Record clerks perform a wide variety of recordkeeping duties. Billing clerks and billing machine operators prepare bills and invoices. Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks maintain financial data in computer and paper files. Brokerage clerks prepare and maintain the records generated when stocks, bonds, and other types of investments are traded, statement clerks prepare monthly statements for bank customers. File clerks store and retrieve various kinds of office information for use by staff members. Library assistants and bookmobile drivers assist library patrons. Order clerks process incoming orders for goods and services. Payroll and timekeeping clerks compute wages for payroll records. Personnel clerks maintain employee records.
Record clerks' duties may vary with the size of the firm. In a small business, one bookkeeping clerk may handle all financial records and transactions as well as payroll and personnel duties, while a large firm may employ specialized accounting clerks to work on each aspect of the balance sheet, as well as specialized payroll and personnel clerks.
Increased computerization has changed the duties of most record clerks. In the past, clerks made calculations with adding machines and entered figures into ledgers and paper files. Now, many workers use financial software to enter and manipulate data. In many cases, these computer programs can automatically perform calculations on data that previously had to be calculated manually. Computers enable clerks to access data within files more quickly than by leafing through stacks of paper.
Despite increased automation, however, workers still keep backup paper records for research, auditing, and reference purposes.
Interaction with the public and with coworkers is a basic part of the job of many record clerks. Payroll clerks, for example, may answer employees' questions concerning benefits; bookmobile drivers help patients in nursing homes and hospitals select books; and order clerks call customers to verify special mailing instructions.
Other administrative support occupations in this group include advertising clerks-who receive orders for classified advertising from customers for newspapers or magazines; prepare copy according to customer specifications; and verify conformance of published ads to specifications for purposes of billing, and correspondence clerks-who reply to customers regarding damage claims, delinquent accounts, incorrect billing, complaints of unsatisfactory service, and requests for merchandise exchanges or returns.
Working Conditions
With the exception of library clerks and bookmobile drivers, record clerks typically work in an office environment. Most work alongside the organization's other clerical workers, but some work in centralized units away from the organization's front office.
Clerks who review detailed data may have to sit for extended periods. Although they do not do heavy lifting, file clerks and library assistants frequently stoop, bend, reach, and spend a lot of time on their feet. Bookmobile drivers must maneuver large vehicles in all kinds of traffic and weather conditions. In addition, some are responsible for the maintenance of the bookmobile.
An increasing number of record clerks use computers as part of their daily routine. Workers who spend a lot of time at computers may experience eye and muscle strain, backaches, headaches, and repetitive motion injuries.
Most of these workers work regular business hours. Some, such as library assistants, may work evenings and weekends. Library assistants employed in school libraries generally work only during the school year. Accounting clerks may work longer hours to meet deadlines at the end of the fiscal year, during tax time, or when monthly and yearly accounting audits are performed. Billing, bookkeeping, and accounting clerks in hotels, restaurants, and stores may work overtime during peak holiday and vacation seasons. Brokerage clerks may have to work overtime if there is a high volume of activity in the stock or bond markets. Order clerks in retail establishments often work overtime when sales volume is high, especially around Christmas.
Employment
Record clerks are employed in virtually every industry. The largest number work for firms providing health, business, and other types of services. Large numbers also work in trade; finance, insurance, and real estate; manufacturing; and government.
Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement
Most record clerk jobs are entry-level positions. Most employers require applicants to have at least a high school diploma or its equivalent. A higher level of education will usually be favored over a high school diploma, but it is not generally required. However, in some cases, more extensive education is mandatory. For example, order clerks in high-technology firms often need understand scientific and mechanical processes, which may require some college education. Regardless of the type of work being done, most employers prefer those who are computer literate. Knowledge of word processing and spreadsheet software is especially valuable, as is experience working in an office and go interpersonal skills.
Once hired, record clerks generally receive on-the-job training. Under the guidance of a supervisor or senior worker, ne employees learn company procedures. Some formal classroom training may be necessary, such as training in operating specific computer software.
Record clerks must be careful, orderly, and detail-oriented in order to avoid making errors and to be able to recognize errors made by others. These workers must also be honest, discreet, and trustworthy because they frequently come in contact with confidential material. Payroll clerks, billing clerks, and bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks should have a strong aptitude for numbers. Workers usually advance by taking on more duties in the same occupation with higher pay. Others advance to closely related occupations. For example, some order clerks use their experience to move into sales positions.
Others move into other deal jobs, such as secretary, or advance to a supervisory position. With appropriate experience and education, some clerks may become accountants, personnel specialists, brokers, or librarians.
Job Outlook
Turnover in this very large occupation places it among those occupations providing the most job openings. Opportunities will plentiful for full-time, part-time, and seasonal employment as record clerks transfer to other occupations or leave the labor force.
Related Occupations
Most record clerks today enter data into a computer system and perform basic analysis of the data. Other clerical workers who enter and manipulate data are bank tellers, statistical clerks, receiving clerks, medical record clerks, hotel and motel clerks, credit clerks, and reservation and transportation ticket agents.
