What does a general office clerk do?
A general office clerk is responsible for performing various clerical duties to support business functions and ensure smooth daily operations. General office clerks respond to clients' inquiries and concerns, welcoming guests, and assisting in disseminating information across the organization. They maintain the adequacy of inventories, organize business and financial transaction reports, and perform basic bookkeeping tasks and banking transactions. A general office clerk must be highly organizational and analytical, especially in encoding account statements on the database and processing business reports required by the management.
General office clerk responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real general office clerk resumes:
- Set up PowerPoint presentations using LCD projectors and computers.
- Update and maintain PowerPoint presentations used for new hire orientation of management and employees.
- Insert data accurately and expeditiously into the company payroll system for future retrieval.
- Assist patients with sensitive and detail orient documentation, schedule appointments and verify insurance benefits.
- Use QuickBooks for purchase order, inventory activities and sales order.
- Bag groceries, assist customers in locating merchandise, cleaning of store floors, restrooms and shelves.
General office clerk skills and personality traits
We calculated that 17% of General Office Clerks are proficient in Data Entry, Customer Service, and Office Equipment. They’re also known for soft skills such as Customer-service skills, Detail oriented, and Organizational skills.
We break down the percentage of General Office Clerks that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Data Entry, 17%
Demonstrate a good understanding of general business operating procedures and be proficient in data entry.
- Customer Service, 15%
Increased customer satisfaction by swiftly tracking customer survey responses and presenting findings to management so customer service modifications could be made.
- Office Equipment, 12%
Operated a variety of office equipment including typewriter, telephone system, copier and calculator.
- Front Desk, 11%
Prepared general reports for front desk, verified maintenance supplies and supply lists, room inspections and report maintenance issues.
- Word Processing, 9%
General office clerk, duties of answering telephones, typing and or word processing, filing and additional office duties.
- Telephone Calls, 8%
General office clerks typically do the following: Answer telephone calls, take messages, or transfer calls to staff.
"data entry," "customer service," and "office equipment" are among the most common skills that general office clerks use at work. You can find even more general office clerk responsibilities below, including:
Customer-service skills. The most essential soft skill for a general office clerk to carry out their responsibilities is customer-service skills. This skill is important for the role because "general office clerks often provide general information to company staff, customers, or the public." Additionally, a general office clerk resume shows how their duties depend on customer-service skills: "designated for first impression customer relation duties, including answering multiple phone lines and scheduling appointments. "
Detail oriented. Many general office clerk duties rely on detail oriented. "general office clerks perform many clerical tasks that require attention to detail, such as preparing bills.," so a general office clerk will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways general office clerk responsibilities rely on detail oriented: "verify details of business transactions; document funds received and disbursed; total accounts - via calculator and computer. "
Organizational skills. This is an important skill for general office clerks to perform their duties. For an example of how general office clerk responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "general office clerks file and retrieve records." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of a general office clerk: "recognized for high quality work, organizational strengths and exceptional customer service delivery. ".
The three companies that hire the most general office clerks are:
- Robert Half29 general office clerks jobs
- YRC Freight19 general office clerks jobs
- Holland3 general office clerks jobs
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Compare different general office clerks
General office clerk vs. 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. A clerk-typist must show excellent organizational and time-management skills, especially with handling various typing tasks under strict deadlines and minimal supervision. They also respond and take calls from clients and customers, assisting with their inquiries and concerns.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between general office clerks and clerk typist. For instance, general office clerk responsibilities require skills such as "photocopiers," "customer complaints," "office support," and "database systems." Whereas a clerk typist is skilled in "input data," "office machines," "date stamps," and "provide clerical support." This is part of what separates the two careers.
Clerks typist really shine in the education industry with an average salary of $32,312. Comparatively, general office clerks tend to make the most money in the health care industry with an average salary of $30,604.clerks typist tend to reach similar levels of education than general office clerks. In fact, clerks typist are 1.0% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.3% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.General office clerk vs. Room clerk
A room clerk is responsible for receiving guests and assigning them to their respective rooms, typically in a hotel setting. Room clerks manage guests' reservations, explain the policies of the premises, and process their payments for staying at the hotel. They also ensure the rooms' cleanliness, reaching out to the maintenance for any repairs and requests for additional room items. A room clerk must have excellent communication and customer service skills, respond to the customer's inquiries and concerns, and resolve service complaints immediately.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that general office clerk responsibilities requires skills like "word processing," "hr," "photocopiers," and "customer complaints." But a room clerk might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "stock room," "postage meter," "delivery carts," and "parts room."
On average, room clerks earn a higher salary than general office clerks. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, room clerks earn the most pay in the government industry with an average salary of $33,014. Whereas general office clerks have higher pay in the health care industry, with an average salary of $30,604.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Room clerks tend to reach similar levels of education than general office clerks. In fact, they're 0.3% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.3% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.General office clerk vs. Shop clerk
A shop clerk is primarily in charge of assisting clients in a retail store, ensuring efficient service for client satisfaction. Their responsibilities include greeting and identifying the clients' needs, answering inquiries, locating products, offering promotions, and recommending alternatives as needed. They must also maintain the cleanliness of the sales floor, clearing the obstructions and disposing of expired or defective products. Furthermore, a shop clerk must manage the product displays, devising strategies to make them more presentable to the customers.
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a general office clerk is likely to be skilled in "data entry," "office equipment," "word processing," and "telephone calls," while a typical shop clerk is skilled in "basic math," "math," "top quality," and "cash handling."
Shop clerks earn the highest salary when working in the transportation industry, where they receive an average salary of $35,056. Comparatively, general office clerks have the highest earning potential in the health care industry, with an average salary of $30,604.When it comes to education, shop clerks tend to earn similar degree levels compared to general office clerks. In fact, they're 0.2% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.1% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.General office clerk vs. Clerk
Clerks are responsible for many of the general administrative tasks in the office. They are in charge of manning office telephone lines, managing incoming and outgoing mails, filing paperwork and other needed records, scheduling and documenting meetings, typing out documents when needed, disseminating memos and other official announcements, and keeping an inventory of office equipment and supplies. Clerks should have good office skills, communication skills, business writing skills, and time management skills. They should also be able to treat any document or paperwork they handle with confidentiality.
Even though a few skill sets overlap between general office clerks and clerks, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a general office clerk might have more use for skills like "hr," "photocopiers," "office support," and "scheduling appointments." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of clerks require skills like "basic math," "math," "cleanliness," and "pos. "
The health care industry tends to pay the highest salaries for clerks, with average annual pay of $31,380. Comparatively, the highest general office clerk annual salary comes from the health care industry.In general, clerks hold similar degree levels compared to general office clerks. Clerks are 0.8% more likely to earn their Master's Degree and 0.5% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Types of general office clerk
Updated January 8, 2025
