Clerical jobs are excellent ways to launch a wide range of careers. You can focus on administrative roles or build transferable skills that can help you advance in other professional areas, giving you options when it comes to how your career unfolds. If you’re wondering what a clerical job is and how you can get started, here’s what you need to know.
What Is a Clerical Job?
A clerical job is a position that involves performing administrative and office duties to support the business or a specific department or manager. These jobs typically include performing tasks like data entry, document management, answering phone calls, responding to emails, scheduling appointments, and other administrative duties.
Clerical jobs are essential for the proper functioning of any organization, as they help to ensure that day-to-day operations are running efficiently. These roles are available in a variety of industries, including healthcare, manufacturing, business services, and more.
How to Prepare for a Clerical Job
Before you start looking for a clerical job, it is essential to decide what type of clerical position you want. This will help you to identify roles that are a good fit for your skills and experience and determine what you may need to learn to qualify.
Next, assess your current capabilities to determine if you need additional training or skill development. Many clerical jobs only require a high school diploma when it comes to education, but you’ll need specific capabilities, too. Computer proficiency is usually a must, as well as strong communication skills. Teamwork, accountability, problem-solving, customer service, and self-motivation are also typical necessities. Still, it’s critical to know that each role is different, so examine the usual requirements to find out more about the needed skills.
Once you acquire the right skills, it’s time to update your resume. Highlight relevant achievements to showcase your capabilities and demonstrate the value you provide. Additionally, make sure you target your resume to the precise job when you prepare to apply, using keywords in the job description to position yourself as a strong fit.
It’s also wise to practice answers to common interview questions in advance. By doing so, you become more comfortable with explaining what you bring to the table, increasing the odds that you’ll deliver responses seamlessly when meeting with the hiring manager.
Finding Your First Clerical Job
After completing the steps above, it’s time to find your first clerical job. Usually, that means finding positions that strongly align with your skills and experience, as those are the positions you’ll have the best chance of landing.
In many cases, candidates begin by using large job boards to find roles. While those can potentially work, sorting through all of the results is time-consuming. Plus, the level of competition on job boards is usually high, which can make it harder to stand out as a candidate.
If you want to streamline your clerical job search, partnering with a staffing agency is often your best bet. Your recruiter will spend time getting to know you, including your skills, experience, needs, and preferences. Then, they’ll use that information to identify right-fit opportunities, allowing you to focus on jobs with the most career potential.
If you’re looking for a new clerical job, the team at TempStaff can help. Contact us today.
