Clerk Job Description, Skills, and Salary
Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of a clerk. Feel free to use our clerk job description template to produce your own. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as a clerk.
Who is a Clerk?
Clerks can operate in any office setting to improve operations and make it easier for other team members to finish their tasks. They manage a department’s or team’s file and documentation, ensuring that everyone has easy access to the information they require. Office clerks handle incoming and outgoing mail, as well as sending bills, forwarding messages to the appropriate person, and keeping track of department shipping and postage requirements. They also help with budgeting by gathering and organizing receipts according to the project they belong to.
Clerks work for a variety of companies in a variety of industries, providing administrative support to individuals who work in an office setting. They support managers and staff in doing errands and maintaining a well-organized firm by collaborating closely with them. Their employment entails completing a variety of clerical activities on behalf of firm personnel, such as making copies, faxing papers, and creating invoices. They may also be in charge of making travel arrangements for employees for business trips and conferences.
Answering phones, bookkeeping, filing, mailing, message delivery, data processing, running errands, and sorting mail are all jobs that a clerk performs.
In this position, specific job abilities such as communication, computing, customer service, and attention to detail are essential.
Clerks must be able to file, photocopy, post outgoing mail, execute banking transactions, sort and distribute incoming mail, sign for deliveries, and send faxes, among other things. They must also be able to keep meticulous paper and electronic records as well as take thorough phone messages. Office clerks take dictation and transcribe notes at meetings in some offices, as well as keep track of office supplies and restock them as needed.
In some offices, office clerks may take on more complex responsibilities such as payroll record keeping, paycheque preparation, and inventory management. Prior managerial experience is usually required if an office clerk is requested to supervise other staff.
Clerk Job Description
Below are the clerk job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write a clerk job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.
The duties and responsibilities of a clerk include the following:
- Keeping business files up to date and available to other personnel.
- Typing business documents, reports, and letters.
- Sorting and reacting to incoming mail, as well as distributing it to the proper workers.
- Answering phone calls and emails and, where necessary, transferring them to other personnel.
- Issuing invoices and tracking down unpaid debts.
- Taking dictations and minutes, during meetings.
- Organizing travel for other corporate personnel on business travels.
- Keeping track of office supplies and informing the office manager when stock levels are low.
- Greeting clients and offering refreshments.
- Transcribing, recording faxing, and filing documents.
- Operating photocopiers and fax machines among many office equipments.
- Responding to any questions or complaints from clients and staff by communicating with them.
- Booking and preparing meeting venues, as well as ensuring that refreshments are available, are all important considerations.
- Making adequate arrangements for flights and lodging as needed.
- Organizing events and communicating with office personnel.
Qualifications
- With applicable experience and a high school diploma,
- It’s possible that an associate’s degree in office management or a certificate in office administration is necessary.
- Strong computer abilities and Microsoft Office experience are required.
- Organizational and time management abilities.
- Detail-oriented
- Friendliness is evident in his demeanor.
- Typing speed of 45 to 60 words per minute is required (words per minute).
Essential Skills
- Ability to pay close attention to details
Before a project is distributed, employees should be able to spot any errors. Supervisors value meticulous attention to detail and will look for it on a resume. Maintaining a high level of attention to detail throughout each activity can help you regularly submit high-quality work to supervisors or clients.
If you’re seeking for a position as an administrative or executive assistant, you may need to double-check supervisors’ work for grammatical faults or accuracy issues.
- Computer knowledge is necessary.
A computer can help you with a variety of clerical jobs. Basic computer abilities enable you to do simple activities such as data entry, which may include entering crucial information into a spreadsheet. This is why knowing how to use Microsoft Office products, particularly Microsoft Excel, may make these jobs much easier to complete. Other Microsoft Office applications, such as Microsoft PowerPoint for presentations, are also useful computer skills to have.
Employees should also be aware of and develop their typing skills, since they can help you complete your assignment faster. Basic computer software knowledge, like as task management systems or workplace messaging platforms, can also assist you in being productive and collaborative with your coworkers.
- The ability to think critically
Certain problems that need critical thinking or problem-solving skills may develop. In a job where unexpected events can occur, maintaining a cool head and being adaptive to various challenges as they arise are vital abilities to have.
Employees with critical thinking abilities can examine a situation and make a quick and valuable decision to resolve the problem. Having these talents allows you to keep the office running smoothly without sacrificing productivity.
- Ability to manage time
The ability to prioritize tasks and projects is a valuable skill that many employers value. Employees with great time management abilities will be able to effectively plan their time in order to meet deadlines while still producing high-quality work.
- Communication (both oral and written).
When you work in an office, you will almost certainly come into contact with a large number of people on a regular basis. Clients, customers, and employees are communicated with over the phone, via email, video chat, and in person. The capacity to hold a discussion with people can aid in the development of stronger relationships and improved job performance. To achieve a good work, you need to be able to communicate effectively.
Professional emailing to clients or staff is a common application of written communication skills. The emails should be written in a professional tone with no grammatical errors and that is simple to comprehend. Use of Microsoft Word to type workplace documents such as memos, presentations, or any other educational material is also part of written communication abilities.
- Simple math skills are required.
You may need to know basic math and how to input numbers depending on the career you choose. Microsoft Excel is a popular choice for organizations needing to collect and organize numbers data, and it’s a program you should be familiar with if you work in bookkeeping, budgeting, or accounting.
- Resourcefulness
Being adaptable will help you survive in a fast-paced atmosphere as a clerk. During times of transition, you will be expected to get the job done and to be a reliable resource for your coworkers. Multitasking and critical thinking, as well as open-mindedness, will be required to do so efficiently. Your employer or a superior may be unable to aid you with debugging in some instances. You will be a standout employee if you have the capacity to work autonomously under pressure.
- Organization
All employees place high importance on organizational skills. These abilities can assist you in remaining productive and efficient. Both digital and paper documents should be filed and stored so that you know where they are in case you need to retrieve them fast. Supervisors can also rely on organizational abilities to ensure that confidential information is kept in a secure location, lowering the danger of it being lost or stolen.
These abilities can also aid with the recall of impending projects, tasks, and meetings. Organized employees can refer to crucial information later when they need it by taking notes during a presentation or a work instruction.
- Problem-solving
To efficiently carry out clerical responsibilities and challenges as they emerge, you must be a strong problem solver. You may be required to resolve difficulties with clients, coworkers, or technical glitches, depending on the nature of your role. When done in a timely manner while remaining calm under pressure, you will always get the finest results.
How to Become a Clerk
- Completion of high school
To work as an office clerk, you normally require a high school diploma. If the high school offers them, aspiring clerks should enroll in computer skills and office practices classes.
To work as an office clerk, you normally need a high school diploma. Interested clerks can learn useful abilities by enrolling in high school lessons in word processing or Excel. If you have past clerical experience, you may be considered for office clerk roles even if you don’t have a high school diploma or its equivalent. Aspiring clerks can also get an Associate of Applied Science in Business Management, which will teach them about database management, records management, and business communication.
- Take and pass a certification course
A course in general office procedures, computer literacy, and basic computer software such as word processing and spreadsheets may be beneficial to aspiring clerks. Though completion of a certification course is not required, it will assist aspiring clerks in gaining the necessary abilities for the position. Certificate programs for office clerks are often offered in trade schools or community colleges.
Community colleges frequently offer general office clerk certificate programs. These programs provide students with the necessary business and office skills to work as an office clerk. Aspiring clerks are taught how to use word processing software, spreadsheets, and operating systems. They also learn important workplace skills like typing. A general office clerk certificate verifies that the applicant possesses all of the relevant office clerk skills. Candidates who have no prior clerical experience may find that obtaining a certificate is extremely advantageous.
- Fill out an application for a position as an office clerk.
Candidates should look for organizations that have available office clerk positions and send their resumes and cover letters according to the application requirements.
- Completing on-the-job training is a must.
Office clerks are taught to execute specialized activities and learn the company’s operational standards in addition to fundamental office skills like typing, word processing, and proper phone manners. If the company employs a database or accounting software, for example, the employer will educate the office clerk to use the database effectively.
The majority of an office clerk’s responsibilities are learned on the job. Office clerks are trained in company best practices, phone etiquette, and the required computer applications and software when they are employed. They also learn how to use office equipment such as photocopiers and fax machines, as well as phone systems.
Where to Work as a Clerk
- Parliaments
The Clerk of Parliaments sits in the House Chamber for a large amount of each day, keeping a close eye on the events. He attends to House business and takes part in some ceremonial events.
The Clerk of the Parliaments is in charge of keeping accurate records of the House’s proceedings, as well as signing or endorsing all of the House’s orders and official communications. He’s also in charge of drafting Acts of Parliament and approving Bills and Acts in their right form.
- Banks
Clerks in banks Keep track of all deposits, withdrawals, loan and mortgage payments, as well as cheques and stock sales.
Process loan and mortgage applications and payments, as well as contributions to retirement savings plans, term deposits, drafts, and money orders.
- Law Courts/Court Houses
A court clerk is an administrative professional who assists judges, attorneys, and other court officers in the criminal and civil judicial systems. They are in charge of all secretarial duties, such as keeping court records, distributing court orders, and creating meeting agendas.
- Hospitals
Medical secretaries who work in hospitals are known as hospital clerks. They answer phones, organize patient files, and schedule appointments, among other clerical tasks. They may also be involved in taking the patient’s medical history and assisting with insurance and billing. Some also specialize in converting audio recordings of hospital-based medical experts into written formats that may be entered into electronic health records.
- Schools
Students’ daily attendance records are kept by school clerks. Answer questions from students about their attendance, fees, and academics.
Keep in touch with parents on a frequent basis to keep them informed about their children’s attendance and progress.
Assist and support instructors in instituting discipline in the classroom.
- Military
The factual accuracy, procedural and substantive sufficiency, and procedural and substantive sufficiency of the transactions processed or evaluated are all the responsibility of the military personnel clerk.
Clerk Salary Scale
As of March 29, 2022, the average General Clerk pay in the United States is $34,387, with a usual range of $31,007 to $38,366. Salary ranges depend on a variety of factors, including schooling, certifications, supplementary talents, and the number of years you’ve worked in your field.
A clerk in Nigeria earns roughly 117,000 NGN per month on average. Salaries range from 61,000 NGN to 179,000 NGN (lowest to highest) (highest).
This is the average paid monthly, which covers housing, transportation, and other benefits. Clerk pay varies greatly depending on criteria such as experience, skills, gender, and location.