How to hire a clerk/assistant

How to hire a clerk/assistant, step by step

Here's a step-by-step clerk/assistant hiring guide:

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

What does a clerk/assistant do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a clerk/assistant, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a clerk/assistant to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a clerk/assistant that fits the bill.

   This list presents clerk/assistant salaries for various positions.

   Type of Clerk/Assistant	Description	Hourly rate
   Clerk/Assistant	General office clerks perform a variety of clerical tasks, including answering telephones, typing documents, and filing records.	$12-19
   Administrative Clerk	An administrative clerk provides support to staff and does clerical works. These clerical duties include answering and making phone calls, typing documents, compiling and filing records, and scheduling appointments... Show more	$12-19
   Data Clerk	A data clerk is responsible for performing administrative support tasks, mainly focusing on data-entry. Their responsibilities typically include updating databases, maintaining records on spreadsheets and other documents, preparing and processing files, creating and organizing reports, coordinating with different departments to gather or disseminate data, and performing research and analysis... Show more	$12-18

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Support
   • Telephone Calls
   • Word Processing
   • Payroll
   • Purchase Orders
   • Office Machines
   • Office Equipment
   • Financial Statements
   • Computer System
   • Front Desk
   • Scheduling Appointments
   • Disk
   • Fax Machines
   • Sales Floor

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Demonstrate strong math skills in managing inmate s accounts and calmly and effectively deescalating outbursts of belligerent inmates.
   • Create and present PowerPoint presentations for senior level staff.
   • Compose a weekly PowerPoint presentation regarding company highlights.
   • Review payroll to ensure accuracy, compile payroll records and distribute paychecks.
   • Schedule radiology procedures and appointments accurately, and in a timely manner.
   • Demonstrate administrative and customer service expertise with responsibility for resolving payroll relate questions.

   More clerk/assistant duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your clerk/assistant job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A clerk/assistant can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, clerks/assistant' average salary in kansas is 41% less than in hawaii.
   • Seniority. Entry-level clerks/assistant 39% less than senior-level clerks/assistant.
   • Certifications. A clerk/assistant with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a clerk/assistant's salary.

   Average clerk/assistant salary

   $15.71hourly

   $32,674 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level clerk/assistant salary

   $25,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 20, 2025

   Average clerk/assistant salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$40,558	$20
   2	Washington	$39,495	$19
   3	Nevada	$38,078	$18
   4	New Jersey	$33,836	$16
   5	Georgia	$31,820	$15
   6	Ohio	$29,784	$14
   7	Texas	$29,483	$14
   8	Illinois	$28,847	$14
   9	North Carolina	$28,535	$14
   10	Nebraska	$28,044	$13
   11	Idaho	$27,360	$13
   12	New Mexico	$26,576	$13
   13	Florida	$26,109	$13

   Average clerk/assistant salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	United States Courts	$38,691	$18.60	69
   2	Jacobs Engineering Group	$37,352	$17.96
   3	Washington State University	$35,271	$16.96	1
   4	Chicago Public Schools	$35,081	$16.87	5
   5	ATI Physical Therapy	$34,846	$16.75	8
   6	STG International	$34,439	$16.56	3
   7	ICONMA	$33,767	$16.23	4
   8	Healthcare Resolution Services	$33,719	$16.21
   9	Sea Mar Community Health Centers	$33,719	$16.21	62
   10	Ansible by Red Hat	$33,143	$15.93	1
   11	Jacobs Enterprises	$33,095	$15.91
   12	ICDR	$33,074	$15.90
   13	Indian Health Service	$32,936	$15.83	3
   14	Randstad North America, Inc.	$32,908	$15.82	27
   15	Gillman Automotive Group	$32,670	$15.71	2
   16	City of Austin	$32,564	$15.66
   17	Kelly Services	$31,995	$15.38	65
   18	ManpowerGroup	$31,778	$15.28	100
   19	Travis County	$31,344	$15.07	3
   20	City of Reno	$29,264	$14.07

4. Writing a clerk/assistant job description

   A good clerk/assistant 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 a clerk/assistant job description:

   Clerk/assistant job description example

   Definition and Class Characteristics
   
   Nevada County's Elections department is hiring temporary positions for Clerk Recorder Assistant I to help with the next election.
   
   Come join an extraordinary Elections department! In this role you will perform clerical duties related to elections administration. These duties include:
   
   * Maintaining the voter registration roll including processing affidavits, contacting registrants for additional information, verifying precincts, entering and updating data in the computer.
   * Generating reports, notices and labels, maintaining affidavit files, and notifying other counties of new registrants.
   * Assisting candidates in filing for election and helping ensure the documentation associated with an election is completed.
   * Preparing assembling and distributing publications, notices, sample ballots, ballot cards and other printed materials.
   * Answering phones, assisting customers and working with the public to communicate up to date and accurate information regarding voting procedures, rights and regulations.
   
   The Clerk-Recorder Assistant I is the entry-level class in this series. Under close supervision, this position performs a full range of assigned duties requiring knowledge of election and the administration of elections, processing of official nomination documents, and filing of legal documents.
   
   Some positions will be working in the Elections warehouse. These candidates will work with sensitive materials and technology, and will be lifting and moving up to 25 pounds. The ideal candidate will be detail oriented and be able to stay focused on repetitive tasks. A valid driver's license is required.
   
   This job is ideal for someone who is comfortable with computers and has a variety of social media products knowledge, who has a high attention to detail, and is great at working with the public. If you would like to learn how elections work and enjoy a fast-paced environment, apply today!
   
   Note: The schedule for these positions requires additional hours, including some weekends, surrounding peak election periods.
   
   Why Nevada County? Our leadership values employee development and engagement, promotes open and transparent communication, sets us up to be a high-performing organization, and recognizes our contributions. Our leadership connects with the community, listens to them, and provides important programming to keep us safe and healthy.
   
   We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided with reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.
   
   Interested? Read the full job description here.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find clerks/assistant 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 clerk/assistant job on Zippia to find and recruit clerk/assistant candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit clerks/assistant, 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.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates 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 clerk/assistant

   Once you've decided on a perfect clerk/assistant 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 clerk/assistant 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 clerk/assistant?