CareerGPS

General%20and%20Operations%20Managers
Summary Occupational Forecast Data for General and Operations Managers
Employment Employment Change Average Annual Job Openings Wage & Training Levels
2020 2025 Numerical Percent New Jobs Replacement Jobs Total Median Hourly Median Annual Training Levels
17,904 19,434 1,530 8.54% 306 1,551 1,857 $48.41 $100,700 Bachelor's degree
Description: Plan, direct, or coordinate the operations of companies or public and private sector organizations. Duties and responsibilities include formulating policies, managing daily operations, and planning the use of materials and human resources, but are too diverse and general in nature to be classified in any one functional area of management or administration, such as personnel, purchasing, or administrative services. Includes owners and managers who head small business establishments whose duties are primarily managerial.
Forecast Data Source: EMSI (4th Quarter 2022)

Occupation Details

The information in this section represents occupational characteristics included in O*NET which defines key features of an occupation as a standardized, measurable set of variables called "descriptors". These distinguishing characteristics of an occupation are described in greater detail in the O*NET Content Model. All items are listed in descending order of importance.

  • Direct and coordinate activities of businesses or departments concerned with the production, pricing, sales, or distribution of products.
  • Manage staff, preparing work schedules and assigning specific duties.
  • Review financial statements, sales and activity reports, and other performance data to measure productivity and goal achievement and to determine areas needing cost reduction and program improvement.
  • Establish and implement departmental policies, goals, objectives, and procedures, conferring with board members, organization officials, and staff members as necessary.
  • Determine staffing requirements, and interview, hire and train new employees, or oversee those personnel processes.
  • Oversee activities directly related to making products or providing services.
  • Direct and coordinate organization's financial and budget activities to fund operations, maximize investments, and increase efficiency.
  • Plan and direct activities such as sales promotions, coordinating with other department heads as required.

Knowledge

83%
Administration and Management - 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.
75%
Personnel and Human Resources - Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
75%
Customer and Personal Service - 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.
67%
Economics and Accounting - Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
64%
Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
60%
Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
58%
English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
55%
Clerical - Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
55%
Sales and Marketing - Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
50%
Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

Skills

75%
Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
75%
Active Listening - 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.
75%
Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
72%
Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
69%
Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
65%
Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
65%
Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
62%
Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
62%
Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
62%
Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
62%
Negotiation - Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
62%
Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
60%
Management of Personnel Resources - Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
60%
Persuasion - Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
60%
Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
56%
Operations Analysis - Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
53%
Management of Material Resources - Obtaining and seeing to the appropriate use of equipment, facilities, and materials needed to do certain work.
53%
Systems Evaluation - Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
53%
Systems Analysis - Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
53%
Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
53%
Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.

Abilities

75%
Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
75%
Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
72%
Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
72%
Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
72%
Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
69%
Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
65%
Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
65%
Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
62%
Information Ordering - 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).
60%
Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
60%
Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
56%
Originality - The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
56%
Fluency of Ideas - The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
53%
Selective Attention - The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
50%
Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.

Work Activities

84%
Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
78%
Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
77%
Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others - Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
77%
Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
73%
Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
73%
Monitoring and Controlling Resources - Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
72%
Selling or Influencing Others - Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
71%
Communicating with Persons Outside Organization - Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
70%
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
69%
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
68%
Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
67%
Interacting With Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
66%
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
66%
Performing Administrative Activities - Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
66%
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
66%
Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others - Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
65%
Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
64%
Developing and Building Teams - Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
63%
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards - Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
63%
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others - Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
62%
Analyzing Data or Information - Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
62%
Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates - Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
62%
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
60%
Coaching and Developing Others - Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
59%
Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information - Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
59%
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material - Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
58%
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public - Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
57%
Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
56%
Provide Consultation and Advice to Others - Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
56%
Staffing Organizational Units - Recruiting, interviewing, selecting, hiring, and promoting employees in an organization.
56%
Training and Teaching Others - Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
56%
Developing Objectives and Strategies - Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
55%
Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
52%
Assisting and Caring for Others - Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
Title Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Overall Experience Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Job Training Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Job Zone Examples These occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include food service managers, electricians, agricultural technicians, legal secretaries, interviewers, and insurance sales agents.
Education Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.

Interests

Enterprising - Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Conventional - Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Social - Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

Work Styles

Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
Self Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical.
Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.

Work Values

Relationships - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Working Conditions - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Independence - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Recognition - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
Achievement - Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.