Office Manager
(Female, Age 35) from Tallapoosa, GA
This is a REAL-LIFE job profile written by a Female aged 35 who works as a Office Manager in Tallapoosa, GA. We have removed all names and personal information in order to protect privacy. This professional kindly spent a bit of their time to complete one of our job profile surveys so that prospective job seekers like you could read their insights. Please excuse any punctuation or grammatical errors in this profile.
At a Glance
Current Job
Basic data on your current job
| Job Title | Office Manager |
|---|---|
| Salary | $18,200 |
| Other Compensation | None Set |
| Hours/Week | |
| Company Size | (not answered) |
| Location | Tallapoosa, GA |
| Years Experience | 7 years |
Career Ratings
Opinions on your CAREER overall (i.e. not just your current job)
| Years in Career | 0 |
|---|---|
| Education | (not answered) |
| Income Rating | 0 / 10 |
| Interest Rating | 0 / 10 |
| Work-Life Rating | 0 / 10 |
| Fulfilment Rating | 0 / 10 |
Current job Q&A
Describe the type of organization you work for.
I work for a Ranch/Farm. We have 522 acres which we use to train cutting horses, board horses, farm, grow hay, and are currently adding trail horses and a retreat area for children and adults.
Describe your job role and responsibilities.
I work in the office fielding calls, dealing with vendors, bookkeeping, visitors and all other office duties. I also assist in training and working with colts.
Please list an additional benefits (beyond compensation) that you receive.
I am also provided with a 3-bedroom home, all utilities, and a company vehicle.
Do you feel you are under/over or well/fairly compensated at your current position?
I feel that I am slightly under compensated, however; I am very happy at my position.
Does your job entail you working with others on a daily basis? Is this something you like/dislike about your job? Please explain.
I am on constant contact with people bringing in horses to be trained or boarded, or just visiting the property. We also have groups come out (ex: BoyScouts and church groups) and people coming by to check on their horses. I really enjoy dealing with these people, as they are the most laid-back and kindest I have ever met. This is a very small town and everyone seems to know each other, too.
Do you work collaboratively with supervisors/managers?
Yes
Do you work collaboratively with your co-workers?
Yes
Describe your work location (e.g., office, home, theatre, in the field) and what you like/dislike about working in it.
My home is also on the ranch, and although I often work out of my home, I do have an office at the main barn. It’s very comfortable and rustic (the barn office) but being so close to the barn it can be noisy and sometimes smelly. I prefer my home office, since it’s very quiet and stays clean.
Please rate each of the following aspects of your current job on a scale of 1-10 (10 being the highest/best):
Income: 3
Benefits: 7
Hours: 6
Co-Workers: 2
Supervisors: 4
Job Title: 8
Level of Responsibility: 5
The Actual Work: 1
A day in the life of…
Please describe a typical workday for you in your current job:
| 5am to 6am | |
| 6am to 7am | |
| 7am to 8am | I came into my home office at 7:30 to check email. I returned 2 email messages–these were from people interested in having their horses green broke (teaching a young horse to be saddled, bridled and harnessed). Two of the trainers and I had coffee in my living room while discussing plans for the day. |
| 8am to 9am | Continued discussion with trainers until 8:30. I went back to checking email. |
| 9am to 10am | Walked down to the barn and faxed copies of bills to owner; vacuumed the office; answered call from vet regarding pins that need to be removed from colt’s leg; cleaned barn bathroom; |
| 10am to 11am | I took a small break to eat a bowl of oatmeal; got online and checked email (I always have a ton of email–usually requests for information on programs we offer. Sometimes I can send a form letter and sometimes it requires a more personal touch). |
| 11am to 12pm | Continuously checking and responding to email, and also filling out this survey. I am doing payroll for last week, too. |
| 12pm to 1pm | continue with survey and am now shopping online for supplies — we need new lead lines (strong leads to guide the horses)and we are looking for a new stud (male horse) to inseminate (impregnation) one of our mares (female horse). This will be done via a shipped straw (container) of sperm. We choose a stud based on many factors, including bloodline and past performance. Although we have two in mind, I will make a decision today (along with other trainers) on which horse we want. I will be doing this all day, and will then work on a presentation and contract to approach the owner of the stud that we choose. I need to work in others tasks, too. |
| 1pm to 2pm | Entered data into Quickbooks (finishing payroll, bills paid, etc.) and received call from owner regarding nature of a small bill. He sometimes questions bills just to stay on top of things, though we have never had a problem. He is more likely to question a small bill as opposed to a large one; He is not here often, so he likes to feel useful. Continued research on stud horse, met with other trainers and discussed. Came to a conclusion and took a break for lunch. |
| 2pm to 3pm | We (2 trainers and I ) made a conference call to owner. We discussed decision on stud horse and discussed fees and contract negotiations. I will spend the remainder of my day working on contract and answering email. We’re now getting ready to eat a late lunch. A note about lunch: We often take turns buying for one another. We are a very tight-knit group here. It has to be that way in order to succeed. Being in this business takes a lot of commitment to the ranch, the animals, and to the team. Several of us live on premises, and we’ve become close over the years. |
| 3pm to 4pm | Broke for lunch at 2 (see the 1-2 time frame) but it got pushed back due to the conference call (see 2-3 time frame); We finally ate ( subs)! I continue to write up the contract and presentation of terms to give to stud horse owner, revising as needed and tailoring it to our specific terms and the terms of the stud horse owner. I made a call to stud horse owner to verify information and terms. I am also continuing this survey, of course. I took a call from a neighbor (as close as one could get to a neighbor anyway–they live about 3 miles from us) wanting to use one of our lakes to fish. We gave them permission but they have to sign a release. We have to get all visitors to sign a release (a document releasing the ranch from liability if they get injured on our property) since there is always risk of injury. One could easily fall off a horse, get kicked or nibbled (male horses bite out of curiosity, boredom, and yes, meanness), get hurt fishing..anything could happen, and the owner does not want to get sued. We encourage and teach safety, but we also have to follow the law. |
| 4pm to 5pm | I am checking email and also took a call from a local church; they want to have a retreat here this summer, a camp for disabled children. I have finished up all answerable email and I went out to look at some work done to the property. We had someone build three new stalls and put up some decorative railing and do some painting (fences, etc). Their work is impressive! They did a great job. I am finished with the contract and have faxed it to the owner and stud owner for final approval before they sign. I will receive word tomorrow of any changes. |
| 5pm to 6pm | Brief meeting in barn office with co-workers–discussed what color to paint the hot walker (it’s sort of an automatic horse walker–they are tied to a carousel type machine that makes them walk at a certain speed for a certain time –it helps cool them down after they have been worked) and also discussed catfish feeder for main lake and buying a new trolling motor for the pontoon boat. We have to get these particular expenses approved before spending; with most other things we spend as needed and just submit the bill or use the company credit card. Made list of expenses that need approval and faxed to owner. Will await owner’s response, although we are sure it will be approved. |
| 6pm to 7pm | (I am going to run errands and have dinner)
Note: Today was unusual in the fact that I spend very little time outdoors. It is only the beginning of the week, so this is partially why. (Plus I had to do the contract) |
| 7pm to 8pm | I went down to the barn to help feed the colts and change their water. I also inspected the feet of one of our mares. Her feet were fine, though at first I wasn’t sure.Just like our fingernails bend, break and get brittle, so do horses’ hooves. We have to take care of them by filing them and such. Sometimes we shoe the horse, meaning that we put what you know as “horseshoes” on them. Sometimes we do this ourselves and sometimes we have a professional come in. He is called a farrier. Shoeing horses is dirty work, and can be dangerous. It is smelly work, too! (think about grinding a dirt-laden, poop-laden nail the size of a horse’s hoof!)
I am finished for the evening! I am lucky as we did not have to clean stalls or do any dirty work today, but it’s coming soon. I am exhausted, and know I have lots of physical and mental labor tomorrow. Now it’s time to read for a few hours before hitting the hay and starting over tomorrow. We have stalls to clean, we have to put colts out to pasture for the first time, we have to cut fields (mow the hay), plant flowers, check the vegetables, and so much more. I do not normally stay in the office as much as I have today–today was nice and easy! Tomorrow I will start much earlier than I did today — around 5:30 or 6 am! |
| 8pm to 9pm | |
| 9pm to 10pm | |
| 10pm to 11pm | |
| 11pm to 12am |
Table of Contents
How you got your job
How did you get your current job?
I was referred by a friend.
What was the application process?
I did not have to submit an application. I stayed at the ranch for a week. This was my interview.
Did you have to interview for your current job? If yes, what did the interview process entail?
My only interview was a week-long stay at the ranch to see how I would fit in, and if I liked it here. The owner made the final decision based on my likes and my performance; it was a mutual decision.
If you can remember, what questions were you asked during the interview?
The owner did ask about my background and he did watch me handle horses as well as office duties.
Do you feel your employer properly prepared you for your job? Explain.
I feel I was already prepared, and that I brought my skills to my employer/
Was there training for your current position? If yes, what did it entail?
The only training I received was learning daily operations from other employees. I was already familiar with how to do the work, as I had worked in this area before.
Do you feel your educational background prepared you for your job? Explain.
Yes. My degree helped me learn the ins and outs of caring for horses, cows, and also the business aspects of managing and running an office.
If applicable, do you feel your internship experience helped you prepare for your job?
N/A
If someone wanted to go about getting a job similar to yours, what would you recommend for him or her to do?
I would recommend that they attend a school that specializes in agriculture/farming. This can also be a very difficult life, as it takes up much of ones time. A person should spend time on working ranch to get an idea of what life is like here. That can even be more valuable than school, although school is definitely recommended.
What skills do you think a person should have if they want to pursue a position like yours?
A great love for horses and the outdoors– most of our time is spent with horses and working the land. We are not confined to an office. One must be able to get along well with a wide variety of personalities– agriculture can be demanding, and although most people are nice, it can get competitive, and this can make some folks difficult to deal with. Also, they would need a lot of patience. Our work does not always show results until months down the road–they payoff is not immediate, but when it comes it’s great.
Do you feel that you need a certain level of education or training to be successful in your job?
Yes. A knowledge of agriculture and horses is a must.
What advice would you give to someone who was about to start work in your position/ line of work?
I would first say, “I am glad you are interested in this wonderful and overlooked area.” Then I would advise them to spend some time on a working ranch and get an good idea of how rewarding and hard this life can be. I would advise them to explore different colleges, and also different areas to see if they want to specialize in one area (only training horses as opposed to being a general farm hand).
Long-term career plans
Is your current employment part of your overall career plan? Why or why not?
Yes! I will stay here as long as I possibly can. I love this land, these animals, and have become a part of this place. When my time here ends I will start my own ranch, but I hope to stay here as long as possible.
What are your current career goals?
I would like to stay here as long as possible. One day down the road I will own my won ranch, but for now I am happy here.
Is there anything else you would like to share about your career?
This is a very rewarding career, but it takes a lot of time and dedication. Much of it can be learned hands on, but an education is necessary, too. I would advise spending some time on a working ranch to see how rewarding it can be.
Prior work history
Please list your most recent jobs prior to this current job:
| Title | Length | Salary | Description | |
| Prior Job 1 | Manager | 1994-1999 | 15000 | I managed an office on a farm and assisted with training horses and provided trail rides. |
| Prior Job 2 | Assistant | 1989-1993 | 5/hr | I assisted hands with various duties, rode horses to warm them up, and did light office work. |
Educational background
Please list your educational background:
High School GPA:3.5
| GPA | School | Degree | |
| College (Undergraduate) or Technical/Vocational |
4 | Texas A & M | Equine/Business |
| Graduate or Professional (Masters or Doctorate) |
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