Record Clerks

• Nature of the Work

  Organizations of all kinds-businesses, government agencies, unions, health care facilities, and colleges and universities-must keep accurate records. Maintaining and updating records, ranging from payrolls to information on the shipment of goods to bank statements, is the job of record clerks. (Additional information about specific record clerk occupations is provided in the separate statements in this section.)

  Record clerks perform a wide variety of recordkeeping duties. Billing clerks and billing machine operators prepare bills and invoices. Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks maintain financial data in computer and paper files. Brokerage clerks prepare and maintain the records generated when stocks, bonds, and other types of investments are traded. Statement clerks prepare monthly statements for bank customers. File clerks store and retrieve various kinds of office information for use by staff members. Library assistants and bookmobile drivers assist library patrons. Order clerks process incoming orders for goods and services. Payroll and timekeeping clerks compute wages for payroll records. Personnel clerks maintain employee records.

  Record clerks' duties may vary with the size of the firm. In a small business, one bookkeeping clerk may handle all financial records and transactions as well as payroll and personnel duties, while a large firm may employ specialized accounting clerks to work on each aspect of the balance sheet, as well as specialized payroll and personnel clerks.

  Increased computerization has changed the duties of most record clerks. In the past, clerks made calculations with adding machines and entered figures into ledgers and paper files. Now, many workers use financial software to enter and manipulate data. In many cases, these computer programs can automatically perform calculations on data that previously had to be calculated manually. Computers enable clerks to access data within files more quickly than by leafing through stacks of paper. Despite increased automation, however, workers still keep backup paper records for research, auditing, and reference purposes.

  Interaction with the public and with coworkers is a basic part of the job of many record clerks. Payroll clerks, for example, may answer employees' questions concerning benefits; bookmobile drivers help patients in nursing homes and hospitals select books; and order clerks call customers to verify special mailing instructions.

  Other administrative support occupations in this group include advertising clerks-who receive orders for classified advertising from customers for newpapers or magazines; prepare copy according to customer specifications; and verify conformance of published ads to specifications for purposes of billing, and correspondence clerks-who reply to customers regarding damage claims, delinquent accounts, incorrect billing, complaints of unsatisfactory service, and requests for merchandise exchanges or returns.

• Working Conditions for Record Clerks

  With the exception of library clerks and bookmobile drivers, record clerks typically work in an office environment. Most work alongside the organization's other clerical workers, but some work in centralized units away from the organization's front office. Clerks who review detailed data may have to sit for extended periods. Although they do not do heavy lifting, file clerks and library assistants frequently stoop, bend, reach, and spend a lot of time on their feet. Bookmobile drivers must maneuver large vehicles in all kinds of traffic and weather conditions. In addition, some are responsible for the maintenance of the bookmobile.

  An increasing number of record clerks use computers as part of their daily routine. Workers who spend a lot of time at computers may experience eye and muscle strain, backaches, headaches, and repetitive motion injuries.

  Most of these workers work regular business hours. Some, such as library assistants, may work evenings and weekends. Library assistants employed in school libraries generally work only during the school year. Accounting clerks may work longer hours to meet deadlines at the end of the fiscal year, during tax time, or when monthly and yearly accounting audits are performed. Billing, bookkeeping, and accounting clerks in hotels, restaurants, and stores may work overtime during peak holiday and vacation seasons. Brokerage clerks may have to work overtime if there is a high volume of activity in the stock or bond markets. Order clerks in retail establishments often work overtime when sales volume is high, especially around Christmas.

• Employment

  Record clerks held more than 3.7 million jobs in 1994. The following tabulation shows employment in individual occupations.

  Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks        2,181,000
  Billing clerks and billing machine operators          419,000
  Order clerks                                          310,000
  File clerks                                           278,000
  Payroll and timekeeping clerks                        157,000
  Personnel clerks, except payroll and timekeeping      123,000
  Library assistants and bookmobile drivers             121,000
  Brokerage and statement clerks                         98,000
  Correspondence clerks                                  29,000
  Advertising clerks                                     17,000
  

  These workers are employed in virtually every industry. The largest number work for firms providing health, business, and other types of services. Large numbers also work in trade; finance, insurance, and real estate; manufacturing; and government.

• Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement

  Most record clerk jobs are entry-level positions. Most employers require applicants to have at least a high school diploma or its equivalent. A higher level of education will usually be favored over a high school diploma, but it is not generally required. However, in some cases, more extensive education is mandatory. For example, order clerks in high-technology firms often need to understand scientific and mechanical processes, which may require some college education. Regardless of the type of work being done, most employers prefer those who are computer literate. Knowledge of word processing and spreadsheet software is especially valuable, as is experience working in an office and good interpersonal skills.

  High schools, business schools, and community colleges teach office skills. Business education programs typically include courses in typing (keyboarding), word processing, shorthand, business communications, records management, and office systems and procedures. Technical training needed for some specialized order clerk positions can be obtained in technical institutes and in 2- and 4-year colleges.

  Some entrants are college graduates with degrees in business, finance, or the liberal arts. Although a degree is rarely required, many graduates take entry-level clerical positions to get into a company or into the finance and accounting field, with the hope of being promoted to professional or managerial jobs. Some companies, such as brokerage and accounting firms, have a set plan of advancement that tracks college graduates from entry-level clerk jobs into management positions. These workers may start at higher salaries and advance more rapidly than those without a degree.

  Once hired, record clerks generally receive on-the-job training. Under the guidance of a supervisor or senior worker, new employees learn company procedures. Some formal classroom training may be necessary, such as training in operating specific computer software.

  Record clerks must be careful, orderly, and detail oriented in order to avoid making errors and to be able to recognize errors made by others. These workers must also be honest, discreet, and trustworthy because they frequently come in contact with confidential material. Payroll clerks, billing clerks, and bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks should have a strong aptitude for numbers. Because statement clerks have access to individuals' financial information, they must be bonded. Many bookmobile drivers are now required to have a commercial driver's license.

  Workers usually advance by taking on more duties in the same occupation with higher pay. Others advance to closely related occupations. For example, some order clerks use their experience to move into sales positions. Others move into other clerical jobs, such as secretary, or advance to a supervisory position. With appropriate experience and education, some clerks may become accountants, personnel specialists, brokers, or librarians.

• Job Outlook

  Turnover in this very large occupation places it among those occupations providing the most job openings. Opportunities will be plentiful for full-time, part-time, and seasonal employment as record clerks transfer to other occupations or leave the labor force.

  Employment of record clerks is expected to decline through the year 2005. Despite continued growth in the volume of business transactions, fewer record clerks will be needed because of rising productivity. The main factor affecting productivity in these occupations is the spread of office automation. Many of these jobs are "back office" clerical positions, which have already been heavily automated in many organizations. Productivity has increased significantly as workers use word processors and personal computers instead of more time-consuming equipment such as typewriters, adding machines, and calculators. The growing use of equipment such as bar code readers, point-of-sale terminals, and optical scanners by other employees also reduces much of the data entry handled by record clerks. Managers and professionals now do much of their own clerical work, using computers to access, create, and store data directly in the computer system. The growing use of local area networks is also facilitating electronic data interchange-the sending of data from computer to computer, without the need for clerks to reenter the data. To further eliminate duplicate functions, more large companies may consolidate all their clerical operations in a central office where accounting, billing, personnel, and payroll functions are performed for all satellite offices in the organization.

• Earnings of Record Clerks

  Salaries of record clerks vary considerably. Region of the country, size of city, and type and size of establishment all influence salary levels. The level of industry or technical expertise required and the complexity and uniqueness of a clerk's responsibilities may also affect earnings. Median earnings of full-time record clerks in 1994 are shown in the following tabulation.

  Personnel clerks                                 $25,100
  Order clerks                                      24,300
  Payroll and timekeeping clerks                    21,300
  Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks      19,500
  Billing clerks                                    19,500
  Library clerks                                    18,800
  Billing machine operators                         17,800
  File clerks                                       16,200
  
  

  In the Federal Government in 1995, record clerks with a high school diploma or clerical experience typically started at $16,700 a year. Beginning salaries were slightly higher in selected areas where the prevailing local pay level was higher. In 1995, the average salary for all personnel clerks was $25,600.

  In addition to salary, record clerks receive the same package of benefits as other employees in the organization. Sick and annual leave, life and health insurance, and retirement plans are common.

• Related Occupations

  Most record clerks today enter data into a computer system and perform basic analysis of the data. Other clerical workers who enter and manipulate data are bank tellers, statistical clerks, receiving clerks, medical record clerks, hotel and motel clerks, credit clerks, and reservation and transportation ticket agents.

• Sources of Additional Information about Record Clerks

  State employment service offices can provide information about job openings for record clerks. Public libraries and libraries in academic institutions can provide information about job openings for library assistants and bookmobile drivers.

  Specific information on bookmobile drivers is available from:
  The State Library of Ohio, Field Operations Department, 65 South Front St., Columbus, OH 43215.

  Information on careers in records and information management can be obtained from:
  Association of Record Managers and Administrators (ARMA), 4200 Somerset Dr., Suite 215, Prairie Village, KS 66208. Phone: 1-800-422-2762.

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