First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Office and Administrative Support Workers

Overview Nature of Work Knowledge Areas Skills Utilized Job Activities Abilities Job Conditions Work Satisfaction Education/Training

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Educational Attainment Breakdown for First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Office and Administrative Support Workers College or Higher 28.9% Some College 37.7% High School or Less 33.4%

Most Significant Source of Postsecondary Education or Training
Work experience in a related occupation
Source: U.S. Department of Labor

Most firms fill office and administrative support supervisory and managerial positions by promoting office or administrative support workers from within their organizations. To become eligible for promotion to a supervisory position, administrative support workers must prove they are capable of handling additional responsibilities.

Education and training. Many employers require office and administrative support supervisors and managers to have postsecondary training—and in some cases, an associate or even a bachelor's degree. Good working knowledge of the organization's computer system is also an advantage. In addition, supervisors must pay close attention to detail in order to identify and correct errors made by the staff they oversee.

Most office and administrative support worker supervisors and managers are promoted from within the company. Several years of on-the-job experience are usually the best preparation to become a supervisor or manager. After acquiring some experience, the employee should have a thorough knowledge of other personnel and company operations.

Administrative support workers with potential supervisory abilities may be given occasional supervisory assignments. To prepare for full-time supervisory duties, workers may attend in-house training or take courses in time management, project management, or interpersonal relations.

Other qualifications. When evaluating candidates, supervisors look for strong teamwork, problem-solving, leadership, and communication skills, as well as determination, loyalty, poise, and confidence. They also look for more specific supervisory attributes, such as the ability to organize and coordinate work efficiently, to set priorities, and to motivate others. Increasingly, supervisors need a broad base of office skills coupled with personal flexibility to adapt to changes in organizational structure and move among departments when necessary.

Advancement. For office and administrative supervisors and managers promoted from within, advancement opportunities may be limited without a postsecondary degree, depending on the company. The knowledge required to move into more business and financial related occupations may not necessarily be learned through working in an office or administrative occupation.

In some managerial positions, office and administrative support supervisor positions are filled with people from outside the organization. These positions may serve as entry-level training for potential higher level managers. New college graduates may rotate through departments of an organization at this level to learn the work of the organization before moving on to a higher level position.

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