What do clerk do

The specific duties assigned to office clerks can vary depending on the type of office in which they work. An office clerk at a university may process application materials or answer questions from prospective students, whereas an office clerk at a hospital may file and retrieve medical records. Office clerks have distinct personalities. They are logical, efficient, orderly, and organized.

Does this sound like you? Most learn their skills on the job. Despite declining employment, about , openings for general office clerks are projected each year, on average, over the decade. All of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to other occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire. Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of general office clerks with similar occupations.

Rather than performing a single specialized task, general office clerks have responsibilities that often change daily with the current needs of the employer. Some clerks file documents or answer phones; others enter data into computers or perform other tasks using software applications. They also frequently use photocopiers, scanners, fax machines, and other office equipment. The specific duties assigned to clerks will depend on the type of office in which they work.

For example, a general office clerk at a college or university may process application materials and answer questions from prospective students, while a clerk at a hospital may file and retrieve medical records. General office clerks held about 2.

The largest employers of general office clerks were as follows:. General office clerks typically need a high school diploma or equivalent to enter the occupation and learn their skills on the job.

General office clerks usually need a high school diploma or equivalent. Some clerks have a bachelor's degree in fields such as business , social science , and psychology. General office clerks usually learn their skills while on the job. Their training typically lasts up to 1 month and may include instructions on office procedures, proper phone etiquette, and the use of office equipment.

General office clerks may advance to other administrative positions with more responsibility, such as secretaries and administrative assistants. Customer-service skills. General office clerks often provide general information to company staff, customers, or the public. They should be courteous and prompt with their responses.

Detail oriented. General office clerks perform many clerical tasks that require attention to detail, such as preparing bills. Organizational skills. General office clerks file and retrieve records. They need to keep records organized to be able to access them quickly and efficiently. Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U. Source: U. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less.

In May , the median hourly wages for general office clerks in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program.

The increasing use of technology that automates document preparation and other clerical tasks will result in fewer general office clerks needed to perform this work. For example, many organizations maintain electronic documents or use automated phone systems, reducing the need for some general office clerks. In addition, electronic filing systems and file sharing software allow other office workers to do the tasks previously done by general office clerks, further decreasing employment of office clerks.

However, there will still be some sustained demand for these workers to handle administrative tasks, particularly in healthcare and social assistance industries.

These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. An office clerk does a variety of clerical tasks such as typing, editing routine memos, filing records, and answering phones. They have duties that often change daily depending on the needs of their employer and the type of office in which they work.

General office clerks can be found working in healthcare facilities, government offices, schools, and other places of industry. A high school diploma or the equivalent is usually expected for a general office clerk to gain employment. It is common for the employee to learn job skills while working on the job and training normally lasts about 1 month.

On-the-job training includes learning office procedures, use of office equipment, required phone etiquette, and perhaps computer applications. General office clerks may have opportunities for advancement to executive secretary or executive administrative assistant with work experience and knowledge of computer applications. The duties of a general office clerk typically include providing information to the public, clients or staff, as well as answering the phone, transferring calls, and taking messages.

They sort and deliver incoming mail and send outgoing mail. They are responsible for scheduling appointments and receiving visitors or customers. They may type documents, edit routine memos, or format reports.