How to hire a program support clerk

How to hire a program support clerk, step by step

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a program support 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

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

   This list shows salaries for various types of program support clerks.

   Type of Program Support Clerk	Description	Hourly rate
   Program Support Clerk	General office clerks perform a variety of clerical tasks, including answering telephones, typing documents, and filing records.	$13-22
   Office Technician	An Office Technician handles installation and repair tasks by using power tools and manual equipment safely and effectively. Besides installing, maintaining, and repairing central office equipment, an office technician also installs, tests, and labels cable lines... Show more	$12-23
   Office Worker	An office worker is responsible for performing administrative and clerical duties to support the daily operations of the business. Office workers assist in receiving calls to respond to the clients' inquiries and concerns, as well as welcoming visitors, verifying their appointments, and leading them to the appropriate personnel and department for their business needs... Show more	$11-34

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patients
   • Program Support
   • Customer Service
   • Data Entry
   • Scheduling Appointments
   • Telephone Calls
   • Computer System
   • Clerical Support
   • Patient Care
   • Office Equipment
   • Word Processing
   • CPRS
   • Patient Accounts
   • Patient Appointments

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Demonstrate strong math skills in managing inmate s accounts and calmly and effectively deescalating outbursts of belligerent inmates.
   • Develop PowerPoint presentations containing charts/graphs and other visuals aids for briefings.
   • Verify financial and citizenship information/documentation.
   • Assist in coordinating security functions with contractors, DOD personnel, military and civilians.
   • Access to classify and unclassify documentation in accordance with DoD regulations.
   • Verify financial and citizenship information/documentation.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your program support clerk job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A program support clerk can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, program support clerks' average salary in new mexico is 45% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level program support clerks 38% less than senior-level program support clerks.
   • Certifications. A program support clerk with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a program support clerk's salary.

   Average program support clerk salary

   $37,768yearly

   $18.16 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level program support clerk salary

   $29,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

4. Writing a program support clerk job description

   A job description for a program support clerk role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a program support clerk job description:

   Program support clerk job description example

   IPA requires program management support that will assist in carrying out the division's responsibilities that contribute to NGA's mission.
   Duties include:
   
   The candidate shall assist in developing acquisition documentation (Acquisition Strategies, Statements of Work, Requests for Proposal, and acquisition and source selection plans) and present those documents for Government approval. The contractor shall serve in an advisory role on source selection panels, document source selection findings, and if necessary support the Government in the defense of protest.
   
   The candidate shall provide the IPA with analysis based on independent review of deliverables provided. The contractor shall provide project management support that encompasses the entire program / acquisition life cycle.
   
   The candidate shall prepare, edit, review, and/or submit financial documentation and artifacts as requested by the Government, including, but not limited to: Air Force 9 generation and Military Interdepartmental Purchase Request generation and submission in PRISM or other agency systems.
   
   The candidate shall provide support in the oversight, test monitoring and verification, and agile backlog management of programs within the division.
   
   The candidate shall participate in the planning, execution, oversight and/or review of government and contractor program test activities and events, including, but not limited to: Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT), Site Acceptance Testing (SAT), Operational Readiness Reviews (ORRs), Operational Acceptance Reviews (OAR), regression testing, user testing, Discrepancy Report (DR) verification and testing, and DR resolution testing. In addition, the contractor shall assist in the verification of new or existing requirements.
   
   The candidate shall participate in technical exchange meetings, program reviews, acquisition panels, and configuration boards as required to ensure the active participation and representation of IPA.
   
   The candidate shall support the program office in the identification and mitigation of risk in accordance with the NGA Risk Management process and other specific program risk management processes.
   
   The candidate shall provide support in the outreach to customers, stakeholders, foreign partners, and NGA and Intelligence Community offices.
   
   The candidate shall support IPA in the formulation and analysis of new requirements. The contractor shall support the Request for Change (RFCs) activities and work with NGA review boards, systems integrators (SIs) and segment contractors to support impact statements for RFCs affecting IPA programs and entities.
   
   The candidate shall provide the IPA with analysis and recommendations. The contractor shall demonstrate and apply exploitation systems domain knowledge, as well as knowledge of NGA, the DoD, and the Intelligence Community.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right program support clerk for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with program support clerks they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit program support clerks who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your program support clerk job on Zippia to find and recruit program support clerk candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit program support clerks, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete 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 program support clerk

   Once you have selected a candidate for the program support clerk position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is 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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