How to hire an order entry clerk

How to hire an order entry clerk, step by step

Here's a step-by-step order entry clerk hiring guide:

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

What does an order entry clerk do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring an order entry 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

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

   Here's a comparison of order entry clerk salaries for various roles:

   Type of Order Entry Clerk	Description	Hourly rate
   Order Entry Clerk	Information clerks perform routine clerical duties such as maintaining records, collecting data, and providing information to customers.	$13-19
   Receptionist/Billing Clerk	A receptionist/billing clerk is responsible for performing administrative and clerical duties as needed to maintain a smooth flow of operations for the business. Receptionist/billing clerks process the customers' payment transactions, manage account payables, releasing invoices, and immediately resolve account discrepancies... Show more	$12-18
   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... Show more	$12-17

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Purchase Orders
   • Data Entry Errors
   • Computer System
   • Customer Orders
   • EDI
   • Customer Inquiries
   • Sales Orders
   • Telephone Calls
   • Inbound Calls
   • Credit Card
   • AS400
   • Front Desk
   • Customer Calls

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Assist customers with book purchases; POS cashier.
   • Pull orders of juice, utilizing a laptop and RF gun attach to forklift.
   • Audit all EDI orders for complete address, terms, special promotions, and overall accuracy.
   • Post invoices to ERP system, update GRN, set up and maintain new vendor accounts.
   • Process EDI purchase ordering-credit-debit adjustments.
   • Assist department director in weekly payroll approval.

   More order entry clerk duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your order entry clerk job description helps attract top candidates to the position. An order entry clerk salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for an order entry clerk in Montana may be lower than in Connecticut, and an entry-level order entry clerk usually earns less than a senior-level order entry clerk. Additionally, an order entry clerk with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average order entry clerk salary

   $16.42hourly

   $34,147 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level order entry clerk salary

   $28,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average order entry clerk salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Nevada	$41,619	$20
   2	New Jersey	$38,433	$18
   3	Pennsylvania	$37,403	$18
   4	Colorado	$37,250	$18
   5	California	$37,041	$18
   6	Ohio	$36,152	$17
   7	Minnesota	$35,710	$17
   8	New York	$35,657	$17
   9	Utah	$35,174	$17
   10	Illinois	$34,306	$16
   11	Indiana	$33,572	$16
   12	Michigan	$31,840	$15
   13	Texas	$31,055	$15
   14	Florida	$30,579	$15
   15	Maryland	$30,016	$14
   16	Nebraska	$25,351	$12

   Average order entry clerk salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Dexter	$38,351	$18.44
   2	AmerisourceBergen	$37,454	$18.01
   3	Crystal Creamery	$35,776	$17.20	1
   4	TPI	$34,628	$16.65	9
   5	Impact Technologies	$34,496	$16.58
   6	PPL	$34,183	$16.43	5
   7	K W Industries	$33,945	$16.32
   8	The Townsend	$33,912	$16.30	1
   9	Mesilla Valley Transportation	$33,614	$16.16
   10	Randstad North America, Inc.	$33,004	$15.87	22
   11	Taylor Corporation	$32,676	$15.71	12
   12	Park Hudson	$32,671	$15.71
   13	Robert Half	$32,629	$15.69	698
   14	Ajilon Consulting	$32,591	$15.67
   15	HumanEdge	$32,553	$15.65
   16	Kelly Services	$32,298	$15.53	45
   17	First Option Recruiting	$31,869	$15.32
   18	Aerotek	$31,601	$15.19	111
   19	Area Temps	$31,526	$15.16	20
   20	PrideStaff	$31,510	$15.15	1

4. Writing an order entry clerk job description

   An order entry 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 an order entry clerk job description:

   Order entry clerk job description example

   Schedule: Monday thru Friday (5 to 6hr shift... between 8am and 5pm)

   ***some weekend coverage may be required in peak seasons***

   Company Background:

   NatureHills.com was founded in Omaha, Nebraska in 2001 as an eCommerce retailer of plant products (perennials, shrubs, trees, etc.). We ship live plants direct to our customers' front doors. Our online retail clients are located all across the United States and have pre-sale questions covering a variety of plant material and order fulfillment processes. Our website consists of thousands upon thousands of plant product offerings. A willingness to learn about our industry is required. If you already have some plant knowledge; consider that a head-start. Our on-staff horticulturists can help fill in any gaps related to plant knowledge while other staff members will be able to train on policies and procedures.

   Highly Desired Skills:

   · Strong Communication Skills (inside the office AND with our customer base)

   · Intermediate to Proficient Computer Skills

   · Proficient Typing Skills (near or completely error-free @ 40wpm+)

   · Previous Sales or Customer Service Experience (via in-person or phone)

   · Willingness to Learn the Nature Hills Business and Products (Don’t be afraid, we'll help you!)

   Why Nature Hills:

   · Company Headquarters Right Here in West Omaha

   · Opportunity to be promoted from within to other teams (marketing, inventory, technology, etc.)

   · Opportunity to be brought on as a full-time employee

   · Stable Company – Continued Growth and Success Year over Year

   · Family Owned and Operated Since 2001

   · The Industry Leader in the Online Plant Nursery Business

   · Very Unique Industry – Plenty of Knowledge to be Gained for Your Own Garden

   · Friendly Work Environment with Relaxed Dress Code

   · Free Coffee

   Job Type: Part-time

   Pay: $15.00 - $17.00 per hour

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5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find order entry clerks for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your order entry clerk job on Zippia to find and recruit order entry 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 order entry 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 to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to 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 order entry clerk

   Once you've decided on a perfect order entry 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 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 an order entry clerk?