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How to hire a clerical specialist

Clerical specialist hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring clerical specialists in the United States:

  • HR departments typically spend 15% of their expenses on recruitment.
  • It usually takes about 12 weeks for a new employee to reach full productivity levels.
  • It typically takes 36-42 days to fill a job opening.
  • The median cost to hire a clerical specialist is $1,633.
  • Small businesses spend an average of $1,105 per clerical specialist on training each year, while large companies spend $658.
  • There are currently 258,394 clerical specialists in the US and 60,757 job openings.
  • Syracuse, NY, has the highest demand for clerical specialists, with 10 job openings.
  • Memphis, TN has the highest concentration of clerical specialists.

How to hire a clerical specialist, step by step

To hire a clerical specialist, you should clearly understand the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, and allocate a budget for the position. You will also need to post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire a clerical specialist:

Here's a step-by-step clerical specialist hiring guide:

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

What does a clerical specialist do?

Clerical specialists are office assistants or executive secretaries offering administrative support. The specialists schedule conference meetings or calls, prepare statistical reports and correspondence, and maintain sensitive data. They manage both incoming and outgoing mails and the distribution of letters and packages to administrative offices and staff. Their job includes the redesign and reorganization of the existing filing systems of client and internal documents. They comply with corporate confidentiality, regulations, and guidelines. Skills in data entry, customer service, and medical records are necessary for this job.

Learn more about the specifics of what a clerical specialist does
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    The clerical specialist 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?

    Hiring the perfect clerical specialist also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

    This list presents clerical specialist salaries for various positions.

    Type of Clerical SpecialistDescriptionHourly rate
    Clerical SpecialistGeneral office clerks perform a variety of clerical tasks, including answering telephones, typing documents, and filing records. $11-18
    Clerical AideClerical aides perform various office-related tasks for company executives like answering calls, sorting documents, taking down the minutes of their meetings, etc. They should have computer skills, be organized, and communicate with people inside and outside the company... Show more$11-17
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Patients
    • Data Entry
    • Customer Service
    • Payroll
    • Clerical Support
    • HIPAA
    • Clerical Tasks
    • Patient Appointments
    • Front Desk
    • Scheduling Appointments
    • Telephone Calls
    • Financial Statements
    • Computer System
    • Office Equipment
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Manage CI s SharePoint pages and serve as CI s subject matter expert on SharePoint working groups.
    • Provide excellent customer service, advising patients about clinic policies and responding to specific inquiries.
    • Follow all guidline to Hippa regulations.
    • Attend multiple yearly in-services addressing issues such as HIPPA, resident safety, fire safety, and current long-term care issues.
    • Obtain verification case/certificate number to update the patients chart.
    • Maintain computerized individual faculty payroll, title and employment data.
    More clerical specialist duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in the clerical specialist job description is a good way to get more applicants. A clerical specialist 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 a clerical specialist in Oklahoma may be lower than in California, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level clerical specialist. Additionally, a clerical specialist with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

    Average clerical specialist salary

    $14.78hourly

    $30,736 yearly

    Entry-level clerical specialist salary
    $24,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 20, 2025

    Average clerical specialist salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1California$36,844$18
    2Hawaii$35,989$17
    3Massachusetts$34,652$17
    4New York$33,358$16
    5Oregon$33,121$16
    6Colorado$33,008$16
    7Rhode Island$32,823$16
    8Michigan$29,786$14
    9Minnesota$29,723$14
    10Ohio$29,285$14
    11Illinois$29,137$14
    12Pennsylvania$27,430$13
    13Arkansas$27,297$13
    14Wisconsin$27,176$13
    15Texas$27,170$13
    16Tennessee$25,507$12
    17Florida$25,486$12

    Average clerical specialist salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1Wayne County, Michigan$44,722$21.502
    2City of Pittsburgh$36,549$17.57
    3Pactiv$36,062$17.342
    4Erlanger Health System$32,466$15.615
    5LifePoint Health$31,851$15.3131
    6City of Hope$31,836$15.31
    7Milwaukee County$31,690$15.24
    8University of Maryland Medical System$31,568$15.18
    9Parker Hannifin$31,392$15.09
    10Integrity Staffing$31,338$15.072
    11HCA Health Services of Virginia Inc$31,207$15.00
    12Kelly Services$31,124$14.9626
    13Providence Health & Services$31,095$14.952
    14THE RIGHT STAFF$30,991$14.901
    15City of Hope Development Center$30,841$14.83
    16Area Temps$30,731$14.777
    17Staffmark$30,719$14.77
    18Adecco$30,664$14.7424
    19Salem-Keizer Public Schools$30,656$14.744
    20Aledade$30,346$14.5924
  4. Writing a clerical specialist job description

    A clerical specialist job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a clerical specialist job description:

    Clerical specialist job description example

    $1000 SIGN-ON BONUS!: $500 ONCE PROBATION PERIOD IS SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED + $500 AFTER 9 MONTHS OF WORK

    Job Title: Clerical Specialist (Engineering Department)

    Direct Report: Reports directly to the Building Chief Engineer or the Engineering Director

    Job Description:

    · Excellent communication and customer service skills to interact with homeowners, staff, vendors, etc.

    Ø A good writing skill is required.

    · Accept and screen phone calls for Engineering Department.

    · Keep informed of engineering staff's whereabouts and activities.

    · Communicate clearly and efficiently by e-mail, phone, and radio transmission.

    · Coordinate schedules for Director of Engineering/Chief Engineer.

    · Organize and prioritize workload for engineers.

    · Distribute memos when appropriate get approval from Engineering Management.

    · Create an efficient procedure for reminders for all engineering staff.

    · Remain flexible and available to multi-task efficiently and perform various tasks assigned by engineering management.

    · The position required to be familiar with QuickBooks or to be able to learn the program and be capable to

    Ø Create daily, weekly, and monthly invoices/purchase reports, work orders and perform all appropriate backups.

    Ø Coordinate with the Assistant to the GM regarding bill payment and accounts

    § Process work orders—homeowner follow up:

    Ø Assist homeowners with requests or repairs when appropriate.

    Ø Follow up personally with homeowners and others to verify work completion and satisfaction.

    · Maintain impeccable organization of office and records.

    · Create and maintain files.

    · Manage inventory.

    Ø Provide a monthly inventory report.

    Ø Perform a quarterly physical inventory.

    Ø Provide an annual physical inventory report

    · Order supplies, including collecting de daily mail and shipped orders.

    · Research via the internet and other means.

    · All administrative responsibilities as delegated by the engineering management or General Manager.

    Characteristics:

    Mature and flexible; professional demeanor and appearance, while also being personable and cordial; available to assist in meeting the needs of the homeowners; able to take direction from superiors without question or argument; demonstrate patience and subordinance.

    NOTE:

    This job description, including its responsibilities and expectations, may change from time to time to properly establish all specifics of the job and goals for accomplishment.

    Physical Demands

    The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

    While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel and talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to stand and walk. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision.



  5. Post your job

    There are a few common ways to find clerical specialists for your business:

    • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
    • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
    • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your clerical specialist job on Zippia to find and recruit clerical specialist candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    To successfully recruit clerical specialists, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

    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 clerical specialist

    Once you've selected the best clerical specialist candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the 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 clerical specialist first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

  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 a clerical specialist?

Recruiting clerical specialists involves both the one-time costs of hiring and the ongoing costs of adding a new employee to your team. Your spending during the hiring process will mostly be on things like promoting the job on job boards, reviewing and interviewing candidates, and onboarding the new hire. Ongoing costs will obviously involve the employee's salary, but also may include things like benefits.

The median annual salary for clerical specialists is $30,736 in the US. However, the cost of clerical specialist hiring can vary a lot depending on location. Additionally, hiring a clerical specialist for contract work or on a per-project basis typically costs between $11 and $18 an hour.

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