Skills
Office Manager Skills & Tools
The technical skills, people skills and tools employers look for in office managers, and how to build and show them.
What skills do office managers need?
Office Managers need technical skills such as office operations, budgeting, and vendor management, plus people skills like leadership and problem solving. They also use tools such as Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace and Accounting software such as QuickBooks.
Technical (hard) skills
- Office operations
- Budgeting
- Vendor management
- Supervision
- Office software
- Basic HR and bookkeeping
People (soft) skills
- Leadership
- Problem solving
- Communication
- Organization
Tools, equipment and technology
- Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace
- Accounting software such as QuickBooks
- Purchasing and expense tools
- HR and payroll platforms
- Facilities and ticketing systems
- Phone and video systems
Skills in action: common tasks
These step-by-step guides show how office managers put their skills to work:
- How to onboard a new employee
- How to manage a vendor relationship
- How to build an office supply budget
How to show these skills on a resume
- Lead your skills section with the technical skills from the job posting, for example, “Office operations” and “Budgeting.”
- Prove soft skills with results: instead of listing “leadership,” describe a situation where you used it.
- List credentials such as Certified Administrative Professional (CAP) near the top, with the issuing organization and date.
- Use the employer’s vocabulary. Our office manager glossary covers the terms hiring managers expect.
How to build these skills
Formal training, supervised practice and certification are the most direct routes. Our Office Manager training introduces each of these skills with plain-language lessons, procedures and a final knowledge check: a strong foundation before hands-on training or your first day.