After graduating from college in December, I will be working at an oil company in Southern Illinois where I hope to become the office manager. I have researched similar positions in the area to better negotiate my desired salary. The following information includes my research and conclusions.
Field
"Few roles are as integral to an office as that of the office manager" (West, 2006). The company that I work for is relatively young and shares a building with its sister company, which already has an office manager. Because I have worked with her extensively and assisted her in nearly all aspects of the job, I am very prepared to assume the position of office manager with this company. I will not have the amount of pay or responsibilities of office managers in large firms, but I will be able to remain close to my hometown and work in an environment I enjoy.
Geographic Region
The area in which I live in Southern Illinois is an economically-depressed area. The median per capita income in 1999 dollars (the most recent data available) was $14,673, well below the national average of $21,587 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2000). It does have significant oil production, however, which is vital to my career.
Company Industry
The company which I will be working for focuses primarily on the drilling of oil and natural gas wells in the Illinois Basin (IL, IN, KY). There has been a booming growth in our area the past few years due to the increase in crude oil prices. The industry is stabilizing a little now as prices level off, but there is still a large demand for our services. We are currently in the process of putting another rig in service to meet the excessive demand.
It is also important to note that my employer is an independent ...