Getting to Know Important Clerical Skills

Clerical skills are used by office employees to keep things running efficiently. Common clerical tasks include filing papers, entering data, answering phone calls, and making copies. Although every office worker should be able to do most of these tasks, they are especially important for people in office support or administrative roles. You may see job descriptions for the following roles to require such skills:

• Administrative assistant
• Bookkeeper
• Data entry specialist
• Office support specialist
• Personal assistant
• Secretary

These are common clerical skills that office employees have:

• Excel: Clerical employees need to know how to use Microsoft Excel or its equivalent for a series of tasks, primarily data entry. This program has a lot of functions, such as equations, graphing, and pivot tables. Knowing how to use its most useful functions can make you a more qualified candidate.
• Filing: Being organized and understanding your work’s filing system is another key clerical duty. Most businesses use the alphabetical system.
• Phone: Office support employees need to know how to interact with clients or customers over the phone. Along with knowing how to do more technical tasks like transferring calls and putting people on hold, you also need to know how to take clear notes and record information.
• Typing: Those working on the computer need to have solid typing skills. This means that you can type around 60 words per minute with few errors. This skill comes in handy when entering data or drafting emails.

Follow these steps to improve your clerical skills:

1. Seek additional training

When first learning a clerical task, you may need additional assistance. Ask one of your more experienced coworkers to show you how to do the task. If it’s a bit complicated, you may want to take notes. After they show you how to do it, try doing it yourself to see if you have any questions along the way.

2. Attend lectures and seminars

Some clerical work involves complicated software or processes. That’s why attending relevant lectures and seminars can get you up to speed. Many companies will host a presentation when they have a major update on their software. It’s worth asking your employer if they can sponsor your attendance since this will directly improve your work.

3. Practice your communication skills

Being a good communicator is a major part of many clerical jobs. Practice both your written and verbal communication. Learn how to appropriately draft an email or speak with someone over the phone. Likewise, listening is a big component of communication. By practicing active listening and showing others that you fully understand what they say, you can become a better communicator.

Follow these tips to improve your clerical skills in the workplace:

• Volunteer to try new tasks. The best way to learn is by putting yourself out there and trying something new.
• Use your resources. Your employee handbook, training materials, and online video tutorials are all valuable assets when trying to learn a new skill.
• Job shadow. When starting your career, reach out to one of your contacts and ask to shadow them for a day. This gives you a first-hand look at all the clerical work they do.
• Enroll in a course. See if your local college has any night or online courses about a clerical topic you want to learn. You may be able to find different courses about typing, communication, or computer skills. See if your employer offers reimbursement for these types of courses.
• Stay current. Subscribe to any newsletters or publications that have to do with clerical work. They can give you additional advice and resources to use.

When applying to an office support job, highlighting your clerical skills can make you stand out as a candidate. By showing you have the ability to do things like sending emails, organizing files, or greeting guests, you may have a better chance of getting a job offer. Let’s look at how you can incorporate these skills into your application materials:

Clerical skills for a resume and cover letter

Before writing your resume and cover letter, read through the job description to identify any skills it mentions. Think about which skills you possess and how you can discuss them in your application materials. When writing your resume, you could include a bullet-point list of both hard skills and soft skills under your skill section. Your soft skills are essentially your people skills, such as communication, problem-solving, and critical thinking. Your hard skills are your technical skills, such as typing 60 words a minute, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft Word.

When including these skills in your cover letter, relate them to how you’d be a good candidate for the role. You could also discuss how these skills benefited you in previous clerical roles.

Clerical skills for a job interview

Prior to an interview for a clerical position, read through the job description one more time. Think of a handful of skills you’d like to discuss in the interview. Prepare for the following skills-related interview questions to be a more confident and qualified candidate:

• What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?
• What value can you add to our team?
• How do you stay organized?
• Tell me about your previous clerical experience.
• What relevant skills and experience do you have?
• How do you stay motivated?