How to hire a data clerk

How to hire a data clerk, step by step

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

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

What does a data clerk do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a data clerk, 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

   A data clerk's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, data 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.

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

   Type of Data Clerk	Description	Hourly rate
   Data Clerk	General office clerks perform a variety of clerical tasks, including answering telephones, typing documents, and filing records.	$12-18
   Office Services Clerk	An office services clerk is a professional employee who performs a multitude of administrative tasks as well as office maintenance duties of an organization. Office services clerks are required to maintain an inventory of office supplies as well as purchase and distribute office supplies to all employees when needed... Show more	$11-16
   Clerk Typist	A clerk typist is responsible for data entry procedures and document transcriptions, alongside other clerical and administrative duties as required by the employer. Clerk typists create reports and presentation materials, transcribe audio meetings, write business drafts, and send documents to appropriate office personnel or clients... Show more	$12-18

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Database Systems
   • Computer Entry
   • Office Equipment
   • HR
   • Computer System
   • Data Entry
   • Purchase Orders
   • Payroll
   • Student Data
   • Data Integrity
   • Front Desk
   • Telephone Calls
   • Clerical Support
   • Source Data

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Demonstrate strong math skills in managing inmate s accounts and calmly and effectively deescalating outbursts of belligerent inmates.
   • Examine doors, windows, and gates to ensure security.Prepare routine and incident reports.
   • Excel as entry level data clerk, inputting sensitive patient records while withholding HIPPA regulations.
   • Load groceries quickly and carefully to make sure to pack bags to maximize space without overloading.
   • Maintain a safe, secure, and healthy patient environment by following OSHA and HIPPA standards and guidelines.
   • Stock shelves, help customers, bag groceries, retrieve carts, help keep store up to par.

   More data clerk duties

3. Make a budget

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

   Average data clerk salary

   $15.17hourly

   $31,550 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level data clerk salary

   $25,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 18, 2025

   Average data clerk salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$36,906	$18
   2	Nevada	$35,958	$17
   3	Colorado	$35,316	$17
   4	Hawaii	$33,593	$16
   5	Maryland	$33,147	$16
   6	Washington	$32,979	$16
   7	Massachusetts	$32,931	$16
   8	Minnesota	$32,828	$16
   9	Illinois	$31,441	$15
   10	Wisconsin	$28,955	$14
   11	New York	$28,727	$14
   12	Pennsylvania	$28,122	$14
   13	Delaware	$28,101	$14
   14	Ohio	$27,982	$13
   15	Indiana	$26,810	$13
   16	Texas	$26,235	$13
   17	Florida	$25,992	$13
   18	Virginia	$25,641	$12
   19	Georgia	$25,605	$12

   Average data clerk salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Armstrong Flooring	$37,286	$17.93
   2	Dover	$33,300	$16.01	11
   3	The Timken Company	$32,968	$15.85	3
   4	Fluor Corporation	$32,904	$15.82	9
   5	Fayette County Public Schools	$32,878	$15.81	1
   6	Alameda Alliance for Health	$32,380	$15.57
   7	Zachry Group	$32,241	$15.50	3
   8	Zachry Construction	$32,160	$15.46	1
   9	Future Technologies	$32,005	$15.39
   10	CSAT Solutions	$31,868	$15.32
   11	Ready Pac Foods	$31,414	$15.10
   12	Kelly Services	$31,322	$15.06	46
   13	RWJBarnabas Health	$31,068	$14.94	6
   14	T-Solutions	$30,972	$14.89
   15	Tufts University	$30,889	$14.85
   16	Children's Hospital of Philadelphia	$30,854	$14.83	3
   17	Ada County	$30,755	$14.79	2
   18	LifePoint Health	$30,530	$14.68	35
   19	Irving Isd	$30,383	$14.61	1
   20	Staffworks Group	$30,235	$14.54	3

4. Writing a data clerk job description

   A data clerk 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 data clerk job description:

   Data clerk job description example

   Core Competencies/Responsibilities:
   
   

   • Prepares source data/documents for computer entry by compiling and sorting
   • information; establishing entry priorities
   • Enters customer and company data by inputting alphabetic and numeric information on keyboard, or 10-key, according to screen and data program format.
   • Verifies entered customer and company data by reviewing, correcting, deleting; re-enters data in verification formats to detect errors; purges obsolete electronic files to eliminate duplication of data.
   • Tests customer and company system changes and upgrades by inputting new data; reviewing output.
   • and upgrades by inputting new data; reviewing output.
   • Secures information by organizing physical and electronic files, including back-up, as required by company procedures.
   • Maintains customer confidence and protects operations by keeping information confidential.
   • Contributes to team effort by accomplishing related results.
   • Additional duties, as assigned.

   
   
   Knowledge and Experience:
   
   

   • Strong computer skills, proficient in MS Office, Excel, and typing skills at least 40 wpm
   • 10 Key by touch
   • Strong oral and written communication skills are a must
   • Initiative and problem solving skills
   • Other duties as assigned

   
   
   Additional Statements
   
   Drug and alcohol screening: Employment contingent upon passing pre-employment drug and alcohol screen. Also contingent upon receiving a favorable background check. If applying for a safety sensitive position, it may require a physical examination.
   
   Safety commitment: Safety is a way of life at Keolis. By placing safety first, we ensure the well-being of our employees, customers and communities. Together we can become the most successful transportation company in the world.
   
   Environmental commitment: Keolis is committed to protecting the environment by minimizing the impact of operations to our people and the communities in which we operate.
   
   EEO statement: Our policy is to afford Equal Employment Opportunity to qualified individuals regardless of their race, color, sex, religion, age, creed, marital status, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation or gender identification. We maintain a drug-free workplace and perform pre-employment substance abuse testing.
   
   Disclaimer and closing statement: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by employees assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of employees assigned to this job. Keolis is committed to offering our employees competitive compensation and benefits, opportunities for development and growth throughout an exciting and rewarding career and the safest work environment possible.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right data clerk 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 data clerk job on Zippia to find and recruit data clerk candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting data clerks requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   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 data clerk

   Once you've decided on a perfect data 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 equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new data clerk. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

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 data clerk?