Office Clerks: Schools and Careers

About Office Clerks

Office Clerks

Office Clerks are individuals who are responsible for a wide variety of duties which generally serve to make an office run smoothly and efficiently. Actual duties can vary according to the type of office in which the clerk works or the industry which employs the clerk. However, general duties include things like answering telephones, preparing mailings, sending and receiving documents, keeping records, entering computer data, and organizing office inventory. Office clerks are distinguishable from specialized clerical personnel such as Insurance Processing Clerks or Legal Clerks by the general nature of their duties. Rather than performing a single specialized task most of the time, office clerks generally have a wide variety of responsibilities that often change on a daily basis depending on the nature of the specific job and the needs of the employer.

Office Clerk Responsibilities

Office clerks need to be versatile and capable of handling a wide variety of duties. This is because the specific tasks required of an office clerk vary significantly, depending on many factors, including:

• the type of office in which he/she works;
• the clerk's level of experience;
• the pressing needs of the office on a given day.

Although there are many duties common to most office clerks (for example, maintaining office inventory, sorting checks, keeping payroll records, making photocopies, etc.), they also perform tasks unique to their employer. Clerks who work in a doctor's office need to organize medications. Clerks who work in hospitals must enter information into a computer as patients are admitted. Those working in large corporations typically need to prepare materials for presentations. Office clerks who work for wholesalers are often required to fill orders received electronically or by phone.

The duties of a clerk can also be a function of his/her level of experience. Entry-level employees may spend much of their time performing tasks such as stuffing envelopes or taking notes. On the other hand, experienced clerks are typically tasked with more advanced responsibilities such as creating spreadsheets, maintaining financial records, reviewing statistical reports for accuracy and completeness, handling customer complaints, interfacing with vendors, making travel arrangements, responding to outsider inquiries, or helping prepare budget requests.

Sometimes office clerks will perform tasks to conform to a schedule. For example, inventory may need to be checked every Monday and payroll checks might need to be prepared every Thursday. Some clerks may need to "float" among different support functions within an organization as the need arises. On a given day, the clerk may be needed to support entry of financial information into a computer database whereas the next day he/she may be needed to assist secretaries in typing letters.

As a general rule of thumb, the larger the corporation a clerk works for, the more specialized his/her duties tend to be. In a large company, one clerk might be responsible for producing copies and maintaining an inventory of important documents, whereas another clerk might be tasked to provide daily bookkeeping support. In smaller organizations, an office clerk is more likely to serve as a "jack of all trades", performing a myriad of daily tasks.

In addition to the functions mentioned above, a list of some of the other duties commonly performed by office clerks follows:

• Collect, count, and disburse money
• Compile, sort, and file records of office activities and business transactions
• Deliver messages and run errands
• Manage calendars and arrange appointments
• Monitor and direct the work of junior clerks
• Train other staff members to perform work functions
• Troubleshoot problems involving office equipment
• Record and transcribe minutes of meetings

About 3 of every 4 office clerks work full-time. The majority of full-time clerks work a standard 40-hour week, although some may find themselves working longer shifts or overtime during busy periods. The work done by clerks normally takes place in an office setting and the environment is usually a comfortable one although some office settings, particularly in large companies, can be noisy and hectic. Clerks can also be negatively affected by the amount of repetition associated with certain routine tasks they must perform on a daily basis.

In order to be effective at their job, office clerks need to be versatile individuals who are able to juggle a variety of tasks at a time. They also need strong communication skills and the ability to work cooperatively with others as part of a team. Other important attributes required by clerks include adaptability and an ability to pay close attention to details.

Employment Outlook

According to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics (USDL BLS), employment of office clerks is expected to grow about as fast as the average for all occupations over the upcoming decade. The proliferation of emergent high technology is causing a trend towards both a consolidation of administrative support staffs and a diversification of job responsibilities. These two factors will serve to offset each other in terms of impact on future employment prospects. On the face of it, consolidation of support staffs would seem to argue against a trend toward high job growth. However, this same consolidation will bring about a high demand for personnel able to perform a variety of administrative support tasks, which is what office clerks are generally able to provide. To an increasing extent, it may become common for businesses, especially smaller ones, to put office clerks in charge of all administrative support functions.

Job prospects are expected to be strongest for clerks with good writing and communication skills. Also in high demand will be clerks who have a working knowledge of basic computer applications and of office machinery such as scanners and fax machines. As general administrative support duties become increasingly consolidated, employers will be more inclined to seek well-rounded individuals who not only possess highly developed communication skills but also the versatility to perform multiple tasks.

As is the case with many other jobs, the job market for office clerks ebbs and flows from year to year along with the general strength of the economy. Although the job function won't go away during a bad economic climate, some companies will. Also, corporations in general will tend to employ more workers when the economy is strong and fewer when the economy is weak.

Office Clerk Education, Certification, and Licensing

Educational requirements, which can vary widely, depend on the specific job. In general, most employers require office clerks to have at least a high school diploma (or equivalent). In addition, many employers have a preference for candidates with previous office experience and/or demonstrable computer skills, specifically familiarity with word processing software. Other general office skills, including typing, may also be preferred. Higher-level jobs may require an associate degree in office management or administration. In many cases, office clerks learn some of their general office skills or computer skills on the job.

Training for this profession can be obtained through business programs offered by high schools, junior colleges, community colleges, and postsecondary vocational schools. Some schools have work–study programs in which students can work in clerical jobs while still in school. Students can also seek out summer employment in the clerical field. Helpful courses to take while in school include business software, business math, computers, word processing, and office practices.

Resources for Office Clerks

• International Association of Administrative Professionals
• American Management Association
• Association of Professional Office Managers
• Canadian Office Workers Career Centre
• Clerical Worker Dispute Mediation

Major Employers of Office Clerks

Office clerks are found in virtually every sector of the workforce. The majority of them are employed in relatively small businesses. Some of the major industries which employ office clerks include finance, insurance, health care, social assistance, governments at all levels, and just about all types of service industries.

Schools for Office Clerks are listed in the column to the left.

The Top Cities tab shows employment statistics for Office Clerks by major metro area.

The Top Industries tab shows which industries have the most jobs for Office Clerks, along with salary data by industry.

The Find Schools tab lets you search for schools by field of study, degree level, and location.