Administrative services managers work in all areas of the economy. Their areas of responsibility are quite varied. But whether they work for a large university, a government agency, or for a small company, their role is always the same: Administrative services managers are facilitators. By coordinating and directing a wide range of support services and personnel, they make it possible for everyone else to get their jobs done view more

Everyone in marketing, advertising, or public relations is involved in communicating with the public and helping to shape its opinions and perceptions. With the help of their subordinates, marketing managers research the demand for their company’s products or services, develop pricing strategies, and identify likely customers. They often work with advertising managers, who are usually employed by ad agencies view more

The career of an artist, performer or athlete can be like a roller coaster ride. You can be an unknown one day, and on top of the world the next. A key to success is having a good Agent and Business Manager. An Agent is hired to represent a client. The agent does this by promoting the client’s work to contacts in the industry. It is the agent’s job to handle all negotiations with the potential employer, from specifying working conditions to determining the salary view more

Bill and Account Collectors contact customers with overdue bills. Collectors call customers, inform them of the amount due and ask for payment. If the Customer disputes the amount or the transaction, the Collector investigates the matter. When customers move without leaving a forwarding address, collectors check with the post office, phone companies and computerized databases to find a new address and contact the customer view more

Behind every successful business transaction there is a team. Each individual involved in business and administration performs an important piece of a big job. What they all have in common is a desire to find the right fit. They might find the right product for a customer, the right price for that product, the right employee for an opening, the right message for a product. They might put mail in the right hands or seek out information that completes the analysis of a stock offering view more

In large and small businesses alike, clerks are the backbone of the back office. They are responsible for processing and maintaining large streams of financial information for customers and other workers. Billing clerks review sales data for products sold or services rendered, and prepare itemized bills to send to customers for payment. Cost clerks create production or sales cost reports for departments and prepare reports showing total cost and selling prices view more

Customer Service Representatives are considered a vital part of any organization that deals with consumers. Research has shown that people still prefer to talk to a live person instead of a machine when conducting a business transaction. Depending on the type of company they work for, Customer Service Representatives solicit and verify information, create files and perform various processing tasks, either via mail, telephone, or in person view more

Most employment interviewers work either for personnel staffing firms and employment agencies or for state job service centers. They may also be called “personnel consultants” or “human resource coordinators.” The challenge all employment interviewers face is matching people who are seeking jobs with employers who want to hire them. Employment interviewers must be able to both evaluate a job-seeker’s skills and know an employer’s needs view more

People willing to take the risk of starting their own businesses are called entrepreneurs. There’s no single road to becoming an entrepreneur. Some may hit upon an idea for a business by creating an item or providing a service for friends. Others may decide to quit working for someone else and strike out on their own. Or they may use their entire savings to buy a franchise, like a fast food restaurant view more

Behind almost all successful business executives are executive secretaries. Sometimes called administrative assistants, these invaluable workers handle a variety of office activities that keep their employers' businesses running smoothly. While they usually possess excellent clerical and computer skills themselves, executive secretaries tend to delegate many of those duties to others. They are more likely to be reviewing correspondence and writing responses…preparing presentations…or conducting research for a report he or she is writing for the boss view more

There was a time when people actually believed that computers would lead to a paperless office. It never happened. Instead, computers have generated more paper print-outs than ever before. This paper must be managed. As a result, clerical supervisors and managers hire, supervise and guide the work of the clerks, typists and data-entry operators who type and file all those pieces of paper. Clerical supervisors may also be called office managers, customer service supervisors or even chief telephone operators view more

Whether an enterprise is small, or enormous, pleasing the customer is the key to success. So first-line supervisors for customer service are vitally important. Because they are in charge of the people who take care of the customers, from scheduling, to training, to motivating and encouraging, the supervisor stands behind every customer connection. Actually, standing and walking are often part of the job, but the work is usually indoors view more

Chief executives and general managers are at or near the top of the chain of command; and while they may ultimately report to a board of directors or the stockholders, they have a great deal of power within their organizations. With power comes a tremendous amount of responsibility. People in these positions are expected to provide both a vision of the future and the leadership to achieve it. If they succeed, they may be richly rewarded view more

Human Resource Managers are in the business of making positive connections. They’re employed by companies and government agencies to match people to jobs. That means these managers work both to attract qualified job candidates, and to keep them satisfied once they’re hired. So, they develop recruiting and training programs, personnel policies, and in larger companies they might oversee hiring and firing in several departments view more

Whether making products or making laws, businesses, organizations, and governments all require up-to-date information about the people they serve. They often rely on professional interviewers to get the information. Interviewers usually work by asking a set of prepared questions and then carefully recording the responses. They look for lifestyle information about spending habits, political preferences and the like view more

Whether applying for a credit card…or a home mortgage, you need to go through an approval process. And that’s where Loan Interviewers and Clerks come in. They play a vital role in helping lending institutions determine if you are a good …or bad credit risk. They do this by examining your credit history. The first step is often interviewing the loan applicant…either in person or on the phone. Speaking clearly, listening carefully and taking accurate notes are essential qualities view more

The mailroom is a place to start in a company, and gain experience to advance if you stand out as a reliable, efficient, energetic employee. It’s an entry-level job that provides an opportunity for people without much work experience. Mail clerks handle mail that moves in and around a company, as well as the mail being sent out. So some mail clerks load mail into carts that they take around the building view more

People running businesses can be so caught up in day-to-day decisions, that they can lose sight of the big picture. That’s where Management Analysts come in. They identify problems and offer solutions to help managers run their companies as efficiently and effectively as possible. For example, management analysts may look at how the company is organized. They may help set-up new systems. They also might prepare operations and procedures manuals—and train employees view more

Every business needs to know who their customers are…and what they want. Market Research Analysts provide that information. When a new product is being developed, they consider its potential sales—and the competition. They may design telephone, personal or mail interview surveys to assess consumer preferences. For all kinds of services and products, from political parties to cleaning fluids, Market Research Analysts make phone calls, mail surveys, conduct interviews in stores and on the street view more

Do you love to plan events—from parties to conferences? If you have a head for details and the willingness to cope with a fair amount of stress, you might consider a career as a meeting and convention planner. When companies and organizations get together, someone has to work out all the arrangements, from lining up speakers, to booking hotel rooms, caterers, making sure transportation, audio-visuals and entertainment are provided, even lining up sponsors and goody-bags for people to take home view more

Homes and businesses use utilities such as electric, gas and water. Consumption is tracked by meters. The people responsible for monitoring usage are Utilities Meter Readers. While their main function is to record the amount used to ensure accurate billing, they also look for unusual fluctuations. Meter readers inspect the units for damage, sending reports back to the home office to order repairs view more

Also called risk managers, their job is to keep workplaces as accident-free as possible. They do this by looking for safer, healthier and more efficient ways of working. Health and safety specialists analyze work environments to identify potential hazards. They use experience, historical data and other sources to identify patterns of injury or illness. These specialists may conduct inspections to make sure companies comply with laws governing worker health and safety view more

Occupational Therapy is designed to help people recover from disabilities caused by injury or illness. Therapists determine exercises and other activities needed for rehabilitation, and then assign Occupational Therapist Assistants to provide hands-on-help. Under the guidance of therapists, these assistants work with people of all ages to lessen the effects of physical, mental or developmental problems view more

People who are physically, mentally or emotionally disabled often have difficulty dealing with basic living skills. Helping them to cope are Occupational Therapy Assistants and Aides. Under the supervision of occupational therapists, assistants and aides work very closely with their clients to help them compensate for limitations and help restore vocational, homemaking and daily living skills. view more

If you’re task-oriented and detail-minded, becoming a general office clerk can be a great way to “get your foot in the door” at a company and place it firmly on the career advancement ladder. That’s because nearly every organization needs people who can type and file, operate photocopiers, fax machines, and other office equipment and perform many other jobs. Specific duties vary widely. Someone working in a doctor’s office won’t perform the same tasks as someone else working in an auto parts wholesaler or in a financial institution view more

Making a management decision requires hard data along with wisdom and leadership. That information is supplied by operations research analysts. Operations research is also called management science, and that’s what it is: the science of making decisions and solving problems. It is a field that combines quantitative analysis—mathematical models—with strategic thinking. The goal is improved performance view more

Every time you order merchandise from a catalog, or fax a request for information, your contact with a company is handled by an order clerk. Orders for materials, merchandise or services can come from within an organization or from outside. However, most order clerks receive orders from other companies or individuals. The order clerk serves an important role, since he or she is often a customer’s only direct contact with the company view more

Many people get a lot of satisfaction from their jobs; their work is a source of pride. But work is also a source of income! So Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks are key to the operations of many businesses. They make sure employees are paid what they’re due. Some employers require that staff members fill out timesheets, cards or work charts – to ensure proper payment. Timekeeping clerks distribute and collect these documents – either as hard copies, or computer files view more

The single most important factor in the success of any enterprise is its employees. That's why personnel managers or "human resource" specialists are so essential in most large organizations: they're the ones responsible for recruiting, hiring, and managing the benefits of a firm's employees. It's not uncommon for a personnel manager to oversee several departments, including employment and recruiting, compensation, benefits administration, training, and employee relations view more

Public Relations…or PR…is an important part of any business, government agency or non-profit organization. It’s the job of Public Relations Managers to help protect the organization’s reputation and image. Often they act as the liaison between the organization and the public and news media. PR managers write press releases and set-up events that the press is invited to attend. In times of crisis, these managers are called upon to explain the company’s side of the issue view more

No matter what business you are in, creating a positive first impression is crucial to a company’s success. Receptionists often find themselves as the first contact that a visitor or important potential client has with a company. So if you’re interested in this career, you must be a warm and friendly person who can make others feel welcome. Communicating clearly and using a computer efficiently are valuable attributes, since tasks can include answering multiple phone lines, word processing or typing, and faxing documents view more

Secretaries are often the indispensable “unseen heroes” of the American business community. They help in the efficient management of an organization’s administrative and day-to-day affairs such as scheduling meetings and appointments, taking dictation, making travel arrangements and even contacting clients. Most secretarial positions require the use of word processing and spreadsheet computer programs and the ability to organize and handle several tasks at once view more

One of the freedoms that Americans cherish – is the right to express an opinion. The people responsible for gathering many of those opinions are Survey Researchers. These researchers create questionnaires designed for specific purposes. For example, clients may want to find out what people think about certain products… services…or even political issues. The next step is to get the public to respond to the questionnaire view more