The people who are working nine to five (or more) - are the ones that make the office wheel go around. The jobs of office workers, who are the single largest occupational group in the United States, are undergoing great change. With ever more sophisticated computers, communications and transmission devices and software programs making their way into the smallest of businesses, the jobs of office workers are being constantly redefined.
This book focuses on five office-related careers:
- Receptionist
- Office assistant
- Bookkeeper
- Secretary
- Legal secretary
When hiring receptionists and office assistants (or clerks, as they're often called), employers look for candidates who are eager to please, quickly learn as well as are able to deal pleasantly and competently with their co-workers, clients and bosses. It is the receptionist's job to greet visitors to the office, contact the person they are scheduled to meet with and direct them to the right department. Office assistants do a little bit of everything around the office, which might include operating the copy machine, running errands, distributing mail and making sure there's plenty of coffee.
Bookkeepers are the "behind-the-scenes" numbers people. Simply put, it's their job to account for money spent and earned. They record income (the amount a client pays for a product or service their company offers and when that amount is paid) and expense (the amount and date of any purchase or payment made by the company to a third party or its own employees).
Secretary and legal secretary positions require strong keyboarding skills and a good working knowledge of the most common word processing programs. Strong grammar and language skills are a big plus in getting hired. Secretaries and legal secretaries spend much of their time doing clerical and administrative tasks. They type, correct punctuation and grammar and format written correspondence and documents that professionals in their office create. They make appointments, answer phones and callers' questions, keep files current and operate office equipment, among other responsibilities.
Those who are most successful in office jobs are effective at talking and dealing with people, resourceful in solving problems, well organized and expert at making sure that things run smoothly. If, in addition, you have acquired several important office skills, you will find yourself in demand, since employers often want a person to function in more than one capacity-for example, as a secretary/receptionist or a bookkeeper/clerk.
In addition to up-to-date information about each of these office careers, each chapter includes interviews with people working in the field so you can gain insights into what it's really like. Before you begin reading the chapters, however, you may be inspired by the stories of three people whose office careers took off. Then find out what Ellen Gonzalez, the executive director of 9to5, National Association of Working Women, has to say about how you can make the most of an office career.
