Administrative Support Occupations, Including Clerical

Court clerks

Perform clerical duties in courts of law; prepare docket of cases to be called; secure information for judges; and contact witnesses, attorneys, and litigants to obtain information for court.

1996 employment: 53,000
Projected 1996-2006 employment change: Slower than average
Most significant source of training: Up to 1 month of on-the-job training

Customer service representatives, utilities

Interview applicants for water, gas, electric, or telephone service. Talk with customers by phone or in person and receive orders for installation, turn-on, discontinuance, or change in service.

1996 employment: 151,000
Projected 1996-2006 employment change: Faster than average
Most significant source of training: Up to 1 month of on-the-job training

Duplicating, mail, and other office machine operators

Duplicating machine operators: Operate one or a variety of duplicating machines to make copies of printed and other information. Mail machine operators: Operate machines to emboss names, addresses, and other matter onto metal plates for use in addressing machines; to print names, addresses and other similar information onto items, such as envelopes, accounting forms, and advertising literature; to address, fold, stuff, seal, and stamp mail; and to open envelopes. Transit clerks: Sort, record, proof, and prepare transit items for mailing to or from out-of-city banks to insure correct routing and prompt collection.

1996 employment: 196,000
Projected 1996-2006 employment change: A decline
Most significant source of training: Up to 1 month of on-the-job training

Municipal clerks

Draft agendas for town or city councils, record minutes of council meetings, answer official correspondence, keep fiscal records and accounts, and prepare reports on civic needs.

1996 employment: 22,000
Projected 1996-2006 employment change: Slower than average
Most significant source of training: Up to 1 month of on-the-job training

Proofreaders and copy markers

Read transcript or proof of type setup to detect and mark for correction any grammatical, typographical, or compositional errors.

1996 employment: 26,000
Projected 1996-2006 employment change: A decline
Most significant source of training: Up to 1 month of on-the-job training

Real estate clerks

Perform duties concerned with rental, sale, and management of real estate, such as typing copies of listings, computing interest owed or penalty payments, holding collateral in escrow, and checking due notices on taxes and renewal dates of insurance and mortgage loans.

1996 employment: 24,000
Projected 1996-2006 employment change: Slower than average
Most significant source of training: Up to 1 month of on-the-job training

Statistical clerks

Compile and compute data according to statistical formulas for use in statistical studies. May also perform actuarial computations, using algebra and trigonometry, and compile charts and graphs for use by actuaries.

1996 employment: 78,000
Projected 1996-2006 employment change: A decline
Most significant source of training: 1 to 12 months of on-the-job training

Service Occupations

1998-99 Occupational Outlook Handbook Home Page

BLS Home Page