Clerk job description template
If you are hiring for this role, start here. This free template is our detailed definition of the position, with everything you need to find and hire the right person. Copy it, add your own requirements, and post it.
What is a Clerk?
Clerks work in many different office settings and industries, where they perform various administrative and clerical tasks to support the business.
Depending on their work environment, Clerks’ duties and responsibilities can vary.
In general, they are responsible for greeting visitors, answering phone calls and emails, responding to questions, complaints, and inquiries, and maintaining and filing the company’s documents and reports
Clerks also schedule meetings and conferences, prepare conference rooms, arrange travel plans and accommodation for business trips, issue invoices, process payments, and maintain records of financial transactions.
The top Clerk skills.
Five things separate a strong hire from a résumé that reads well. Use these as your scorecard criteria.
The job description, ready to post.
Copy it as written, or edit it until it sounds like your company. Both work.
We are looking for an organized Clerk to join our office. As our Clerk, you will perform various administrative and clerical tasks to support the business operations and activities. You will be responsible for greeting visitors, answering questions, responding to complaints and inquiries, answering phone calls and emails, and redirecting them to appropriate employees. You will also file, maintain, and update documents, reports, letters, and other paperwork, maintain database systems, issue invoices, process payments, and control financial transactions.
Additionally, you will schedule meetings and conferences, prepare conference rooms, arrange business trips and accommodations, and monitor office supplies and inventory. Your primary goal will be to ensure the accuracy and confidentiality of documentation and help with other important management and organizational procedures.
Our ideal candidate should have exceptional communication, computer, organizational, attention to detail, and customer service skills.
Duties and responsibilities
- Perform administrative and clerical tasks to support the business operations
- Perform receptionist duties, such as greeting visitors and offering refreshments
- Answer phone calls and emails and redirect them to the appropriate employees
- Transcribe, file, and maintain documents, reports, letters, and other paperwork
- Operate office equipment, such as printers, scanners, fax machines, etc
- Maintain and monitor database systems, office supplies, and inventory levels
- Schedule meetings, conferences, and appointments
- Arrange travel plans and accommodations for business trips
- Prepare conference rooms and book venues for events
- Issue invoices and checks and maintain records of financial transactions to ensure accuracy
- Process payments, maintain bank accounts, and handle other accounting activities
- Respond to questions, inquiries, and complaints from employees or clients
- Help with other office management and organizational procedures
Requirements
- High school diploma/GED
- Completed course or certification in office software or office administration
- An Associate’s degree in accounting or office management is an advantage
- Relevant previous experience in the office setting, including familiarity with office procedures
- Strong computer literacy and familiarity with MS Office, word processing databases, accounting software, and spreadsheets
- The ability to use office equipment, such as printers, scanners, etc
- Excellent communication and typing skills
- High level of organization
- Attention to detail
- Customer service
Take the template with you
Copy it straight into your job board or ATS, or have it emailed to you with the interview questions for this role.
What education this role needs.
Clerks need at least a high school diploma or a GED for this position.
Having an Associate’s degree in accounting or office management is a huge advantage for most employers and companies.
In addition, Clerks can consider completing professional courses or certifications in typing, office software, or office administration to show their expertise and increase hiring opportunities.
Clerks should also be computer-literate, including knowledge of MS Office, database systems, accounting and office software, and word processing databases.
Sample interview questions for a Clerk.
Once you have gathered the applications, work through these in order. Twelve questions across four areas, enough to tell your shortlist apart.
- How would your closest friends describe you in a few lines?
- What was your favorite school subject?
- What is your favorite place to be outside of work?
- Can you tell us about your prior working experience in an office?
- What strengths make you the best applicant for this position?
- How did you hear about this job opening?
- Would you be able to work overtime to meet deadlines or finish a task?
- How would you assure us that you will remain organized when you have a heavy workload?
- What database systems and office software are you most comfortable using?
- You need to make 100 copies of a particular document, but a copying machine is not working. What do you do?
- What is your experience with accounting and bookkeeping duties?
- How would you create a spreadsheet to track office expenses and supplies? What information should you include?
How much to pay when hiring.
Annual pay by percentile. Where you land depends on the size of the cycle they will own, and the 25th percentile is usually where a first analyst hire sits.
Hourly equivalents run from $7 at the 10th percentile to $19 at the 90th.
Candidates may apply under a different name.
Post the title your industry uses and keep the rest of the description. These three roles overlap enough that the same posting usually reaches all of them.
Three titles, one description.
Search behavior varies by industry, so the same job is advertised under several names. If you are unsure which one your candidates search for, run two titles and see which fills.
File Clerk
File Clerks are people responsible for maintaining and general organization of a company’s or office’s paperwork, documentation, and data storage.
$36,892 medianAccounting Clerk
Accounting Clerks work in accounting departments in companies where they provide assistance with accounting and clerical duties.
$38,217 medianData Entry Clerk
A Data Entry Clerk is a professional responsible for entering, updating, and maintaining information in computer systems or databases.
$40,504 medianFrequently asked questions.
What do Clerks do?
Clerks perform a variety of administrative and clerical tasks to support operations in their workplace.
They answer phone calls and emails, file and maintain documents and reports, schedule meetings, conferences, and business trips, maintain financial transactions, and respond to questions, inquiries, and issues.
Who do Clerks respond to?
Clerks typically respond to Office Managers.
In large corporations, Clerks may work in a particular department, and in that case, they respond to the Department Manager.
Where do Clerks typically work?
Hiring opportunities for Clerks are wide because they can work in many different areas and settings.
For example, they can work in corporate offices, healthcare, education, retail, government agencies, various businesses, warehouses, etc.
What makes a successful Clerk?
In order to be successful as a Clerk, an individual must be computer-literate with the ability to effectively use MS Office, various database systems, accounting software, word processing programs, etc.
Clerks also need to have excellent communication, organization, attention to detail, and customer service skills.
Other job description templates.
Same format, same free, same median pay data. Browse the full library if the role you are hiring for is not here.
Accounting Clerk
Accounting Clerks work in accounting departments in companies where they provide assistance with accounting and clerical duties.
$38,217 medianFile Clerk
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$36,892 medianData Entry Clerk
A Data Entry Clerk is a professional responsible for entering, updating, and maintaining information in computer systems or databases.
$40,504 medianAccounts Payable Clerk
An Accounts Payable Clerk is a professional responsible for managing a company's financial obligations to vendors and suppliers.
$43,831 medianStore Clerk
A Store Clerk is a retail professional responsible for assisting customers, managing inventory, and ensuring the smooth operation of a store.
$32,187 medianStock Clerk
Stock clerks help with the delivery, packaging, and transfer of commodities and goods at the end of the retail supply chain.
$36,598 medianClerical Assistant
Clerical Assistants perform a range of administrative and clerical duties to support management executives and staff employees.
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