How To Become An Office Management Assistant: What It Is and Career Path

What is an office management assistant and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

Anne McConnell Ph.D.

Offices would be in chaos without their office management assistants. Office management assistants help the office manager maintain a secure and productive workplace. They do this by managing executives' schedules, tracking invoices, and doing general office inventory upkeep tasks. Office management assistants navigate their fast-paced working environment by utilizing their excellent time management, multitasking, and organization skills. Because they often are in charge of fielding phone calls and setting appointments, office management assistants also have to be proficient in written and verbal communication.

While there are many office management assistants with only a high school diploma, a college education does help you become more successful in the field. Almost half of office management assistants in the United States hold a bachelor's degree--business, psychology, and accounting are among the most popular majors.

On average, office management assistants make a yearly salary of $33,894 in the United States. That's about $16.30 an hour. There are also plenty of opportunities for career advancement. Office management assistants are often promoted to higher-paid positions such as office manager, executive assistant, or office administrator.

What general advice would you give to an office management assistant?

Anne McConnell Ph.D.

Professor, West Virginia State University

I would say it's important to be very attentive to the way you communicate with your employers, managers, and co-workers. Even sending an e-mail can be an opportunity to demonstrate your professionalism and communication skills. Some people think that no one knows how to write anymore, or how to communicate in a professional way. I don't think that's true. But we don't always think about how our writing can be a tool to communicate our competence and seriousness. If you know how to write and communicate professionally-which college grads do-then make sure to demonstrate that in the workplace.

ScoreOffice Management AssistantUS Average

Salary

3.7

Avg. Salary $47,778

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

6.0

Growth rate -8%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.1

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.73%

Asian 3.85%

Black or African American 9.39%

Hispanic or Latino 16.43%

Unknown 3.88%

White 65.72%

Gender

female 75.79%

male 24.21%

Age - 52

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 52

Stress level

6.0

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

4.4

Complexity level is basic

7 - challenging

Work life balance

7.6

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become an office management assistant

Explore office management assistant education requirements

Most common office management assistant degrees

Bachelor's

53.1 %

Associate

21.3 %

High School Diploma

10.1 %

Start to develop specific office management assistant skills

Skills	Percentages
Phone Calls	11.87%
Customer Service	10.78%
Office Equipment	5.06%
Travel Arrangements	5.04%
Financial Reports	4.75%

Complete relevant office management assistant training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New office management assistants learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an office management assistant based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real office management assistant resumes.

Gain additional office management assistant certifications

Office management assistant certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific office management assistant certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for office management assistants include Medical Assistant and Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA).

More About Certifications

Research office management assistant duties and responsibilities

Lead DoD team that assist Pakistan in gaining military capabilities to conduct counter-terrorism operations against the Taliban.
Prepare several sophisticate PowerPoint presentations on leading-edge operational improvements.
Prepare several sophisticate PowerPoint presentations on leading-edge operational improvements.

Prepare your office management assistant resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your office management assistant resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an office management assistant resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable office management assistant resume templates

Build a professional office management assistant resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your office management assistant resume.