All you need to know about 'Office Management' as a career option

Office Management is an extensive stream. In today’s cut-throat competition wherein there are wide choices available and difficult for a student to zero in on one particular stream for his career. The youth of today is confused and wants to know the right choice for him.

The best way to find out your career choice is:

1. Find out your passion and what you are good at.
2. Go as per industry trends. Whether after completing that course you will get a decent job to live a quality life?
3. The advice of experienced people is very important while making a career choice.

Office Management as the name suggests is to manage an office. Office Management gives you cent percent chance to work in an office. This course specifically makes you learn about how to deal with visitors in an office, how to make and attend telephone calls, how to keep records in an office, how to make a priority list of work in an office, how to sort out the work of your boss, which necessary information is to be given to your boss immediately and what needs to be kept with you for some time as it may hamper the work.

An efficient office manager has a key role to play in the office. In fact, he/she is the pivot of the office around whom the whole office system revolves. An Office Manager is trained to maintain an official diary that ensures that nothing is left unattended.

This course specifically makes you learn about how to deal with visitors in an office, how to make and attend telephone calls, how to keep records in an office, how to make a priority list of work in an office, how to sort out the work of your boss, which necessary information is to be given to your boss immediately and what needs to be kept with you for some time as it may hamper the work.

A Secretary/Office manager shall be defined as an Executive Assistant who possesses a mastery of office skills demonstrates the ability to assume responsibility without direct supervision, exercises initiative and judgment, and makes decisions within the scope of the assigned authority.

A competent Secretary is essentially a practical person with a full measure of common sense and an unfailing memory.

Office Manager has been trained in such a manner so that all those business attributes should be inculcated which are required to work in any of the offices worldwide. It includes computer skills, communication skills, writing skills, dependability, reliability, tactics, diplomacy, typing skills and developing the qualities like a smokescreen so that boss should not have unwanted interruptions.

Organising a work schedule for the whole day diligently so that the output is maximum, dividing the day into three parts viz. beginning of the day, during the day and at the end of the day- the candidates are trained in all these traits so that they can handle not only the office work meticulously but they can also work as an entrepreneur.

Fixing appointments and cancellation of appointments in close consultation with the boss is another important task of an office manager.

A wide part of the Hospitality sector is covered under Office Management. It includes party etiquettes, table manners, general etiquettes, attending guests, arranging different kinds of official parties viz. annual dinners, retirement parties, farewell parties, regular dinners, luncheon meetings, etc. They can work in the hospitality sector which has a bundle of opportunities.

The candidates will be trained in office automation work. It is a process that covers a wide range of machines and equipment used in business concerns with a view to mobilising the administrative functioning. It will save time, energy, reduce file work and overall work. It enhances the efficiency of work. They can work as a technical worker to operate the machines required in a regular office setup.

A plethora of educational and professional opportunities will open up for an Office Manager after completing this course. The candidate will be able to take up work in any of the offices worldwide. Be it a design office, media house, real estate, manufacturing unit, finance company, handling human resources, school,  college, university, visa office etc. These offices may deal in any kind of work. Since candidates being trained in multiple skills and behavioural traits, will be adept at adapting all kinds of the office environment. It is a skill-based subject where in along with academic accomplishments, the traits/skills acquired by a candidate during this course matter a lot. Getting all the traits to deal with everything in a professional and humble manner is the key role of an Office Manager. These skills make him a successful entrepreneur as well. Being trained in computer skills and communication skills a wide variety of data entry operators posts, BPO services and teaching in the same course are another few openings for Office Management students. New Delhi YMCA is a pioneer in starting this course in India. One finds that any Govt sector/Ministry, public sector or MNCs of Delhi NCR region has YMCA trained Office Managers.

Since candidates being trained in multiple skills and behavioral traits, will be adept at adapting all kinds of the office environment. It is a skill-based subject were in along with academic accomplishments, the traits/skills acquired by a candidate during this course matter a lot.

This is an important course to bridge the skill gap of today’s youth and it is in line with the NPE 2020 which focuses on skill-based subjects. Mainstream education only provides academic accomplishments but fails to give the necessary skills to acquire a job. This course enables the candidates to become trained in skills which are the need of the hour and make them employable. YMCA takes utmost care in making a person employable through its Office Management course which is the most sought after course nowadays.

About the author

Meenakshi Gupta is Executive Director(Academics) at YMCA, Delhi. She is a Biophysicist and educationist.

Note: The views expressed in this article are solely author’s own and do not reflect/represent those of Shiksha