You'll need:

• business management skills
• administration skills
• patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
• the ability to organise your time and workload
• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• the ability to work well with others
• the ability to think clearly using logic and reasoning
• excellent verbal communication skills
• to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

You could do a degree in:

• business management
• human resource management
• public administration

Once you've completed your studies, you could apply for a trainee manager position, for example through a company's graduate training scheme.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree

More Information

• equivalent entry requirements
• student finance for fees and living costs
• university courses and entry requirements

You could take a course at college that would give you some of the skills and knowledge to apply for assistant office manager jobs.

Courses include;

• Level 3 Diploma in Business Administration
• T Level in Management and Administration

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a level 3 course

• 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths for a T Level

More Information

• equivalent entry requirements
• funding advice
• guide to T Levels
• search for courses

You can start by doing a business administrator higher apprenticeship.

This typically takes 18 months to complete as a mix of workplace learning and off-the-job study.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship

More Information

• equivalent entry requirements
• guide to apprenticeships

You could work as an office assistant or supervisor in a company, then move on to become a manager through internal training and promotion.

Professional and industry bodies

You could join the Institute of Administrative Management for professional development and training opportunities.

Further information

You can find out more about becoming an office manager from the Institute of Administrative Management.

As part of your day-to-day duties you may:

• establish policies and procedures for staff
• develop quality control processes
• carry out staff appraisals and measure performance
• deal with disciplinary issues
• prepare reports and give presentations to the senior management team
• manage the office budget
• support staff career development
• attend conferences and training events
• deal with staff recruitment

You could work in an office.

You may need to wear smart business clothes.