General office clerks held about 3 million jobs in 2012 and were employed in nearly every industry.
The industries that employed the most general office clerks in 2012 were as follows:
Educational services; state, local, and private | 12% |
Health care and social assistance | 12 |
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services |
10 |
Government | 9 |
General office clerks usually work in comfortable office settings.
Work Schedules
Most general office clerks work full time. About 1 in 4 clerks worked part time in 2012.
General office clerks typically need a high school diploma or equivalent and learn their skills on the job.
Education
General office clerks typically need a high school diploma or equivalent.
Business education programs offered in community colleges and postsecondary vocational schools can help candidates prepare for an entry-level job. Courses in office practices, word processing, and other common computer applications are particularly helpful.
Training
General office clerks usually learn their skills on the job. On-the-job training typically lasts up to 1 month and may include instructions on office procedures and the use of office equipment.
Advancement
General office clerks may advance to other administrative positions with more responsibility, such as executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants.
Advancement opportunities often depend on work experience, work habits, and computer software skills.
General office clerks typically have an interest in the Building, Persuading and Organizing interest areas, according to the Holland Code framework. The Building interest area indicates a focus on working with tools and machines, and making or fixing practical things. The Persuading interest area indicates a focus on influencing, motivating, and selling to other people. The Organizing interest area indicates a focus on working with information and processes to keep things arranged in orderly systems.
If you are not sure whether you have a Building or Persuading or Organizing interest which might fit with a career as a general office clerk, you can take a career test to measure your interests.
General office clerks should also possess the following specific qualities:
Customer-service skills. Clerks often provide general information to company staff, customers, or the public. As a result, they should be courteous and prompt with their response.
Detail oriented. Many administrative tasks, such as proofreading documents and arranging schedules, require excellent attention to detail.
Organizational skills. Being organized helps office clerks retrieve files and other important information quickly and efficiently.
The median hourly wage for general office clerks was $13.21 in May 2012. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $8.59 per hour, and the top 10 percent earned more than $21.21 per hour.
In May 2012, median hourly wages for general office clerks in the top four industries employing these clerks were as follows:
Government | $15.24 |
Health care and social assistance | 13.23 |
Educational services; state, local, and private |
13.08 |
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services |
12.25 |
Most general office clerks work full time. About 1 in 4 worked part time in 2012.
Employment of general office clerks is projected to grow 6 percent from 2012 to 2022, slower than the average for all occupations. Employment growth will vary by industry.
For example, healthcare facilities are expected to require more workers to handle various administrative tasks related to billing and insurance processing as more people have access to health insurance and medical services. Conversely, employment of general office clerks in the federal government is projected to decline as other workers are increasingly performing tasks that general office clerks used to do.
Overall, employment growth of office clerks should moderate as technology makes them more productive. For example, many organizations maintain electronic documents or use automated phone systems, reducing the need for general office clerks.
Job Prospects
Job prospects are expected to be good due to employment growth and the need to replace workers who leave the occupation. Job opportunities in healthcare facilities should be best, while opportunities in schools and government are expected to be less favorable.
Candidates who have a combination of work experience and computer software skills should have the best job prospects.
For more information about administrative occupations, visit