What is clerical work?

Most industries require clerical work as part of keeping business processes accounted for and organized. Even with the differences among industries, clerical work usually encompasses the same responsibilities and job duties across career fields.

To understand the definition of clerical work, consider these common clerical tasks:

• Answering phones
• Scheduling appointments or business trips
• Sending faxes
• Making copies
• Filing documents
• Screening salespeople
• Creating records
• Checking and sending mail and email
• Typing correspondence
• Interacting with customers and investors
• Using computers
• Doing basic math
• Paying utility bills
• Keeping an inventory of supplies

Clerical work across different industries

While clerical work is similar across industries, there are some differences in job responsibilities depending on the work environment. These industries include:

Business management, administration and human resources

Within the business and administration industries, clerical work can encompass a variety of roles and tasks. For instance, a payroll clerk’s responsibilities would include managing payroll accounting, submitting payroll documentation and preparing and issuing paychecks. A human resources clerk who manages and maintains a business’s HR processes is another type of clerical role within the business and administration industries.

Accounting and financial clerical work

Clerical work in the financial sector can include more accounting tasks such as documenting and preparing financial reports, processing and recording financial transactions and managing the accounts payable department of an organization. Typically, financial and accounting clerks perform tasks that can also require the use of automated accounting software.

Clerical work in the government sector

Clerical work in the government sector can include managing files, organizing documents and performing various data entry tasks. However, it can also encompass additional responsibilities, such as maintaining court records and documents in the case of a court clerk, performing receptionist duties in government agencies such as the IRS or handling office administration tasks in a law enforcement office.

Health care and medical clerical work

Common clerical tasks in the health care industry can include filing and organizing medical and health care documents such as patient records, medical billing claims or hospital inventory lists. A medical billing clerk documents and files medical claims that are sent to health insurance companies to pay for treatments, procedures or medication. A hospital receptionist manages the front desk phones, directs visitors to patient rooms and maintains inpatient and outpatient information for the hospital.

Clerical worker job titles

There are many different job titles for clerical workers. Some examples of job titles include:

• Medical receptionist
• Billing clerk
• Office clerk
• File clerk
• Account clerk
• Accounting clerk
• Shipping clerk
• Receiving clerk
• Data entry clerk
• Help desk clerk
• Medical records clerk
• Payroll clerk
• Inventory clerk
• Administrative clerk
• Hotel front desk clerk
• Legal secretary
• Law clerk

Skills needed for clerical work

When reading resumes for clerical worker candidates, scan for the key skills necessary for the job. Clerical employees should be organized and detail-oriented. Clerks and secretaries should be able to do a variety of different tasks, including:

• Providing excellent customer service to clients and other visitors
• Keeping track of appointments
• Catching any errors in correspondence before sending it to the recipient
• Remembering employees’ birthdays and work anniversaries for celebrations, awards and similar team-building activities
• Prioritizing tasks in order of importance
• Communicating clearly by writing letters that are easy to understand and having productive conversations with supervisors, coworkers and customers
• Resolving issues such as late deliveries to make unsatisfied customers happy again
• Keeping employees working smoothly as a team
• Staying calm under pressure
• Adapting to changing circumstances
• Keeping track of changes in the industry
• Learning about new technologies
• Staying familiar with company rules

Clerical employees often track morale by creating and distributing anonymous employee satisfaction surveys. Surveys can measure job satisfaction, whether people feel appreciated by management and how well they get along with coworkers.

Clerical workers should be familiar with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and other software for accounting, composing content and creating slideshows and presentations. Additional skills, such as the ability to make web pages, are also useful depending on your needs.

Tips for hiring a clerical worker

Use these tips when hiring a clerical worker:

• Define roles and responsibilities: Using a roles and responsibilities template helps you detail the clerical experience and skills you need for the position.
• Write a job description: Once you know what you need from the position, write a detailed job description that highlights the responsibilities, qualifications, benefits and other relevant details.
• Recruit in multiple places: Choosing multiple ways to recruit for the job can give you more candidate options. Post on Indeed, ask for referrals from current clients, post on your social media platforms and reach out to others in your industry for suggestions.
• Read resumes: Start by scanning each resume to look for obvious errors. If clerical job candidates can’t pay attention to details on their resume, they might not be detail-oriented on the job. Look for relevant clerical experience. Review the resumes of the candidates that pass the initial scan more thoroughly to see which ones have the qualifications you want.
• Set up interviews: Doing phone interviews with six to 10 candidates helps you screen them. Narrow it down to three to six candidates for in-person interviews.
• Ask job-specific interview questions: When creating interview questions, ask about past clerical experience, necessary skills for the job, how the candidate would handle common clerical situations and other job-specific questions.
• Perform relevant tests: Consider having candidates take a typing test or similar assessments of their skills. All candidates should complete the same assessments to make the process fair and legal.

Clerical employee FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions about clerical work:

How much do clerical employees earn?

According to Indeed salary data, the average salary for a clerical worker is $13.91 per hour. An unskilled, entry-level clerical worker often makes less while an experienced clerical worker in a specialized field can earn significantly more.

What education does a clerical employee need?

Clerical employees need at least a high school diploma. Many have an associate’s degree. Administrative workers, such as senior paralegals, hold a bachelor’s degree, and many also have experience in the industry. Determine your educational requirements for the position and include them in the job description.

What is a clerical workstation?

A clerical workstation is a desk that a clerical worker uses. It often includes shelves for filing commonly needed records. For example, employees could keep contact information and order histories for customers there. Some workstations have seats for multiple people.

What’s the difference between clerical and administrative work?

Clerical work typically involves repetitive tasks, such as typing, whereas administrative work entails making decisions. Administrative workers tend to have less supervision. Think of clerical employees as those who keep the office functioning by doing a variety of tasks. That way administrative staff can focus on making decisions when needed.