Basic Skills Required

Word/text processing positions require the employee to spend the major part of each working day preparing letters, memorandums, reports and other documents using typewriters, word processors, or microcomputers. Proper preparation of documents requires a number of important skills and abilities.

Among these are:

• rapid keyboarding skill;

• skill in using text-editing equipment³ and software packages⁴;

• command in grammar, punctuation, and spelling;

• ability to follow instructions;

• ability to learn specialized vocabularies;

• ability to organize tasks so that deadlines are met.

II. Data processing refers to the collecting, manipulating, and distributing of details that are usually in the form of figures. The final result of a data processing operation is called output⁵, which usually takes the form of a document or a printed form. Output may be tables of figures, financial reports, invoices⁶, checks, and other documents. Jobs in this cluster are payroll⁷ assistants; accounts payable⁸ and accounts receivable⁹ clerks; order, purchasing, and receiving clerks; inventory¹⁰ assistants; and junior accountants.

Basic Skills Required

Employees who hold data processing positions spend the greater portion of each workday handling a specific type of information. An employee in the purchasing department may determine the price of each item to be purchased, compute the cost of the quantity desired, and prepare purchase orders. An employee in an accounts receivable department records sales to customers and payments received.

The basic skills necessary for jobs in data processing include:

• skill in entering information at a computer terminal;

• skill in using electronic equipment and software;

• aptitude¹¹ with numbers and math processes;

• ability to handle details carefully;

• understanding of basic recordkeeping and accounting principles;

• ability and willingness to check the accuracy of computations.

III. Modern organizations require personnel who devote full time to managing information properly and distributing/transmitting information to persons within and outside the company. Positions in central records departments, mailrooms, reprographics¹² centers, company libraries, and telephone information offices require competent workers.

Basic Skills Required

Organizations have to train new employees in certain aspects of information management and distribution/transmission because each company’s system has some unique aspects. The most common skills for beginning employees are:

• good keyboarding skills;

• excellent oral communications skills, especially for those who use the telephone frequently;

• command of basic filing rules and principles;

• ability to follow instructions;

• ability to carry out specific tasks without close supervision;

• ability to handle details accurately;

• ability to work in an organized, systematic manner.

IV. There are positions in general assistance and customer service¹³ where employees are not limited to only a few tasks, as in the positions just described. You may find jobs in this cluster appealing if your interests overlap two or more clusters.

In small organizations, for example, there may be only one worker performing all the office tasks required to meet the goals of the organization. Common positions with diversified tasks include receptionist, general clerk, office assistant, and secretary.

Basic Skills Required

The basic skills you need for positions that are diversified will vary somewhat. In general, the following are commonly listed requirements:

• good key boarding skills;

• ability to process information via a computer terminal;

• skill in using office equipment such as calculators and copiers;

• ability to conduct several tasks simultaneously¹⁴;

• ability to deal with people in a friendly, cooperative manner;

• skill in establishing schedule¹⁵ for tasks to be completed;

• ability to communicate orally and in writing.

Opportunities for Promotion

Company executives often look to beginning workers to find persons who can assume more responsible positions. General supervisors are frequently selected from among employees who have handled their tasks with intelligence, care, and attention to detail. Furthermore, employees who have taken the opportunity to learn more about the organization are valuable in higher level positions.

Task IV. Make up the plan of the text. Give a summary of the text using your plan.

Task V. Read the following text and say to what category of workers office occupations belong: