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Office Clerks, General
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, office machine operation, and filing.
Other titles employers use
Administrative Clerk (Admin Clerk) · Clerical Aide · Clerical Assistant · Clerk · General Clerk · Office Assistant · Office Clerk · Office Services Specialist
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- Operate office machines, such as photocopiers and scanners, facsimile machines, voice mail systems, and personal computers.
- Answer telephones, direct calls, and take messages.
- Communicate with customers, employees, and other individuals to answer questions, disseminate or explain information, take orders, and address complaints.
- Maintain and update filing, inventory, mailing, and database systems, either manually or using a computer.
- Compile, copy, sort, and file records of office activities, business transactions, and other activities.
- Review files, records, and other documents to obtain information to respond to requests.
Who it suits
Would this work hold your attention?
This career often appeals to people drawn to organizing, persuading and helping work.
- Organizing
- Creating order, checking details, and keeping work accurate
- Persuading
- Leading, selling, starting projects, or making a case
Skills and strengths
What you would get good at.
Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.
Core skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Writing
- Critical Thinking
- Social Perceptiveness
Subjects to know
- Administrative
- English Language
- Customer and Personal Service
- Administration and Management
Useful strengths
- Oral Expression
- Oral Comprehension
- Written Comprehension
- Written Expression
- Near Vision
Working day
Picture yourself doing it.
These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.
| Measure | Out of 5 | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Close to other people | 3.6 | Shared rooms, but not shoulder to shoulder |
| On your feet | 2.2 | Mostly seated |
| Talking face to face | 4.6 | Continuous — the job is conversations |
| Working with your hands | 3.0 | Some of the day |
Preparation
How people prepare for this work.
Employers usually ask for a high school diploma. Other routes may also lead into the field.
- High school or less 42%
- A two-year degree 37%
- A certificate or some college 21%
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Data base user interface and query software
- Document management software
- Word processing software
- Medical software
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software
- Office suite software
- Web page creation and editing software
- Accounting software
Opportunity near you
See where this work is growing.
Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.
- People doing this work
- 292,900
- Job openings each year
- 34,540
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- −3.0%
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 292,900 | 34,540 | −3.0% |
| Texas | 221,140 | 26,680 | 3.7% |
| Florida | 208,090 | 25,030 | 2.8% |
| New York | 164,980 | 1,450 | 9.6% |
| Pennsylvania | 139,740 | 16,280 | −6.3% |
| Illinois | 120,750 | 14,060 | −6.4% |
| Michigan | 88,570 | 10,240 | −8.3% |
| Washington | 85,300 | 11,370 | 10.9% |
| Ohio | 80,950 | 9,390 | −7.5% |
| Georgia | 73,430 | 8,760 | — |
| North Carolina | 73,180 | 8,700 | — |
| Virginia | 67,860 | 7,940 | −5.4% |
| Indiana | 66,100 | 7,720 | −5.5% |
| New Jersey | 65,910 | 7,730 | −4.5% |
| Missouri | 59,300 | 6,970 | −4.1% |
| Tennessee | 58,240 | 7,060 | 5.1% |
| Minnesota | 56,070 | 6,590 | −3.9% |
| Wisconsin | 54,030 | 6,390 | −2.2% |
| Arizona | 49,480 | 5,950 | 2.6% |
| South Carolina | 43,390 | 5,190 | — |
| Colorado | 42,090 | 5,040 | 1.3% |
| Oregon | 38,510 | 4,600 | — |
| Utah | 36,820 | 4,560 | 12.8% |
| Arkansas | 28,730 | 3,410 | −1.2% |
| Louisiana | 28,530 | 3,340 | −5.1% |
| Kentucky | 27,750 | 3,240 | −5.5% |
| Iowa | 26,980 | 3,180 | −3.2% |
| Nevada | 26,710 | 3,190 | — |
| Oklahoma | 26,460 | 3,100 | −4.5% |
| Connecticut | 25,780 | 3,060 | −1.7% |
| Maryland | 25,530 | 3,020 | −2.2% |
| Alabama | 23,940 | 2,810 | −4.0% |
| Idaho | 22,360 | 2,710 | 4.6% |
| Puerto Rico | 21,460 | 2,550 | — |
| Mississippi | 20,770 | 2,460 | −2.0% |
| Massachusetts | 18,740 | 2,200 | −4.3% |
| New Hampshire | 15,720 | 1,850 | −3.0% |
| New Mexico | 15,140 | 1,810 | 1.0% |
| West Virginia | 13,870 | 1,630 | −4.2% |
| Nebraska | 12,640 | 1,490 | −2.6% |
| Montana | 12,360 | 1,490 | 3.8% |
| Maine | 10,970 | 1,250 | −11.0% |
| North Dakota | 10,400 | 1,230 | −2.3% |
| Rhode Island | 8,950 | 1,050 | −3.6% |
| Wyoming | 7,290 | 880 | 2.8% |
| District of Columbia | 6,320 | 750 | −3.4% |
| Alaska | 5,740 | 700 | 5.5% |
| Delaware | 5,260 | 620 | −3.7% |
| Kansas | 3,970 | 460 | −6.4% |
| Vermont | 3,810 | 450 | −2.8% |
| South Dakota | 2,890 | 340 | −1.0% |
| Virgin Islands | 780 | 90 | −9.3% |
| Guam | 750 | 90 | 1.4% |
Career to college
Build a path toward this work.
Start with a related major, then compare colleges where students complete that field.
Where to study
Colleges with strong activity in these fields.
Start with program size, admission, and likely cost. Open a college for the full picture.
Valdosta State University
- Degrees each year
- 22
- Admit rate
- 83%
- Annual cost after aid
- $12,000
Program entryOpen major
Open college FLThe University of Tampa
- Degrees each year
- 16
- Admit rate
- 41%
- Annual cost after aid
- $32,000
Program entryApply after enrollment
Open college MONorthwest Missouri State University
- Degrees each year
- 2
- Admit rate
- 86%
- Annual cost after aid
- $14,000
Program entryApply after enrollment
Open collegeCompare every college offering business operations support and assistant services