What does a Clerk do?
Clerks are responsible for many of the general administrative tasks in the office. They are in charge of manning office telephone lines, managing incoming and outgoing mails, filing paperwork and other needed records, scheduling and documenting meetings, typing out documents when needed, disseminating memos and other official announcements, and keeping an inventory of office equipment and supplies. Clerks should have good office skills, communication skills, business writing skills, and time management skills. They should also be able to treat any document or paperwork they handle with confidentiality.
Clerk responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real clerk resumes:
- Demonstrate strong math skills in managing inmate s accounts and calmly and effectively deescalating outbursts of belligerent inmates.
- Manage orthopedic accounts regarding payment posting through IDX medical systems.
- Administer financial bookkeeping by way of QuickBooks.
- Bank reconciliation in QuickBooks and assist bookkeeper when need.
- Maintain a high level of confidentiality as required by HIPAA.
- Call DMV's and dealerships when liens are not perfect.
- Create providers schedules using CHCS -I database when it is necessary.
- Process, proofread and issue title guaranty commitments and final title policies.
- Transmit data with Microsoft word, AHLTA and CHCS to perform daily tasks.
- Used current ICD-9 and CPT, and HCPCS for coding emergency room records.
- Schedule patient appointments using HMS and collect payment via cash, credit or debit.
- Operate office machines, such as personal computers, scanners, photocopiers, etc.
- Maintain client data files and records in a statewide database system according to HIPAA regulations.
- Read schematics, date check perishables, ensure correct measurement of shelf heights and product sizes.
- General office duties, such as typing, filing and collating medical records and copying materials.
Clerk skills and personality traits
We calculated that 18% of Clerks are proficient in Basic Math, Math, and Data Entry. They’re also known for soft skills such as Customer-service skills, Detail oriented, and Organizational skills.
We break down the percentage of Clerks that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Basic Math, 18%
Perform arithmetic to verify calculations using basic mathematical functions.
- Math, 10%
Develop and deliver activities that introduce math and literacy concepts.
- Data Entry, 10%
Created document batches, retrieved individual application information, responsible for data entry and generation of mailing labels.
- Customer Service, 9%
Check refrigeration equipment for proper performance regularly; customer service by answering question, taking customer orders for catering
- Cleanliness, 8%
Interviewed patients to obtain medical information and family history and prepared treatment rooms for examinations, cleanliness and equipment.
- POS, 5%
Establish or identify prices of goods, services or admissions and tabulate bills using POS or optical price scanners.
Most clerks use their skills in "basic math," "math," and "data entry" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential clerk responsibilities here:
Customer-service skills. One of the key soft skills for a clerk to have is customer-service skills. You can see how this relates to what clerks do because "general office clerks often provide general information to company staff, customers, or the public." Additionally, a clerk resume shows how clerks use customer-service skills: "filed, used word processing, attended incoming and outcoming calls, accepted and entered account payments and customer service. "
Detail oriented. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling clerk duties is detail oriented. The role rewards competence in this skill because "general office clerks perform many clerical tasks that require attention to detail, such as preparing bills." According to a clerk resume, here's how clerks can utilize detail oriented in their job responsibilities: "detail-oriented and organized gbs data entry clerk extensively trained in spreadsheets, and word processing. "
Organizational skills. This is an important skill for clerks to perform their duties. For an example of how clerk responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "general office clerks file and retrieve records." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of a clerk: "prioritized and inspected the mail system inspected the organizational system for efficiency maintained the cleanliness of the working environment".
The three companies that hire the most clerks are:
- Ingles Markets356 clerks jobs
- Hy-Vee344 clerks jobs
- ShopRite Supermarkets Inc.
261 clerks jobs
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Compare different clerks
Clerk vs. Receptionist/billing clerk
A receptionist/billing clerk is responsible for performing administrative and clerical duties as needed to maintain a smooth flow of operations for the business. Receptionist/billing clerks process the customers' payment transactions, manage account payables, releasing invoices, and immediately resolve account discrepancies. A receptionist/billing clerk must have excellent communication and analytical skills, responding to customers' inquiries and concerns, escalating high-level complaints to the billing management. They should also maintain records of financial documentation for reference and reconciliation as needed.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, clerk responsibilities require skills like "basic math," "math," "cleanliness," and "pos." Meanwhile a typical receptionist/billing clerk has skills in areas such as "patients," "appointment scheduling," "patient appointments," and "insurance verification." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Receptionist/billing clerks really shine in the technology industry with an average salary of $35,383. Comparatively, clerks tend to make the most money in the health care industry with an average salary of $31,380.On average, receptionist/billing clerks reach similar levels of education than clerks. Receptionist/billing clerks are 0.9% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.8% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Clerk vs. Office services clerk
An office services clerk is an individual employee who performs a multitude of administrative tasks as well as office maintenance duties of an organization. Office services clerks are required to maintain an inventory of office supplies as well as purchase and distribute office supplies to all employees when needed. They must manage office services staff to ensure that their duties are met efficiently and effectively. Office services clerks must also provide customer service to a wide range of customers by answering phones and responding to emails.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real clerk resumes. While clerk responsibilities can utilize skills like "basic math," "math," "cleanliness," and "pos," office services clerks use skills like "office services," "proofreading," "postage meter," and "service calls."
On average, office services clerks earn a lower salary than clerks. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, office services clerks earn the most pay in the utilities industry with an average salary of $37,812. Whereas clerks have higher pay in the health care industry, with an average salary of $31,380.office services clerks earn similar levels of education than clerks in general. They're 0.1% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.8% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Clerk vs. Administrative clerk
An administrative clerk provides support to staff and does clerical works. These clerical duties include answering and making phone calls, typing documents, compiling and filing records, and scheduling appointments. The clerks often set up office meetings and invite reliable speakers. Also, they do research and prepare reports or presentations. Candidates for the job must be organized, detail-oriented, and can manage their time well. They must be tech-savvy and have a basic knowledge of bookkeeping. The salary depends on their experience, industry, and location of the job.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from clerk resumes include skills like "basic math," "math," "cleanliness," and "pos," whereas an administrative clerk is more likely to list skills in "patients," "payroll data," "purchase orders," and "hr. "
Administrative clerks make a very good living in the finance industry with an average annual salary of $33,044. On the other hand, clerks are paid the highest salary in the health care industry, with average annual pay of $31,380.administrative clerks typically earn similar educational levels compared to clerks. Specifically, they're 0.2% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.5% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Clerk vs. General office clerk
A general office clerk is responsible for performing various clerical duties to support business functions and ensure smooth daily operations. General office clerks respond to clients' inquiries and concerns, welcoming guests, and assisting in disseminating information across the organization. They maintain the adequacy of inventories, organize business and financial transaction reports, and perform basic bookkeeping tasks and banking transactions. A general office clerk must be highly organizational and analytical, especially in encoding account statements on the database and processing business reports required by the management.
Types of clerk
Updated January 8, 2025
