In today's tough economy, you may be seeing job postings for positions that involve clerical work. This is a blanket term that can refer to many office duties, and it may be helpful to know what is expected of you if you are hired for a clerical position.

Traditional Clerical Duties

General clerical duties include answering a company's phone calls or distributing mail to employees. Other duties generally assigned to clerical positions include typing, filing, making copies and collating, keeping various records, setting appointments, data entry, small bookkeeping tasks, and more.

Business Clerical Duties

Big businesses may need to employ many people for the same job--for example, one company may have 20 general office clerks, 10 mail clerks, etc. Other job duties for business clerical positions may include filing, payroll, personnel detailing, and more.

Finance Clerical Jobs

The finance industry may use clerical positions that are more specific to finances. These jobs include bank tellers, loan and credit clerks, claims clerks, brokerage clerks, and more.

Clerical Government Jobs

Some jobs you are familiar with are actually government clerical jobs. Positions like municipal and court clerks, license clerks and library associates may be considered government clerical positions.

Additional Education for Clerical Positions

People who persue clerical positions in the professional world may choose to earn a certificate for administrative assistant work, or an associates degree in Administrative Assistance. These programs can enhance a person's eligibility for clerical work.

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What is Clerical Work?