As an administrative or office operations professional you know that the work you do is extremely valuable to any company, but planning your career growth can be a challenge. As the Editor of All Hands, a publication from Managed by Q about life at work, I’ve had the opportunity to talk with administrative and operations professionals about how they have built their careers and the advice they want to share with others in their field who are looking to do the same.
Erica Ravich, the Marketing Manager and an Account Executive at Clarity Staffing, has worked with hundreds of job seekers to match them with administrative roles that are a fit for their experience and career ambitions and has expert insight into the different career paths administrative professionals can take. She explains, “I’ve worked with career admin professionals who love their day-to-day. I have seen them climb the ladder from a Junior Admin to Admin Assistant, to Executive Assistant, Senior Executive Assistant, to a Chief of Staff or Director of Administration.”
Other job seekers Erica has advised have been more interested in leveraging an administrative role into a different job. “I’ve worked with job-seeking candidates who took a receptionist role as a foot in the door at a company that interested them. After this initial job they have been able to shift into other departments such as HR, marketing, or facilities and operations management,” she says. So whether your work is a stepping stone or you are in it for the long haul, how do you build your career?
Start where you are
First you need to master the administrative or office operations role, from knowing every inch of your office to cultivating great communication. Be organized, collaborative, and detail-oriented. When Ashley Stires began her job at Tictail as the Executive Assistant and Office Manager, she spent her first nine months at the company focusing on tasks her job such as reorganizing the office and setting up a meeting structure. ”Organizing an office takes a lot time,” she reminds everyone.
Take on roles or projects related to where you want to next
Other job seekers Erica has advised have been more interested in leveraging an administrative role into a different job. “I’ve worked with job-seeking candidates who took a receptionist role as a foot in the door at a company that interested them. After this initial job they have been able to shift into other departments such as HR, marketing, or facilities and operations management,” she says. So whether your work is a stepping stone or you are in it for the long haul, how do you build your career?
Start where you are
First you need to master the administrative or office operations role, from knowing every inch of your office to cultivating great communication. Be organized, collaborative, and detail-oriented. When Ashley Stires began her job at Tictail as the Executive Assistant and Office Manager, she spent her first nine months at the company focusing on tasks her job such as reorganizing the office and setting up a meeting structure. ”Organizing an office takes a lot time,” she reminds everyone.
Take on roles or projects related to where you want to next
When you feel grounded in your role, begin to and proactively look for opportunities to take on different skills or roles around the office. After her first performance review Ashley at Tictail began to take on tasks such as payroll and expense reimbursement that had originally been handled in the company’s Swedish office, which then rolled into her taking over HR full time.
“While it happened in baby steps, in only two years that I went to from being an Executive Assistant to running the full HR function in both of our offices. I was able to grow my role because tasks kept coming up and there was no one else to do them and I got to work on setting up procedures and getting them into place,” she explained.
To grow in your role like Ashley did, Erica from Clarity advises, “show an interest in a specific area, and be proactive when the time is right about pursuing growth opportunities within the company.”
Find a supportive community or mentor to help you grow
Building a career that is personally fulfilling and professionally satisfying need not be a lonely endeavor. Finding a network of peers in your field (like OrgOrg) can help you understand how to identify opportunities and and overcome challenges. You can also look further afield and get involved in community organizations and meetup groups for professions you are looking to learn more about.
“While it happened in baby steps, in only two years that I went to from being an Executive Assistant to running the full HR function in both of our offices. I was able to grow my role because tasks kept coming up and there was no one else to do them and I got to work on setting up procedures and getting them into place,” she explained.
To grow in your role like Ashley did, Erica from Clarity advises, “show an interest in a specific area, and be proactive when the time is right about pursuing growth opportunities within the company.”
Find a supportive community or mentor to help you grow
Building a career that is personally fulfilling and professionally satisfying need not be a lonely endeavor. Finding a network of peers in your field (like OrgOrg) can help you understand how to identify opportunities and and overcome challenges. You can also look further afield and get involved in community organizations and meetup groups for professions you are looking to learn more about.
A mentor or career role model is also invaluable as you plan your next steps. Kristine Suh, who began as the Office Manager and is now the Manager of People and Culture and handles recruiting and HR functions at Chartbeat, credits a mentor as a key factor to her growth at the company. “When I was an office manager, the VP of People & Culture was very focused on fostering my career and said to me, ‘This is something that you’re good at, this is something that you like to do — I want to teach you,’” said Kristine, “Honestly, with the growth that I’ve had, having a mentor who said, “Hey, I recognize that you have this passion, come here and I’ll teach you,” was crucial for my development.“
Your career ambitions, as well as the companies you work for, will evolve over time. Check in with yourself regularly to ensure you are making the connections and taking on projects that will help you rise to your next role. For more career advice and to get to know other operations professionals visit All Hands and join our newsletter.
Your career ambitions, as well as the companies you work for, will evolve over time. Check in with yourself regularly to ensure you are making the connections and taking on projects that will help you rise to your next role. For more career advice and to get to know other operations professionals visit All Hands and join our newsletter.
Eleanor Whitney is the Managing Editor at Managed by Q. She is a writer, musician, and community manager based in Brooklyn, New York. In 2013 Microcosm Publishing released her first book, Grow, a field guide for creatives to build satisfying companies and careers. She is currently working on her second book, a feminist memoir, to be published in 2018.
Managed by Q is the platform for office management. Q makes it easy to run an office by connecting companies to services, including cleaning, maintenance, office administration, IT, and security. A solution for recurring and ad-hoc office needs, Q saves companies valuable time and supports office operations for thousands of businesses nationwide.
Managed by Q is the platform for office management. Q makes it easy to run an office by connecting companies to services, including cleaning, maintenance, office administration, IT, and security. A solution for recurring and ad-hoc office needs, Q saves companies valuable time and supports office operations for thousands of businesses nationwide.
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