How to Land an Entry-Level Office Job

An office job can be a great way to start your career. You’ll learn a lot about what it means to be a working professional, gain skills and build professional relationships. Virtually every business needs people with office skills. You could work in a medical practice, a corporate office or a construction trailer! The possibilities are virtually unlimited for office jobs in the United States. How do you know if an office job is for you? In this article, we’ll talk about what kind of skills you need to work in an office, how to acquire those skills, what kind of office job is right for you and how to get one? 

What’s it like to work in an office job? For the most part, you’ll be working indoors and during typical business hours (9-5 or a close variation). You’ll get a break for lunch and often the chance to earn benefits. You can try different professional settings to decide what suits you best. You may also be able to work yourself up within the company or leverage the experience you gained to take the next step up your career ladder. You can learn which industries interest you – you may even be inspired to get additional training or go back to school to qualify for a career option you learned about on the job. 

What are the Types of Entry-Level Office Jobs? 

There are advanced office or administrative roles that take a high level of skill, but chances are, you learned many of the things you need to know for an entry-level office job in school or just living your life. Basics like knowing how to type and use basic computer software are essential. You’ll also need good phone etiquette and verbal and written communication skills. 

There are several types of entry-level office jobs with various skills and skill levels required. You can probably find more with your own research, but here are a few to explore to get started. 

Administrative Assistants

Administrative assistant is a job title that can be something of a catch-all. In some cases, it can mean acting as a true assistant for a manager or executive. As their right-hand person, you will take care of any administrative tasks to make their professional jobs go more smoothly. You could get a job as an administrative assistant with entirely different duties. Typical responsibilities include keeping calendars updated and booking appointments. You might be asked to input data and handle correspondence, including email. You could be answering phones, planning events, ordering office supplies, proofreading documents and taking care of inbound and outbound mail.  

Receptionists

A receptionist needs the same sort of skills as an administrative professional, but since they are often the first person customers, vendors and other visitors. You’re truly the face of the company in person or over the phone. To be a successful receptionist, you’ll need to be friendly, outdoing, and present yourself professionally. You’ll probably be expected to sort mail, screen phone calls and take messages. 

Customer Service Representatives

Customer service representatives may work in call centers or customer service departments. The nature of the position can vary, but typically you will answer phone calls or respond to emails or chats about the company’s product or services. You may need to walk them through how to use it or respond to complaints or handle refunds or exchanges. You may also do some sales or technical support. 

Employable Office Skills for Your Resume

What kinds of office skills do you need to include in your resume to attract the attention of employers? While some employers are willing to train you on the job, most employers expect entry-level office workers to come to the job with some basic skills. 

Demonstrate Your Suitability For Office Jobs By Including These Skills On Your Resume 

• Up-to-date skills with general office hardware and software 
• Strong organizational, planning and time-management skills 
• Verbal and written communication skills 
• Ability to learn quickly 
• Problem-solving ability 
• Critical thinking skills 

Computer Literacy

Computer skills are a must for entry-level office jobs. Nearly every position has some level of computer involvement. At a minimum, you should know the Microsoft Office suite of products – Excel, Word, Outlook and PowerPoint or the equivalent such as those found on Google Drive. These products are essential if you need to create reports, give presentations or store and sort data. 

Organizational Skills

A skill that will make you indispensable to managers is the ability to organize. It can take many forms, such as keeping paperwork organized, keeping your own duties straight or organizing events or meetings. When you are organized, your managers know they can count on you to stay on track and get things done without close supervision. 

Time Management

One of the challenging things about working in an office is there never seems to be enough time to get things done. When you have good time management skills, you have the ability to look at how much time you have and what you need to complete and figure out a way to make them work together. It’s important to prioritize and not spend too much time on one project, cutting yourself short on another. Be sure to let your manager know if you feel overwhelmed. They can help you reprioritize your tasks before you miss a deadline. 

Communication Skills

Entry-level office jobs require communication with a wide variety of people. It’s important to be able to handle yourself professionally with executives, vendors and service people and coworkers from every department. Use every day to get a little better on the phone, in person and in writing. Focus on communicating clearly, concisely and professionally. 

How to Find an Entry-Level Office Job

There are several steps you can take to find an entry-level job and take control of your future. Because you will have a chance to build your skills and many companies promote from within, it’s important to get off on the right foot. Once you have an idea of the kind of office job you would like to have, try the following tactics. 

Tailor Resume to Job Description

It used to be (a long time ago) that people would create one all-purpose resume, take it to the print shop and mail it off to job opportunities they found in the newspaper. Everything in that sentence is long in the past except for thinking one all-purpose resume will cut it. But there’s no longer a reason to consider your resume to be written in stone. Think of it as more of a template – a starting point to tell your story that can be adjusted to each job. Review the job post to be sure you’re using the right terminology. Always be honest but highlight the skills you have that match the employers’ requirements. 

Build Network

When you’re in the market for a new job, let your friends and family know what you’re looking for and ask them to keep an eye out for you. Go to job fairs and networking events so you can get to know a variety of people. If you work temporary jobs, you can add people to your network because you’re meeting new people all the time. Don’t forget that social media is a networking opportunity. LinkedIn is particular is a great place to interact with people who can help you advance your career. 

Research Office Jobs

Searching online for entry-level office jobs is a great way to begin your research. You can start with basic searches like “entry-level office jobs near me” to get a general overview of what’s available. Even if you’re not in the immediate market, you can review what employers are looking for, adapt your resume to match and prepare for interviews. Temp agencies in Erie are a great way to start. 

Working with a Temp Agency for Office Work

Working with an office temp agency is a great way to launch your career. You can try a lot of different office jobs to see what feels like the right fit. It’s a great way to see what kind of industries or settings you’d like to explore further. When you speak to the administrative job recruiter at the temporary agency you choose, be open with them about where you see your career going and what goals you have. They’ll refer you to the open positions that are the closest fit. 

Accelerate the Office Job Search

Temporary and temp-to-hire jobs are usually a quicker way to get to work. Companies usually need to fill these positions quickly and they count on office and administrative staffing services to streamline the process of finding the right people. The hiring process is expedited, and it will prevent you from having gaps in your employment. There may only be a few days between when you apply and starting work. 

Build Your Skillset Quickly

There is no quicker way to build your skills than on the job. Temporary jobs can ramp up your skills even faster. Because you work in a variety of settings, you’ll learn different skills and different ways to apply them. Don’t hesitate to volunteer for projects or take advantage of any available training. Anything you take on will further enhance your skillset. 

Grow Resume

Even if you don’t spend long in any individual temp position, employers will see that you are flexible and willing to take on new challenges. While you would list your experience on your resume under the name of the staffing firm you work for, you can talk about the companies you work for in the interview. Also, talk about any way you went above and beyond what was required of you and what you learned on the job.

Job Flexibility

Temporary office jobs give you options for managing your work life. This is valuable as an entry-level candidate and at other times in your career because you never know when you might need additional flexibility. Some jobs may be part-time or different shifts, so if you need to juggle family or school obligations, working with an office staffing agency that can connect you with temp jobs could be ideal for you. You can take breaks if you need the summer off or want to travel. You can leave a job that’s not the right fit and move on to another one. 

What is Temp-to-Hire?

A career option that’s not well-known is temporary-to-hire, which is a little different from temporary. This option starts as a temporary job, with the employer having the option of offering you the position full-time if they are happy with your performance on the job. You have the option of accepting the position or not. If you’re confident in your abilities, temp-to-hire can be great if you are confident in your abilities because you will have a chance to demonstrate your skills rather than talking about them.

Find an Office Job in Erie, PA with Career Concepts

Would you like to learn more about finding an office job? Career Concepts can help! Entry-level office jobs are a great way to start your career and our office and administrative staffing services are the best option for finding them. There are so many directions to go from when you start there and no shortage of opportunities. If you’re ready to get started, get in touch with Career Concepts Staffing Services. Our company was founded in 1967 and is Northwestern Pennsylvania’s largest locally owned full-service staffing firm. Contact a member of our recruitment team to get started today.