How to hire a clerk specialist

How to hire a clerk specialist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step clerk 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 clerk specialist job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new clerk specialist
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a clerk specialist do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your clerk specialist job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a clerk specialist for hire on a part-time basis or as a 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 specialist 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 specialist that fits the bill.

   The following list breaks down different types of clerks specialist and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Clerk Specialist	Description	Hourly rate
   Clerk Specialist	General office clerks perform a variety of clerical tasks, including answering telephones, typing documents, and filing records.	$12-20
   Operations Clerk	An operations clerk is responsible for performing administrative and clerical duties, ensuring smooth business operations. Operations clerks often handle customer service, respond to customers' inquiries and concerns, and direct guests to appropriate departments... Show more	$12-19
   Support Clerk	A support clerk is primarily in charge of performing administrative support tasks in an office, making the daily workflow easier. Their responsibilities typically include preparing and processing documentation, answering and forwarding calls, handling correspondence, disseminating and organizing files, and running errands as needed... Show more	$10-25

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Data Entry
   • Office Equipment
   • Customer Service
   • Front Desk
   • Payroll
   • Computer System
   • Child Support
   • Purchase Orders
   • Telephone Calls
   • Proofread
   • Credit Card
   • Scheduling Appointments
   • Travel Arrangements
   • DMV

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage orthopedic accounts regarding payment posting through IDX medical systems.
   • Assist in preliminary budget, preparation; prepare departmental payroll, statistical data and reports.
   • Check visitation/meeting rooms for cleanliness; print daily visitation/meeting room schedules; and escort parents/attendees to visitation/meeting rooms.
   • Answer phones with the ability to provide accurate information and education on the communicability and disease process of tuberculosis.

   More clerk specialist duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, clerks specialist' average salary in louisiana is 43% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level clerks specialist 40% less than senior-level clerks specialist.
   • Certifications. A clerk specialist 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 specialist's salary.

   Average clerk specialist salary

   $16.36hourly

   $34,038 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level clerk specialist salary

   $26,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 21, 2025

   Average clerk specialist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Rhode Island	$39,500	$19
   2	Iowa	$34,304	$16
   3	Florida	$27,900	$13

   Average clerk specialist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Lifespan	$38,454	$18.49
   2	CHS	$36,003	$17.31
   3	Iowa State Association of Counties	$33,690	$16.20
   4	Iowa Department of Transportation	$32,824	$15.78
   5	My Florida Regional Mls	$32,646	$15.70
   6	Miriam Hospital	$31,513	$15.15
   7	Broward County Public Schools	$28,709	$13.80	1
   8	Florida Department of Transportation	$26,292	$12.64
   9	State Of Florida	$25,780	$12.39	69

4. Writing a clerk specialist job description

   A clerk 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. Below, you can find an example of a clerk specialist job description:

   Clerk specialist job description example

   This position is located at the Sioux City CSRU office and performs casework activities as a member of an office team to secure, modify or enforce child support and medical orders. Under the general supervision of the Child Support Recovery Supervisor, this position supports the Child Support Recovery Unit by providing a variety of administrative support duties of a quasi-administrative nature to conduct specialized technical and clerical processes. Communicates with a variety of in and out of state agencies including: human services, attorneys, clerks of court, county sheriffs and other related entities to achieve the goals of the Child Support Recovery Unit.
   
   Responsibilities include various support tasks including demonstrating strong customer service skills with face to face and telephone contact with customers who may be difficult. Will work with customers who may be reluctant to establish, modify or pay child support orders. Requires a strong personality that can be tactful and compassionate under stressful or difficult situations.
   
   Employee may assist with establishment and specialized enforcement tasks as well as second level location through the internet and various automated systems.
   
   The starting salary for new State employees is expected to be at the base of the pay range. Telework may be an option for this position if requested by the employee and approved by management.
   
   This position requires a highly motivated, organized individual with excellent written and verbal communication skills, and the ability to:
   
   * Manage assigned case work and demonstrate critical thinking skills required to complete tasks independently.
   
   * Read and comprehend complex instructions including federal, state and local laws, policy and procedures applicable to the Child Support Recovery program and apply it to child support casework.
   * Produce work that requires extreme accuracy.
   * Prioritize tasks and time to meet established performance goals and critical deadlines.
   * Interact with employees and customers in a manner that is consistent with quality customer service delivery.
   * Resolve problems/issues by using good listening and positive conflict resolution skills.
   * Adjust and adapt to work pressures, change or difficult situations impacting people or groups without unusual stress reactions.
   * Work productively in a team environment. The ability to manage group processes; encourages and facilitates cooperation, pride, trust and group identity, fosters commitment and team spirit; works with others to achieve goals.
   * Accurately enter, retrieve, file, generate and correct case folders and/or information from ICAR and various data base systems.
   * Accurately sort and scan physical mail; index and retrieve electronic mail from Electronic Mail System.
   * Navigate efficiently in a Windows environment.
   * Proficient in Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, Outlook; and the ability to learn and use other personal computer programs as necessary.
   * Perform mathematical calculations needed to accurately reflect support obligations.
   * Comprehend and adhere to the confidentiality provisions stated in the Code of Iowa.
   * Maintain high attendance as excessive absenteeism negatively impacts the child support program.
   * Write clear, concise and accurate letters that are grammatically correct.
   * Travel occasionally when work is required outside of the office.
   
   Applicants may attach a resume/cover letter to the online application.
   
   Additional Qualification Requirements:
   
   * Position requires successful completion of a criminal background check to include FBI fingerprinting.
   * Our agency uses E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify.
   
   Experience equal to three years of full-time clerical or closely related work;
   
   OR
   
   an equivalent combination of education and experience, substituting graduation from high school, G.E.D. equivalency or satisfactory completion of a recognized correspondence or formal job-related training course at the high school or equivalent level such as that offered by WIN, OEO, CEP, CIVEC or similar programs, for one year only of the required experience;
   
   OR
   
   an equivalent combination of education and experience, substituting nine months or thirty semester hours coursework in an accredited business school, college or university for each year of the required experience;
   
   OR
   
   certification from the State of Iowa Administrative Assistant Certificate Program will substitute for six months of the required experience;
   
   OR
   
   employees with current continuous experience in the state executive branch that includes the equivalent of eighteen months of full time experience as a resident treatment worker or Clerk-Advanced.
   
   For additional information, please click on this link to view the job description.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right clerk specialist for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with clerk specialist candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete 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 specialist

   Once you've found the clerk specialist candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   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 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 clerk specialist?