Clerk: What is the cost of hiring?

Why hire a clerk?

A clerk will help out with office duties such as maintaining files, answering phones and running office errands. Clerks work under the office manager and will assist with the office running efficiently.

Contributions of a great clerk:

• can work on multiple tasks at a time
• will have excellent time management skills
• will be highly organized

What are the different types of clerks?

A clerk will work in an office environment helping with administrative duties. Some of the duties they are likely to help with are maintaining files and records, answering general inquiries and organizing the office supplies. Clerks have varied skills, meaning they can work in different settings depending on their experience. The following is a list of different types of clerks common to the profession.

• Office clerk: will work under the office manager and help them with their tasks.
• Administrative clerk: will assist with administrative duties.
• Front desk clerk: will work at the front desk answering phone calls and directing people who come into the office.
• Law clerk: work in a law office and assist lawyers in their administrative duties
• Medical clerk: will work in medical offices assisting with office administrative duties.

Where to find a clerk

To find the right clerk for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

• Professional associations: Clerks can be a part of different professional associations, depending on the industry they work in. These professional associations are a great way to find your candidate as you will be guaranteed to find people who have experience.
• Colleges with administration programs: When looking to hire a clerk, you can always look at colleges that have administration programs. That way you know the candidates will have up to date training and the skills you are looking for,
• Recruitment agency: A recruitment agency will help you find a great clerk who has the appropriate experience for the job. By using a recruitment agency, you know the candidate will be reliable as they will have previous experience working for the agency.
• Referral: By asking your friends, family, and colleagues, you might be able to find a candidate who has proven experience and is reliable.

Post your job online: Try posting your clerk job on Indeed to find and attract quality clerk candidates.

Skills to look for in a great clerk

A great clerk candidate will have the following skills and attributes as well as work experience that reflects:

• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written
• Excellent ability to multitask
• Good organizational skills
• Time management skills
• Excellent interpersonal and customer service skills

Writing a clerk job description

A thoughtful description is important for finding qualified clerk candidates. A clerk job description includes a compelling summary of the role, a detailed list of duties and responsibilities, and the required and preferred skills for the position.

When writing your clerk job description, consider including some or all of the following keywords to improve the visibility of your job posting. These are the most popular search terms leading to clicks on clerk jobs, according to Indeed data:

• clerk
• office clerk
• administration
• administrative clerk
• law clerk

Interviewing clerk candidates

Strong candidates for clerk positions will be confident answering questions regarding:

• Experience dealing with difficult situations
• Experience performing multiple tasks at a time
• Ability to stay organized
• Experience with word processing software

Need help coming up with interview questions? See our list of clerk interview questions for examples (with sample answers).