Look for part-time jobs where you can get experience working in an office. Look for jobs posted online, ask around with family friends, or go to your school counselor for advice on where to look!

Get experience working in an office!

Learn about the basics of operations management by taking a class online or at your school. Discover how this skill can benefit a variety of careers. 

Take an operations management class. 

Brush up on your editing skills by offering to edit your friends' and family's writing, whether that be social media captions, school essays, or emails.

Practice your copy editing skills.

Dive into this overview of a popular organizational philosophy and get started on your own system to up your productivity and start getting things done!

Practice getting organized!

The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.

The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.

The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

Proofreaders and Copy Markers

Read transcript or proof type setup to detect and mark for correction any grammatical, typographical, or compositional errors. Excludes workers whose primary duty is editing copy. Includes proofreaders of braille.

Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.

Conventional

Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts, applied arts and design, performing arts, music, creative writing, media, or culinary art.

Artistic

Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.

Investigative

Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.

Social

Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.

Realistic

Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.

Enterprising

Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed

Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.

Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.

Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.

Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Managing one's own time and the time of others.

Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Office and Administrative Support Occupations

Other Office and Administrative Support Workers

Mark copy to indicate and correct errors in type, arrangement, grammar, punctuation, or spelling, using standard printers' marks.

Read corrected copies or proofs to ensure that all corrections have been made.

Correct or record omissions, errors, or inconsistencies found.

Compare information or figures on one record against same data on other records, or with original copy, to detect errors.

Route proofs with marked corrections to authors, editors, typists, or typesetters for correction or reprinting.

Consult reference books or secure aid of readers to check references with rules of grammar and composition.

Consult with authors and editors regarding manuscript changes and suggestions.

Archive documents, conduct research, and read copy, using the internet and various computer programs.

Write original content, such as headlines, cutlines, captions, and cover copy.

Typeset and measure dimensions, spacing, and positioning of page elements, such as copy and illustrations, to verify conformance to specifications, using printer's ruler or layout software.

Adobe InCopy

Microsoft Word

Serenity Software Editor

WhiteSmoke

Adobe Captivate

InScribe

Adobe FrameMaker

Adobe InDesign

QuarkXPress

Adobe After Effects

Apple Final Cut Pro

Avid Technology Media Composer

FileMaker Pro

Microsoft Access

Style guide databases

Adobe Dreamweaver

HP Autonomy TeamSite

WordPress

Adobe Illustrator

Adobe Photoshop

Apple iWork Keynote

Microsoft PowerPoint

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Outlook

Copy machines

Computer data input scanners

Videoconferencing equipment

Laptop computers

Universal serial bus USB flash drives

Inkjet facsimile machines

Laser facsimile machines

Printers' rulers

Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.

Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.

Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.

Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.

Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?

Extremely important

Continually or almost continually

More than half the time

How often does this job require working indoors in an environmentally controlled environment (like a warehouse with air conditioning)?

Every day

Once a week or more but not every day

How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?

Constant contact with others

Contact with others most of the time

How frequently does your job require you to use E-mail?

Once a month or more but not every week

How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?

How important are continuous, repetitive, physical activities (like key entry) or mental activities (like checking entries in a ledger) to performing this job?

Very important

How important is it to work with or contribute to a work group or team in this job?

Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team

Important

How much does this job require making repetitive motions?

How frequently does your job require face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams?

Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams

Proofreaders and Copy Markers

Overview

Career

What Proofreaders and Copy Markers Do

Other Job Titles Proofreaders and Copy Markers May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Proofreaders and Copy Markers

Overview

Career

What Proofreaders and Copy Markers Do

Other Job Titles Proofreaders and Copy Markers May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Education

Level of Education Attained by Proofreaders and Copy Markers

Majors Related to Career

Related Careers

Related Leaders