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Hiring an Office Manager: Job Description, Pay and More

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Every office needs a talented office manager who keeps everything running smoothly. These professionals work in the background, quietly keeping the wheels of progress rolling forward. But you might wonder how to hire one who has all the skills and qualifications you need.

Office managers often handle all the administrative tasks that executives, managers, and other staff may not have time to do, such as paying bills, serving as an intermediary with vendors, and working with maintenance personnel.

Continue reading to identify what you want in a first-rate office manager or administrator, and how to hire an office manager who has all the key characteristics.

What Is an Office Manager?

It’s important to avoid confusing an office manager with an administrative assistant who works for a specific executive, manager, attorney, or physician. A first-rate office management professional essentially works for everyone in your office.

This professional assists in managing the company’s operational and administrative matters to ensure that daily operations run smoothly.

Here are some general tasks of an office manager:

  • Handling administrative tasks like answering phones, distributing mail, and organizing files
  • Scheduling and coordinating calendars to book meetings and appointments for on and off-site events
  • Handling travel arrangements for executives and staff
  • Managing office maintenance and supplies

When to Hire an Office Manager

If your business is relatively new or is a startup, it’s understandable that you wonder when the time is right to make the move of hiring an office manager.

You’ll know it’s time to hire one when:

  • Your business is expanding, requiring a larger facility and more employees
  • You identify daily inefficiencies that could improve with the help of a professional administrator
  • Your startup requires more focus on core competencies like product development and client prospecting, and you need an office manager to manage things like supply orders and general office support

RELATED: Writing a Skills-First Job Description When Hiring


Skills and Experience to Look for in an Office Manager

While the tasks that office managers do may sound basic, they are essential and invaluable to successful operations. It’s important to find top talent in this area with someone possessing the right combination of interpersonal, technical, and leadership skills.

Now that we’ve gathered some ideas about how to hire an office manager, let’s look at some specific skills you want in this administrator.

Technical and Administrative Skills

Much of what an office manager does are technical and administrative tasks, so they will need skills and experience in the following areas:

  • Computer proficiency, including knowledge of software programs like Microsoft Office or Google Workplace
  • Budgeting and financial capabilities to conduct basic bookkeeping and invoicing duties
  • Organizational skills to manage filing systems, whether working with hard copy or electronic documents
  • The technical aptitude to deal with basic computer and IT issues

Interpersonal and Communication Skills

Possessing strong communication skills with personnel at all levels is the hallmark of a talented office manager. These professionals are experts at communicating with clients, stakeholders, and executive staff through verbal and written communication.

An office manager’s greatest skill is managing conflict resolution to mitigate disagreements that may arise in an office setting and how to handle customer, client, or vendor issues.

Leadership and Management Skills

While an office management role isn’t necessarily intended to be or become a leadership position, leadership and management skills are important for the following:

  • Team management
    • If you’re running a small office, you may need support from the office manager in leading team members if your present leadership groups do not have the bandwidth.
  • Problem-solving and decision-making
    • A smart and capable office manager can assist with identifying challenges and problems before helping you formulate effective solutions and make important decisions.

Soft Skills

It’s important not to overlook an office manager’s soft skills. These skills can often translate into how well they’re able to form relationships within the workplace and create trust amongst their colleagues. These skills can include but aren’t limited to:

  • Adaptability
  • Initiative
  • Time management
  • Attention to detail

Educational Background

The educational requirements for office administrators vary from one company to the next. In some cases, businesses may require a high school diploma. However, hiring someone with a certification or degree in office management, business administration, or a related field is preferred.

The Average Pay for Office Managers

The Bureau of Labor Statistics listed the median pay for this position as $103,330 as of May 2022, so you want to hire with all the facts and understanding of your top candidates.

Top Interview Questions to Ask Office Manager Candidates

It’s important to prepare to ask your office manager candidates questions that yield insightful answers to help you make the best decision for your company.

Here are some questions to add to your list:

  • Can you tell me more about your previous office experience?
  • Have you worked as an office manager before? Can you describe your experience?
  • Tell me about different software and productivity tools you’ve worked with. Would you be willing to take courses to learn some specific software we use regularly?
  • How do you prioritize your tasks? Looking at our job description, can you discuss how you would manage a typical day in this position?
  • Do you have experience working with vendors to place high volume orders?
  • Have you worked in an accounts receivable capacity, working on invoices and collecting payments?
  • Do you have any experience running payroll processes?
  • Are you comfortable delegating responsibilities when necessary?
  • How do you handle conflict in the office?

Hire Your Ideal Office Manager Today

We know how important a talented office manager is for your growing business, and our team at Insight Global can help you source, vet and hire the best candidate.

Connect with us today to get started!

Hiring an Office Manager?

Reach out to Insight Global today. We can find you qualified candidates in as little as 48 hours! Questions? Call us toll-free: 855-485-8853