the Common Keywords in Office Manager Resumes?

Keywords can be general skills, industry-specific knowledge, tools, or abilities that an employer wants in their employee. They are often reflected in the job posting and greatly influence whether you qualify for the interview or not. Ensure that you include a good number of the following in your resume: office administration, email scheduling, strategic planning, human resources, payroll, event planning, teaching, executive administrative assistance, organization, collaboration, office procedures, project management, customer service, management, and communication skills.

Additional keywords include clerical duties, clerical skills, compliance, multi-tasking, QuickBooks, Microsoft Word, Spreadsheet, vendor management, prioritization, etc. Make sure that you match these keywords to the job posting to get past the dreaded Applicant Tracking Software( ATS)

5. How Can I Better My Office Manager Resume?

There are a few tips that you should have in mind when writing your resume. First, you need a solid summary to convince the hiring manager that you are the one they’ve been looking for. In one paragraph, mention your years of experience, relevant skills, certifications, and primary duties.

Second, use action words such as mentored, implemented, managed, led, supervised, and built instead of ‘generic’ terms such as ‘took part to make your resume specific. Third, reference complex numbers in your resume to shed more light on your successes. Lastly, ensure that you edit your resume correctly to make it more readable and appealing to the hiring manager.

Once you are done writing, proofread the document and pass it through editing software programs such as Grammarly to identify grammar and sentence construction errors.