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Best & Worst Things About This Career

"The best part of my job is the variety of things I am involved with. Accounting is known as "the rounded profession" because you need to learn the business you work for. The worst part is the repetition of weekly, monthly, quarterly and year-end tasks. And in addition to that, I can also include the preparation of payroll tax returns which are affected by a lot of state and Federal requirements related to reporting of certain fringe benefits such as retirement savings and health insurance plans which affect the tax both employees and employers have to pay. Accounting is detail-intensive and tax returns are even more so. They also have legal implications so the stress level is high."

"The best parts are the constant buzz and excitement of a fast-paced environment ; helping solve problems for people and feeling like you helped someone ; and learning about new technology and the healthcare market. The worst parts are the long commute into Boston (on a train) each day and working with people, sometimes, who don't care about their work and don't try hard enough."

"The best part of my job is the experience I am getting: dealing with all kinds of people, seeing how some do not come back for their appointments and you have to hunt them down. It makes the day go fast if you are busy and there is always something to do. The nurse is always showing me new things and allowing me to try different tasks which I really enjoy. All and all it is about dealing with people and I do enjoy people."

"The best part of my job is actually having the ability and responsibility to see how something can be improved upon. It's also nice to be responsible for the day to day smooth running of the office, ensuring that everyone is doing their part. The worst part of the job is trying to figure out the best way to deal with the other employees. It's very important that you find out what motivates each person, even though it's different for every one. You need to mindful of peoples feelings; and have to approach each unique situation keeping in mind that your words and actions affect their feelings."

"I feel a bit overqualified for the job, despite being well-paid (more than my classmates). I am excited at the prospect of moving up within the company, as it is a major global corporation that is within the field that I studied for my undergraduate degree. I am pleased, however, that I am able to work in an industry that I know so much about. At this point, being an office manager is only the entry-level part of my career. I hope to move on from this position very quickly."

"The best part of my job is that I really enjoy the people that I work with. That makes a huge difference. I'm on the phone all day with my co-workers and with agents from other companies. I like the fast pace of answering the calls and scheduling appointments. The downside is dealing with people who are rude. I am pretty much the "middle man" when it comes to scheduling appointments and agents who can't get into properties sometimes take their frustrations out on me."

"I like learning new things every day. I have gained a vast amount of knowledge about cars which I never had before. When a customer calls who is frantic because his car has broken down, I enjoy being about to ease his fears. The worst part of the job is telling someone that his car needs a large repair. We have had many of our customers for years and I know them. They have shared with me what is going on in their lives: both the good and the bad. It is hard to call someone to tell them they need a large repair done when I know that they or their spouse just got laid off."

"The best part of my job is that I learn something new every day because healthcare is always changing. It makes it challenging and rewarding because I never get bored. The worst part is that I have to do a lot of paperwork and make sure that each claim (the bill I send to the insurance company) is perfect. I cannot make any mistakes or the doctor won't be reimbursed. Insurance companies are real sticklers that way."

"I absolutely love my job. I enjoy working at a physicians office because I get to see and interact with a variety of interesting people. I am always where the action is without having to get my "hands dirty" (for example nurses and doctors sometimes have to deal with body fluids and open wounds. I am very squeamish and would not like that). Of course another thing a like about my job is that I am a supervisor, therefore my opinion is highly regarded and I am well respected amongst my coworkers. As much as I enjoy my career there are some things I dislike. But these are few in number. Being a supervisor means that I have to deal with all serious issues within the clinic. This includes staff problems as well as complaints and concerns amongst our patients. This can be very stressful at times."

Tips for Succeeding in This Career

"First, make sure you know how a day goes for an accountant. Office work is not necessarily for everyone so keep the environment in mind. If possible, visit an office where there is an accountant willing to show you how his or her day goes. Find out what type of accounting you would like to do. There are many types of accountants with specialties in areas like taxation, cost (in manufacturing particularly), general accounting, etc. College will give you a taste of each but there is nothing like getting the inside scoop from a professional."

"1. Have have to have a strong attention to details. 2. Be very organized with your thoughts and work. Be prepared. 3. Be able to communicate verbally and in writing. 4. You must have the ability to get along well with others and build relationships so you can help your co-workers and, just as importantly, get help when you need it. 5. Get as much education as you can through internal classes or find ways to take classes (toward an advanced degree) that your company will pay for. It helps separate you from others and doesn't cost you anything but time."

"If I were to give advice it would be, go to school when you are young. Then you can be what you want to be. I am just now seeing what I would like to do. I am in my fifties and it is tough to work a full-time job and a part-time job and go to school part-time. When you are young your brain is like a sponge. When you are old it is harder to remember. I do enjoy my job but I also want to be a nurse."

"First and foremost you need to like to work with people. In preparing for office manager, in all of your activities, study people. This will give you the ability to read them and intuitively find out where they're coming from and what makes them tick. In everything you do, including school work, interactions with others or in your job, try and find a more efficient way to do something or achieve a desired result."

"Be picky with the company you work for in this position. Look for opportunities for jobs within the company once you have your foot in the door. Do not be discouraged by the long job hunt. Be sure to make the most of your resume-- do not only list the tasks you executed, but also mention briefly how they were beneficial to your firm."

"The real estate market will turn around in the next couple of years, inevitably, and there's always a need for someone to be running the office and dealing with the day-to-day issues, so this is a stepping stone (if you'd like to further yourself) to other areas of real estate. You could learn the basics and put the experience to use eventually selling properties yourself. You have to be comfortable on the phone and dealing with issues that arise. Learn the basics as far as computer and phone skills. They take up the bulk of your day."

"Never forget that you work for the customer. I've been in customer service for over 20 years and I'm still learning how to be better at it. If there is an interaction with a customer that I'm not happy with, I learn from it and figure out how to improve my skills."

"I have all my holidays and weekends off. I also have set my home computer up so I can work from home sometimes. My job would be for someone who likes to read, who's organized and who wants to learn something new every day. The great part about my job is that it taught me to sweat all the little details. Trust me: they make a difference. I think women do very well in this career."

"Some advice I would offer a person thinking about a career as a team leader/supervisor of an administrative staff in a medical setting would include the following: - Make sure you are a people person and enjoy working with the public as well as in a team environment. - You need to enjoy a fast paced and constantly changing environment. - Finally, you would need to possess leadership skills as well as some basic human resource skills."