How To Become An Office Clerical Assistant: What It Is and Career Path

What is an office clerical assistant and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

An Office Clerical Assistant is, through a variety of tasks, meant to help employees and offices within companies run in a smooth fashion.

These duties, of course, usually include what are known as clerical tasks; answering phone calls, replying to emails and taking messages, dealing with some if not all of the paperwork and mail, typing, note-taking, and doing inventory and maintenance of documents and filing systems. The Assistant may also need to complete other tasks, such as helping out with larger and uncommon projects, dealing with clients, and acting as a mentor or a guide for new employees, as the job requires it.

A person looking to work as an Office Clerical Assistant should generally have a high school diploma or a GED, clear communications skills, good organization and time management skills, and a proficiency in the use of computers and possibly other tools and machinery. Some Assistants take administrative courses before or during their time in this position, while some get training on the spot or learn as the job progresses.

ScoreOffice Clerical AssistantUS Average

Salary

2.2

Avg. Salary $28,373

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

6.6

Growth rate -5%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.8

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.02%

Asian 7.38%

Black or African American 10.35%

Hispanic or Latino 20.06%

Unknown 4.57%

White 56.62%

Gender

female 81.49%

male 18.51%

Age - 50

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 50

Stress level

6.6

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

4.3

Complexity level is basic

7 - challenging

Work life balance

7.1

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become an office clerical assistant

Explore office clerical assistant education requirements

Most common office clerical assistant degrees

Bachelor's

34.4 %

Associate

25.8 %

High School Diploma

22.5 %

Start to develop specific office clerical assistant skills

Skills	Percentages
Data Entry	19.79%
Customer Service	19.52%
Patients	11.54%
Word Processing	8.67%
Office Equipment	4.86%

Complete relevant office clerical assistant training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New office clerical assistants learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an office clerical assistant based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real office clerical assistant resumes.

Gain additional office clerical assistant certifications

Office clerical assistant certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific office clerical assistant certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for office clerical assistants include Medical Assistant and Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA).

More About Certifications

Research office clerical assistant duties and responsibilities

Manage operational FedEx relationship through order fulfillment, shipment tracking, and communication with parties involve in shipment transaction.
Prepare payroll summary and submit to accountant for direct deposit.
Provide efficient and professional telephone services in challenging mental health office while upholding confidentiality under HIPAA standards.
Charge entry on EMR program software HCS Interactant.

Prepare your office clerical assistant resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your office clerical assistant resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an office clerical assistant resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable office clerical assistant resume templates

Build a professional office clerical assistant resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your office clerical assistant resume.