How to hire an administrative clerk

How to hire an administrative clerk, step by step

Here's a step-by-step administrative clerk hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an administrative clerk job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new administrative clerk
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an administrative clerk do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The administrative clerk hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   An administrative clerk's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, administrative clerks from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents administrative clerk salaries for various positions.

   Type of Administrative Clerk	Description	Hourly rate
   Administrative Clerk	General office clerks perform a variety of clerical tasks, including answering telephones, typing documents, and filing records.	$12-19
   Clerk	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... Show more	$11-18
   Shop Clerk	A shop clerk is primarily in charge of assisting clients in a retail store, ensuring efficient service for client satisfaction. Their responsibilities include greeting and identifying the clients' needs, answering inquiries, locating products, offering promotions, and recommending alternatives as needed... Show more	$12-21

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Data Entry
   • Patients
   • Word Processing
   • Payroll Data
   • Database Systems
   • Telephone Calls
   • Office Equipment
   • Administrative Tasks
   • Purchase Orders
   • PowerPoint
   • Front Desk
   • HR
   • Clerical Support

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Orchestrate special events and reservations; manage customer relations and provide exemplary service to all customers.
   • Assist teachers with GED packets for students.
   • Ship orders via customers freight line request (ex.
   • Schedule and administer the GED exam upon the completion of the inmate's profile.
   • Enter data in spreadsheets for reports, auction items, payroll and monthly utility accounts.
   • Process all DMV registration, titles, title flips and plates using CVR and TriVin programs.

   More administrative clerk duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the administrative clerk job description is a good way to get more applicants. An administrative clerk salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for an administrative clerk in Oklahoma may be lower than in Washington, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level administrative clerk. Additionally, an administrative clerk with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average administrative clerk salary

   $15.54hourly

   $32,327 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level administrative clerk salary

   $25,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 29, 2026

   Average administrative clerk salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Washington	$39,076	$19
   2	District of Columbia	$37,361	$18
   3	California	$36,233	$17
   4	Minnesota	$35,734	$17
   5	Oregon	$35,216	$17
   6	Colorado	$35,164	$17
   7	Ohio	$33,865	$16
   8	Arizona	$33,720	$16
   9	Nevada	$33,706	$16
   10	New York	$32,413	$16
   11	Illinois	$32,312	$16
   12	Iowa	$32,293	$16
   13	Maine	$31,614	$15
   14	Indiana	$30,607	$15
   15	Pennsylvania	$29,662	$14
   16	Missouri	$29,591	$14
   17	Texas	$29,278	$14
   18	Georgia	$28,425	$14
   19	Florida	$26,711	$13
   20	Tennessee	$26,537	$13

   Average administrative clerk salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Columbia University in the City of New York	$38,177	$18.35	13
   2	PepsiCo	$38,164	$18.35	7
   3	PPG	$37,492	$18.02	1
   4	PSEG	$37,030	$17.80	3
   5	BNSF Railway	$36,016	$17.32
   6	Belcan	$35,677	$17.15	10
   7	McDermott International	$35,619	$17.12	1
   8	Waste Connections	$35,605	$17.12	7
   9	WestRock	$35,485	$17.06	3
   10	ADM	$35,346	$16.99	7
   11	Pioneer High School	$35,262	$16.95
   12	Green Mountain Coffee Roasters	$35,110	$16.88
   13	TW Metals	$35,025	$16.84
   14	APTIM	$34,940	$16.80	8
   15	Baystate Health	$34,612	$16.64	5
   16	HUB International	$34,609	$16.64	4
   17	City of Grand Rapids	$34,515	$16.59
   18	MDU Resources	$34,496	$16.58
   19	Jurgensen Companies	$34,495	$16.58
   20	Red Gate Group	$34,468	$16.57

4. Writing an administrative clerk job description

   A good administrative clerk job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of an administrative clerk job description:

   Administrative clerk job description example

   ARE YOU A CURRENT US FOODS EMPLOYEE? CLICK HERE TO BE TAKEN TO THE INTERNAL CAREER SITE.
   Join Our Community of Food People!
   
   The Operations Coordinator - Int provides administrative support to the Warehouse leadership team in order to comply with DOT requirements and division policies. This position Must be able to work all shifts and be cross trained for coverage in all Operations support clerical positions and serve on the US Foods Contingency Team for travel to other divisions on an “as needed” basis.
   
   ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
   General warehouse inventory slotting duties. Essential duties include determining and slotting cases in warehouse and clerical functions.Maintaining records use of a computer.Must be able to work in variable temperatures including cold.Lifting to 90 lbs. is possible.Familiarity with food warehousing and safety requirements is required. The work takes place in normal warehouse environments as well as in cooler and freezer areas where the temperatures may be as low as -25 degrees.Must be able to work all shifts and be cross trained for coverage in all Operations support clerical positions.Must be willing for service on US Foods Contingency Team for travel to other divisions on an “as needed” basis.
   
   QUALIFICATIONS
   
   Education/Training: High School Education or GED preferred. Must be able to read alpha and numeric codes from pick sheets and slots. Up to 40 % of time could be assigned to floating shift coverage across afternoon or night shifts assigned for coverage in other Operations Department positions. Prior experience 2 - 3 years clerical or other warehouse experience required, preferably in a warehouse or office/distribution environment.
   
   Requirements:
   A minimum of 2 year's clerical or other warehouse experience is required.Intermediate Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook experience preferred.Strong math skills and competencies required.Excellent written and oral communications skills.Detail oriented.Ability to multi-task.Ability to other shifts and work weekends as needed.
   
   Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:
   Must be able to communicate clearly both in writing and verbally and have strong customer service ability with all levels inside and outside the organization Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail Must be able to work on complex tasks and prioritize workload amid competing priorities Strong teamwork skills and the ability to be a resource to others in the department and the division
   
   Preferred:
   XATA and Checkpoint experience Knowledge of DOT Hours of Service RegulationsKnowledge of our geographic delivery area6 months experience working in transportation and/or logistics function in an administrative capacity
   
   ***EOE Race/Color/Religion/Sex/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity/National Origin/Protected Veteran/Disability Status***

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find administrative clerks for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any administrative clerks they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level administrative clerks with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your administrative clerk job on Zippia to find and recruit administrative clerk candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit administrative clerks, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new administrative clerk

   Once you've decided on a perfect administrative clerk candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire an administrative clerk?