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How to hire a general clerk

General clerk hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring general clerks in the United States:

  • The median cost to hire a general clerk is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • HR departments typically allocate 15% of their budget towards recruitment efforts.
  • Small businesses spend $1,105 per general clerk on training each year, while large companies spend $658.
  • It takes approximately 12 weeks for a new employee to reach full productivity levels.
  • There are a total of 18,803 general clerks in the US, and there are currently 141,570 job openings in this field.
  • San Diego, CA, has the highest demand for general clerks, with 12 job openings.

How to hire a general clerk, step by step

To hire a general clerk, 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 general clerk:

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

What does a general clerk do?

General clerks are responsible for a variety of miscellaneous and administrative tasks within an organization. These include answering and transferring calls, sorting and delivering incoming emails, and scheduling appointments. They are also responsible for providing information to clients and staff members, preparing and processing bills and office documents, and performing data entry tasks. General clerks are often employed in almost all industries. This position typically requires a high school diploma and basic knowledge of computer applications such as spreadsheet software and word processing.

Learn more about the specifics of what a general clerk does
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    First, determine the employments status of the general clerk you need to hire. Certain general clerk roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a general clerk 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 general clerk that fits the bill.

    This list presents general clerk salaries for various positions.

    Type of General ClerkDescriptionHourly rate
    General ClerkGeneral office clerks perform a variety of clerical tasks, including answering telephones, typing documents, and filing records. $12-19
    Clerk TypistA 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
    Front Office ClerkA front office clerk performs various administrative and secretarial duties, including welcoming and greeting clients and visitors, answering telephone calls, and managing the office budget. You will be responsible for monitoring, organizing, and forwarding emails and maintaining files and records... Show more$12-17
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Customer Service
    • Data Entry
    • Office Procedures
    • Veterans
    • Office Equipment
    • Citizenship
    • Math
    • Security Clearance
    • PowerPoint
    • Cleanliness
    • Word Processing
    • English Language
    • HR
    • Subject-Matter Knowledge
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Excel, beginners & PowerPoint, beginners.
    • Have knowledge of CPRS navigation and ICD-9 codes.
    • Engage in transactions involving cash where constant math and arithmetic occurs.
    • Utilize PowerPoint to communicate daily, weekly contest, and training material.
    • Close money bags daily using math and also logic (when necessary).
    • Assist the 2010 CFC group with their video presentations to galvanize employee donations throughout entire FSA.
    More general clerk duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your general clerk job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A general clerk salary can vary based on several factors:
    • Location. For example, general clerks' average salary in kansas is 44% less than in alaska.
    • Seniority. Entry-level general clerks earn 35% less than senior-level general clerks.
    • Certifications. A general clerk with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
    • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a general clerk's salary.

    Average general clerk salary

    $15.99hourly

    $33,254 yearly

    Entry-level general clerk salary
    $26,000 yearly salary
    Updated January 21, 2026

    Average general clerk salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1Massachusetts$39,316$19
    2Washington$38,596$19
    3California$37,748$18
    4District of Columbia$37,556$18
    5Colorado$36,469$18
    6Arizona$35,813$17
    7Nevada$35,324$17
    8New York$35,240$17
    9New Jersey$34,051$16
    10Oregon$33,848$16
    11Maryland$33,666$16
    12Virginia$32,197$15
    13Missouri$31,946$15
    14Texas$31,869$15
    15Illinois$31,801$15
    16Pennsylvania$30,578$15
    17Ohio$29,923$14
    18Georgia$28,755$14
    19Florida$27,158$13
    20West Virginia$26,023$13

    Average general clerk salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1National Grid plc$41,076$19.75
    2CNA Insurance$38,750$18.635
    3Canon$35,518$17.087
    4Ukpeagvik IOoOupiat Corporation$35,516$17.0729
    5Constellation Brands$34,530$16.601
    6Koch Industries$34,514$16.59
    7Management Consulting$34,507$16.593
    8Cleveland Clinic$34,331$16.5112
    9Change Healthcare$34,104$16.40
    10IT Coalition$33,941$16.32
    11Leidos$33,890$16.2915
    1222nd Century Technologies$33,721$16.21
    13Catholic Health East$33,662$16.182
    14Vencore$33,657$16.18
    15LB&B Associates$33,646$16.184
    16VIVA USA$33,425$16.07
    17Gallagher$33,374$16.05
    18J&J Worldwide Services$33,343$16.0313
    19Vectrus$33,269$15.99
    20ASRC Federal$33,227$15.9716
  4. Writing a general clerk job description

    A general 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. To help get you started, here's an example of a general clerk job description:

    General clerk job description example

    Hourly Rate: $12.00
    Schedule: TBD
    Must be able to work a flexible schedule to include weekends, evenings and holidays as needed.
    Benefits include: Paid Time Off, Life & AD&D

    MUST be able to obtain and maintain security clearance.

    Summary:

    Responsible assisting with administrative functions for organizational employees and management and perform special projects as assigned. Experience with Payroll, Inventory Control, Spreadsheet and Reports preferred.

    Bilingual preferred

    Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

    Essential Functions

    • This position follows clearly detailed specific procedures in completing several repetitive clerical steps performed in a prescribed or slightly varied sequence, such as coding and filing documents in an extensive alphabetical file; could involve simple posting to individual accounts
    • Opens mail, calculates and posts charges to departmental accounts.
    • Operates basic office equipment, e.g., photocopier, facsimile, multi-line phone/voicemail systems, mailing machines, and minimal computer programs.
    • Little or no subject-matter knowledge is required, but the clerk uses his or her own judgment in choosing the proper procedure for each task.
    • Other tasks a maybe directed by the Project Manager/Supervisor.
    • Pass and maintain any required security clearance requirement and comply with Drug Free Workplace policy.
    • Adhere to Operations Security (OPSEC) standard operations procedure.
    • Adhere to Property Control Plan for management of Government Furnished Property (GFP).
    • Adhere to a safety and health program that complies with EM 385-1-1 and applicable OSHA, DOD, Armed Forces Branch(s), Federal, state, and local safety, environmental and health requirements.
    • Adhere to a site-specific Accident Prevention Plan (APP) in accordance with Appendix A, EM 385-1-1.

    Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
    The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)
  5. Post your job

    To find general 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 general clerks they would recommend.
    • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level general 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 general clerk job on Zippia to find and recruit general 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 general 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. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

    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 general clerk

    Once you've found the general clerk 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 good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been 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 a general clerk?

Hiring a general clerk comes with both the one-time cost per hire and ongoing costs. The cost of recruiting general clerks involves promoting the job and spending time conducting interviews. Ongoing costs include employee salary, training, benefits, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to consider the cost of general clerk recruiting as well the ongoing costs of maintaining the new employee.

You can expect to pay around $33,254 per year for a general clerk, as this is the median yearly salary nationally. This can vary depending on what state or city you're hiring in. If you're hiring for contract work or on a per-project basis, hourly rates for general clerks in the US typically range between $12 and $19 an hour.

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