TODAYS OFFICE WORKER
There are many opportunities in the business world for qualified office workers. Depending on the source, it is estimated that there are currently 250,000 and 500,000 openings. As industry moves from manufacturing to more service-oriented businesses, the demand for office support staff is likely to increase.
Much of the shortage has been attributed to the fact that women are now entering professions, which were previously dominated by men. Salary has been a negative factor for individuals looking at an office career; however, salaries are increasing. This is particularly true in the area of word processing. Cecil (1984, 316) states that firms are willing to pay skilled word processing personnel more because they are more productive.
Increased office automation provided the office worker with a more challenging job and the opportunity for advancement to higher-level positions. In larger companies, the traditional duties of the secretary have been separated. The duties of support personnel are either classified as administrative or word processing, opening two avenues for advancement.
Administrative Duties
The starting position in the administrative area may require taking dictation and transcribing from notes or dictation equipment, handling travel arrangements, screening calls, answering routine correspondence, making appointments, and maintaining file systems. As an individual advances to a higher level, a greater knowledge of company policies and procedures and above-average secretarial and administrative skills are needed. A top-level administrative position will require a person to relieve an executive of routine administrative detail (McFarland, 1985, 14-15.)
Word Processing Duties
The starting position in the area of word processing requires the person to use word processing equipment to input, edit, customize, and deliver medium-to-complex typed documents with established quality and time standards. The more advanced jobs in word processing require the individual to produce and revise complicated documents. This may include lengthy technical and statistical reports, which require retrieval and integration of data with text (McFarland, 1985, 15.)