Every office department needs someone to help others stay motivated and on task, and this is especially true with support-staff departments. Oftentimes support-staff employees do all the work behind the scenes and the success of other more “center-stage” departments depends on their strength and efficiency. If the support-staff department isn’t operating well, the whole organization suffers.

Office and administrative support worker supervisors and managers work with the support staff to ensure efficiency, effective use of time and resources, and good communication. They serve as “coaches” to keep the support-staff department working smoothly.

If you are looking for a job as an office and administrative support supervisor or manager, here’s what you need to know:

You should be a fairly organized person. In a typical workday, office and administrative support supervisors are responsible for issuing deadlines, distributing work assignments, overseeing that work has been done to the company standard, and helping the support staff adhere to the best schedule. These tasks require a high level of organizational and time management skills. If you can’t keep your own work schedule in order, what makes you think you can help an entire department with theirs?

You need at least a high school diploma. Many companies prefer to hire office and administrative support supervisors and managers who have postsecondary training such as certifications, a bachelor’s degree, or an associate’s degree. While higher education isn’t often required, if you only have a high school diploma you will need to show that you have the experience and training to multitask and effectively manage a support-staff department.

More education and experience equals higher pay. On average, office and administrative support supervisors and managers make about $45,000 a year. Candidates with more education, such as a bachelor’s degree or a two-year associate’s degree, are likely to earn above the average and candidates with little education or experience may earn below average.

Employment is expected to grow. During the next decade, employment of office and administrative support supervisors and managers will likely grow at a rate of about 11 percent. This means that there will be more open jobs every year, so check with the job listings regularly for new postings during your job search.

Corporate advancement is possible. In many companies, office and administrative support supervisors and managers are hired from within, usually from the ranks of support staff who have shown a high level of professionalism and competence. So if you are currently working as an administrative support-staff employee, don’t take anything lightly. Do your best, go the extra mile, be on good terms with everyone as much as possible, and you may find yourself looking at a managerial or supervisory advancement.

Gain skills to stay professionally relevant. If you are looking for a job as an office and administrative support supervisor or manager, you will face tremendous competition because these jobs often pay well and provide the opportunity for advancement within the corporate world. But with a little extra effort, you can boost your resume and hiring potential. Here’s how:

Having an associate’s or bachelor’s degree may help you stand out from the crowd. If you don’t have time to go back to school, you may want to consider studying for a certification or gaining skills in leadership, team-building, and communication. There are some great seminars and conferences for these topics. Finally, don’t forget to stay updated in technology, especially those computer trends that affect your support-staff department. The changing pace of technology will dictate your workday routine, and you should aim to have the reputation as being someone who knows the latest trends.