Human resources clerk vs general office clerk

The differences between human resources clerks and general office clerks can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a human resources clerk and a general office clerk. Additionally, a human resources clerk has an average salary of $35,149, which is higher than the $30,034 average annual salary of a general office clerk.

The top three skills for a human resources clerk include data entry, customer service and background checks. The most important skills for a general office clerk are data entry, customer service, and office equipment.

Human resources clerk vs general office clerk overview

	Human Resources Clerk	General Office Clerk
Yearly salary	$35,149	$30,034
Hourly rate	$16.90	$14.44
Growth rate	-	-5%
Number of jobs	107,374	160,597
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 44%	Bachelor's Degree, 28%
Average age	43	47
Years of experience	2	2

What does a human resources clerk do?

A human resources clerk's role focuses on assisting in the hiring process within a company or organization. Most of the responsibilities will revolve around posting hiring notices on various platforms, handling job applications, arranging schedules and appointments for interviews, verifying requirements, and responding to calls and inquiries. Besides participating in the hiring process, a human resources clerk also has administrative duties such as maintaining employee information and records, producing progress reports, processing paperwork, and assisting newly hired employees. This is all done in adherence to a company's policies and regulations.

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.

Human resources clerk vs general office clerk salary

Human resources clerks and general office clerks have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Human Resources Clerk	General Office Clerk
Average salary	$35,149	$30,034
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $45,000	Between $23,000 And $38,000
Highest paying City	Auburn, NY	Seattle, WA
Highest paying state	Oregon	Washington
Best paying company	University of Massachusetts Boston	USF Reddaway
Best paying industry	Government	Health Care

Differences between human resources clerk and general office clerk education

There are a few differences between a human resources clerk and a general office clerk in terms of educational background:

	Human Resources Clerk	General Office Clerk
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 44%	Bachelor's Degree, 28%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	Western Carolina University

Human resources clerk vs general office clerk demographics

Here are the differences between human resources clerks' and general office clerks' demographics:

	Human Resources Clerk	General Office Clerk
Average age	43	47
Gender ratio	Male, 15.0% Female, 85.0%	Male, 22.2% Female, 77.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 21.5% Asian, 8.8% White, 52.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%	Black or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 23.7% Asian, 8.2% White, 53.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	15%	6%

Differences between human resources clerk and general office clerk duties and responsibilities

Human resources clerk example responsibilities.

Manage mail, postage, bank deposits and FedEx runs, etc.
Manage timesheets for payroll, account for all employees, and enter information into QuickBooks.
Operate TALEO software system for managing prospective and current employee application status and procedures
Enter all payroll/timekeeping information into payroll system, including leave slips for vacations, flex time, bereavement and/or FMLA.
Utilize the Kronos system to retrieve time bank information, alter hours for correction, verify accurate processing.
Track all 2nd and 3rd shift attendance by running reports in Kronos and transferring attendance data into PeopleSoft.

General office clerk example responsibilities.

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.

Human resources clerk vs general office clerk skills

Common human resources clerk skills

Data Entry, 16%
Customer Service, 14%
Background Checks, 7%
I-9, 5%
HRIS, 4%
Front Desk, 4%

Common general office clerk skills

Data Entry, 17%
Customer Service, 15%
Office Equipment, 12%
Front Desk, 11%
Word Processing, 9%
Telephone Calls, 8%

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Human Resources Clerk
Human Resources Clerk vs General Office Clerk

Updated January 8, 2025

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