Office Manager Skills
The key hard and soft skills required for an office manager job in 2023 based on our database of over 10 million real job listings.
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Office manager skills involve organizing and coordinating the daily operations of an office. Office managers do scheduling, communicate with clients, and oversee administrative tasks. They work in various settings and play a critical role in ensuring the smooth running of the office.Office managers should be friendly, empathetic, and able to communicate effectively with clients, colleagues, and staff at all levels. Office managers also need to be able to work under pressure and manage their time effectively, especially during busy periods.
Overall, being an office manager requires a combination of technical skills, administrative abilities, and a commitment to ensuring the efficient functioning of the office.
How we got the data
The data in this report was pulled from Jobscan’s database of more than 10 million job descriptions and 17 million resumes.
We analyzed the job descriptions to find the skills that employers want the most. Then we analyzed the resumes to see which skills appeared most frequently.
Armed with this knowledge, job seekers can easily tailor their resumes and cover letters to highlight the most relevant skills for each job they apply to.
top 10 office manager Hard Skills
top 10 office manager Soft Skills
top 10 office manager Skills on Resume with High Match Rate
- Communication
- Professional
- Customer service
- leadership
- sales
- Microsoft office
- marketing
- scheduling
- organized
- administrative support
Top 10 office manager skills
Examples of how to write this skill on your resume:
- Developed and implemented an office-wide productivity tracking system, resulting in a 20% increase in efficiency.
- Conducted regular performance evaluations and provided constructive feedback to administrative staff.
- Oversaw the maintenance of office equipment and supplies.
- Streamlined administrative processes, resulting in a 15% reduction in processing time.
Examples of how to write this skill on your resume:
- Created a program to resolve employee conflicts, resulting in a 20% reduction in employee turnover.
- Facilitated regular meetings and presentations to keep staff informed about company policies.
- Conducted regular performance evaluations and provided constructive feedback to staff.
- Managed external communication, such as press releases and social media updates.
Examples of how to write this skill on your resume:
- Established an efficient filing and record-keeping system, resulting in a 25% reduction in document retrieval time.
- Coordinated and managed office logistics, such as scheduling meetings, making travel arrangements, and processing expense reports.
- Oversaw the maintenance and repair of office equipment, resulting in reduced downtime and increased equipment lifespan.
- Conducted regular assessments of office procedures and policies, improving efficiency and reducing waste.
Examples of how to write this skill on your resume:
- Developed and implemented office policies and procedures, resulting in increased operational efficiency.
- Established and maintained relationships with vendors and suppliers.
- Managed the renovation and relocation of the office with minimal disruption to operations.
- Conducted regular staff evaluations, resulting in improved employee performance and increased team morale.
Examples of how to write this skill on your resume:
- Implemented comprehensive office policies and procedures.
- Conducted regular policy reviews and updates.
- Created a record-keeping system of important documents and information.
- Developed a data security policy that increased the protection of sensitive information.
Examples of how to write this skill on your resume:
- Created a client feedback system, resulting in improved service quality and a better understanding of customer needs.
- Led training programs for staff on customer service skills.
- Developed and implemented a system for tracking and resolving client complaints.
- Maintained a high level of responsiveness to client inquiries and requests, resulting in an average response time of less than 24 hours.
Examples of how to write this skill on your resume:
- Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, creating and managing documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and emails.
- Created visually appealing and informative PowerPoint presentations for quarterly company meetings.
- Successfully trained and onboarded new employees on the use of Microsoft Office software.
- Managed the company’s email distribution lists using Microsoft Outlook.
Examples of how to write this skill on your resume:
- Proficient in advanced Excel functions, such as VLOOKUP, pivot tables, and macros.
- Developed complex Excel models for budget tracking and financial reporting.
- Utilized Excel to analyze customer feedback data and create visual reports.
- Created automated reports using Excel that reduced time spent on data entry by 50%.
Examples of how to write this skill on your resume:
- Implemented a scheduling system for meetings and appointments, resulting in a 20% increase in productivity.
- Coordinated scheduling for multiple departments, managing over 100 calendars, and ensuring no scheduling conflicts.
- Trained and supervised administrative staff in scheduling procedures and protocols.
- Worked closely with executives to prioritize and schedule appointments, ensuring smooth and efficient operations.
Examples of how to write this skill on your resume:
- Maintained office equipment, resulting in a 20% decrease in equipment purchasing expenses.
- Implemented a preventive maintenance program for office equipment and facilities.
- Coordinated office renovation projects and ensured timely completion within budget constraints.
- Created an inventory control system for office supplies, leading to a 25% reduction in waste and cost savings of $10,000 annually.
5 tips for writing an office manager resume
Create a bulleted resume skills section
Use a simple, clean format that highlights your skills and experiences. Focus on readability by using bullet points and short phrases to present your skills. Properly organize your resume into education, experience, and skills sections.
“Adding a skills section to your resume is a great way to draw the recruiter’s attention to your most relevant strengths and competencies.”
– Ashley Watkins, NCRW, NCOPE, Job Search Coach
For example, an office manager’s bullet points might look like this:
- Administration: scheduling, budgeting, record-keeping
- Communication: verbal and written proficiency
- Leadership: team management, deadline-driven
Hitting all the top job requirements with your skills list will help you rank highly for a keyword search within an applicant tracking system. But don’t stop there. Add context for every skill elsewhere in your work experience.
If a recruiter is excited by your budgeting skills, for example, the first thing they’ll do is skim your work experience to figure out when, how, and how much you used that skill.
Highlight skills and accomplishments in your work experience section
As you list your responsibilities, it’s also important to highlight your major accomplishments wherever you can.
“For soft skills, it’s often more effective to demonstrate them in the context of your past work experience. Instead of merely stating “excellent team player”, you are better off saying “collaborated with a cross-functional team of 6 on a new product launch that boosted sales by 30% in one year”. Examples of specific accomplishments or business outcomes speak louder than buzzwords.”
– Ana Lokotkova, Career Coach and Advisor
For example, if you decreased costs through effective budgeting, be sure to mention this accomplishment.
Instead of saying,
“Managed the budget.”
You could say,
“Managed the budget, resulting in a 10% reduction in expenses over 12 months.”
This demonstrates your level of expertise with the skills you listed. It gives the recruiter more reason to be interested in you as a result.
Break resume skills sections into categories
If you’re applying for a role requiring a broad skillset, categorize your skills.
“If you opt to include a designated skills section on your resume, include up to 10 of your core competencies. Excessive skills lists are overwhelming and sometimes confusing to the reader.”
– Kelli Hrivnak, Marketing and Tech Recruiter
For example, someone applying for a role as an office manager might benefit from segmenting their skill lists as follows:
Administrative Skills:
- Scheduling and calendar management.
- Travel arrangements and expense reporting.
- Document preparation and filing.
- Records management and database administration.
Communication Skills:
- Verbal and written communication.
- Meeting coordination and facilitation.
- Interdepartmental collaboration.
- Customer service and vendor relations.
Quantify your achievements
Use numbers to quantify your achievements wherever possible. This helps potential employers understand your abilities and the impact you can have on their organization.
“Recruiters and hiring managers are looking for relevancy of how and when you applied those skills, so provide examples of this in your experience section. Bonus tip: Don’t just insert the skill like a task–include results.”
– Kelli Hrivnak, Marketing and Tech Recruiter
Instead of saying,
“Maintained office equipment.”
You could say,
“Maintained office equipment, resulting in a 20% decrease in equipment purchasing expenses.”
By using numbers, you give hiring managers a better sense of your value.
Tailor your resume to the job description
Read the description carefully and emphasize the relevant skills and experiences. Highlight the skills that the employer seeks and provide examples of how you’ve used those skills in your previous roles. Doing so can demonstrate that you’re a strong fit for the position and increase your chances of being invited to an interview.
“The ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach doesn’t work when it comes to your resume. For every job application, tailor your skill set to match the job description. Most companies use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) that filter candidates based on keywords and skills listed in the job description. So, research the role you’re applying for and distill the skills required.”
– Ana Lokotkova, Career Coach and Advisor
In order to do this, “you must first understand what skills are most important for the target role,” says Ashley Watkins.
Here’s an example of how to tailor an office manager’s resume to a job description:
Job Title: Office Manager
Requirements:
- Experience managing a team of administrative staff.
- Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
- Proficiency in office software such as Microsoft Office, Google Suite, and project management tools.
Tailored Resume Description:
- Managed a team of 5 administrative staff members to ensure efficient office operations.
- Demonstrated exceptional written and verbal communication skills through effective communication with colleagues, superiors, and clients.
- Proficient in a wide range of office software including Microsoft Office, Google Suite, and project management tools such as Asana and Trello.
“Focus on the sought-after and in demand skills. A great way to figure out what is currently in demand is by researching current job openings from your preferred companies and reading through the posting. Pay close attention to the preferred requirements section and build your skills section based on this list.”
– Chelsea Jay, Career & Leadership Development Coach – Seasoned and Growing
Bonus Tip: Use action verbs
Start each bullet point with an action verb. An action verb expresses an action, such as “create,” “build,” “manage,” “lead,” or “implement.”
Action verbs grab the reader’s attention and paint a vivid picture of what you accomplished at work.
Action verbs make your resume more interesting to read. They also show the kind of can-do attitude that employers are looking for.
FAQs
The most important skills for an office manager are operations, communication, administrative support, office management, policies, customer service, Microsoft Office, and scheduling.
By highlighting these skills and experiences, you can demonstrate your ability to excel in an office manager role and stand out as a top candidate for the position.
Many office manager positions require several years of relevant work experience. This can include experience in administrative support, customer service, project management, or office management. Office managers should also be proficient in the use of office software, such as Microsoft Office, and be able to learn new software programs quickly.
A bachelor’s degree in business administration, management, or a related field can be helpful but is not always required. Relevant coursework in accounting, finance, human resources, or project management can also be beneficial.