Life As an Office Clerk

Office Clerk Definition Perform duties too varied and diverse to be classified in any specific office clerical occupation, requiring knowledge of office systems and procedures. Clerical duties may be assigned in accordance with the office procedures of individual establishments and may include a combination of answering telephones, bookkeeping, typing or word processing, stenography, office machine operation, and filing.

List of Office Clerk Job Duties

• Complete work schedules, manage calendars, and arrange appointments.
• Communicate with customers, employees, and other individuals to answer questions, disseminate or explain information, take orders, and address complaints.
• Count, weigh, measure, or organize materials.
• Open, sort, and route incoming mail, answer correspondence, and prepare outgoing mail.
• Process and prepare documents, such as business or government forms and expense reports.
• Inventory and order materials, supplies, and services.

Skills Needed to be an Office Clerk

Office Clerks state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Time Management: Managing one’s own time and the time of others.

Related Job Titles for this Occupation:

• Automobile Contract Clerk
• Call Center Specialist
• Broadcast Checker
• Desk Clerk
• Lost and Found Clerk

Job Opportunities for Office Clerks

There were about 3,117,700 jobs for Office Clerks, General in 2016 (in the United States).

Office Clerk jobs are decreasing by a rate of -1%. This means the total job opportunities are shrinking. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a loss of -31,800 jobs for Office Clerks by 2026. The BLS estimates 356,200 yearly job openings in this field per year.

The states with the most job growth for Office Clerks, General are Texas, Florida, and Washington.

Watch out if you plan on working in Illinois, Pennsylvania, or Ohio. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

What is the Average Salary of an Office Clerk

Office Clerks, General Make between $20,470 and $53,510 a year. The median salary for this occupation is $32,730.

How much do Office Clerks, General make in different U.S. states?

Annual Mean Salary by State

State	Annual Mean Salary
Alaska	$46,250
District of Columbia	$45,140
Colorado	$40,840
Washington	$40,260
Massachusetts	$40,190
New Hampshire	$40,040
North Dakota	$39,950
Connecticut	$38,340
California	$38,060
Rhode Island	$37,930
Minnesota	$37,820
Arizona	$37,730
Illinois	$37,220
Wyoming	$36,930
Oregon	$36,700
Nevada	$36,690
Texas	$36,210
Pennsylvania	$35,460
New Jersey	$35,450
New York	$35,410
Michigan	$35,410
Wisconsin	$35,410
Maryland	$35,350
Iowa	$35,130
Ohio	$35,060
Virginia	$34,940
Vermont	$34,900
Maine	$34,340
Tennessee	$34,140
Hawaii	$34,050
Indiana	$33,510
Montana	$33,350
Utah	$32,950
Florida	$32,920
Missouri	$32,600
North Carolina	$32,270
Idaho	$31,520
Nebraska	$30,880
Georgia	$30,590
Delaware	$30,370
Arkansas	$30,020
Kentucky	$29,520
Kansas	$29,360
West Virginia	$28,950
Oklahoma	$28,510
Mississippi	$28,290
South Carolina	$27,810
South Dakota	$26,210
Alabama	$25,800
New Mexico	$25,460
Louisiana	$25,460

Tools & Technologies Used by Office Clerks

Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Office Clerks may use on a daily basis:

• Blackbaud The Raiser’s Edge
• LinkedIn
• Yardi
• Microsoft Access
• SAP
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Word
• Data entry software
• Medical condition coding software
• Microsoft Outlook

How to Become an Office Clerk

Learn what Office Clerk education requirements there are.

How many years of work experience do I need?

Who Employs Office Clerks?

Related Careers

Those interested in being an Office Clerk may also be interested in:

• Correspondence Clerks
• Bartenders

Career changers with experience as an Office Clerk sometimes find work in one of the following fields:

• Credit Checkers
• Order Clerks
• Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics

College Factual

O*NET Online

Image Credit: Via Wikimedia Commons