Career profile for Records Clerk

What does a Records Clerk do?

Records Clerks file correspondence, cards, invoices, receipts, and other records in alphabetical or numerical order or according to the filing system used.

In addition, Records Clerks locate and remove material from file when requested.

What kind of tasks does a Records Clerk perform regularly?

Records Clerks are often responsible for overseeing or executing some or all of the following tasks:

Scan or read incoming materials to determine how and where they should be classified or filed.
Input data, such as file numbers, new or updated information, or document information codes into computer systems to support document and information retrieval.
Perform general office activities, such as typing, answering telephones, operating office machines, processing mail, or securing confidential materials.
Sort or classify information according to guidelines, such as content, purpose, user criteria, or chronological, alphabetical, or numerical order.
Answer questions about records or files.
Keep records of materials filed or removed, using logbooks or computers and generate computerized reports.
Add new material to file records or create new records as necessary.
Gather materials to be filed from departments or employees.
Find, retrieve, and make copies of information from files in response to requests and deliver information to authorized users.
Track materials removed from files to ensure that borrowed files are returned.
Place materials into storage receptacles, such as file cabinets, boxes, bins, or drawers, according to classification and identification information.
Eliminate outdated or unnecessary materials, destroying them or transferring them to inactive storage, according to file maintenance guidelines or legal requirements.
Perform periodic inspections of materials or files to ensure correct placement, legibility, or proper condition.
Modify or improve filing systems or implement new filing systems.
Design forms related to filing systems.

The above responsibilities are specific to Records Clerks. More generally, Records Clerks are involved in several broader types of activities:

Activities	Importance	Details
Working with Computers		Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work		Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Getting Information		Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates		Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships		Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.

Working with Computers

Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.

Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work

Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.

Getting Information

Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates

Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships

Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.

What is a Records Clerk salary?

The median salary for a Records Clerk is $34,090, and the average salary is $36,140. Both the median and average roughly describe the middle of the Records Clerk salary range, but the average is more easily affected by extremely high or low salaries.

Many Records Clerks earn significantly more or less than the average, due to several factors. About 10% of Records Clerks earn less than $23,520 per year, 25% earn less than $27,890, 75% earn less than $41,820, and 90% earn less than $52,400.

Between the years of 2020 and 2030, the number of Records Clerks is expected to change by -12.6%, and there should be roughly 9,600 open positions for Records Clerks every year.

Median annual salary: $34,090
Typical salary range: $23,520 - $52,400
Projected growth (2020 - 2030): -12.6%

What personality traits are common among Records Clerks?

Interests

Career interests describe a person's preferences for different types of working environments and activities. When a person's interest match the demands of an occupation, people are usually more engaged and satisfied in that role.

Compared to most occupations, those who work as a Records Clerk are usually higher in their Conventional and Realistic interests.

Records Clerks typically have very strong Conventional interests. Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Also, Records Clerks typically have moderate Realistic interests. Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Values

People differ in their values, or what is most important to them for building job satisfaction and fulfillment.

Compared to most people, those working as a Records Clerk tend to value Support, Relationships, and Independence.

Most importantly, Records Clerks moderately value Support. Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees.

Second, Records Clerks moderately value Relationships. Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment.

Lastly, Records Clerks somewhat value Independence. Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions.

Psychological Demands

Each occupation brings its own set of psychological demands, which describe the characteristics necessary to perform the job well.

In order to perform their job successfully, people who work as Records Clerks must consistently demonstrate qualities such as attention to detail, dependability, and cooperation.

Below, you'll find a list of qualities typically required of Records Clerks, ranked by importance:

Demands	Importance	Details
Attention to Detail		Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Dependability		Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Cooperation		Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Integrity		Job requires being honest and ethical.
Independence		Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.

Attention to Detail

Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.

Dependability

Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.

Cooperation

Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.

Integrity

Job requires being honest and ethical.

Independence

Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.

What education and training do Records Clerks need?

Working as a Records Clerk usually requires a high school diploma.

Records Clerks need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with this occupation.

Educational degrees among Records Clerks

4.4% did not complete high school or secondary school
26.2% completed high school or secondary school
29.1% completed some college coursework
13.4% earned a Associate's degree
20.9% earned a Bachelor's degree
5.1% earned a Master's degree
1.0% earned a doctorate or professional degree

Knowledge and expertise required by Records Clerks

Records Clerks may benefit from understanding of specialized subject areas, such as administrative, computers and electronics, or customer and personal service knowledge.

The list below shows several areas in which most Records Clerks might want to build proficiency, ranked by importance.

Knowledge areas	Importance	Details
Administrative		Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
Computers and Electronics		Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Customer and Personal Service		Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Mathematics		Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Personnel and Human Resources		Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.

Administrative

Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.

Computers and Electronics

Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Customer and Personal Service

Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Mathematics

Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Personnel and Human Resources

Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.

Important Abilities needed by Records Clerks

Records Clerks must develop a particular set of abilities to perform their job well. Abilities are individual capacities that influence a person's information processing, sensory perception, motor coordination, and physical strength or endurance. Individuals may naturally have certain abilities without explicit training, but most abilities can be sharpened somewhat through practice.

For example, Records Clerks need abilities such as information ordering, written comprehension, and category flexibility in order to perform their job at a high level. The list below shows several important abilities for Records Clerks, ranked by their relative importance.

Abilities	Importance	Details
Information Ordering		The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Written Comprehension		The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Category Flexibility		The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
Near Vision		The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Oral Comprehension		The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

Information Ordering

The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

Written Comprehension

The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

Category Flexibility

The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.

Near Vision

The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

Oral Comprehension

The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

Critical Skills needed by Records Clerks

Skills are developed capacities that enable people to function effectively in real-world settings. Unlike abilities, skills are typically easier to build through practice and experience. Skills influence effectiveness in areas such as learning, working with others, design, troubleshooting, and more.

Records Clerks frequently use skills like reading comprehension, active listening, and writing to perform their job effectively. The list below shows several critical skills for Records Clerks, ranked by their relative importance.

Skills	Importance	Details
Reading Comprehension		Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Active Listening		Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Writing		Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Speaking		Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking		Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

Reading Comprehension

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

Active Listening

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Writing

Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Speaking

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Critical Thinking

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

What is the source of this information?

The information provided on this page is adapted from data and descriptions published by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration under the CC BY 4.0 license. TraitLab has modified some information for ease of use and reading, and the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment, and Training Administration has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.

If you have any questions or suggestions about this information, please send a message.

Career profile Records Clerk

Records Clerk

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