Career profile for Typist

What does a Typist do?

Typists use word processor, computer, or typewriter to type letters, reports, forms, or other material from rough draft, corrected copy, or voice recording.

In addition, Typists may perform other clerical duties as assigned.

What kind of tasks does a Typist perform regularly?

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

Perform other clerical duties, such as answering telephone, sorting and distributing mail, running errands or sending faxes.
Check completed work for spelling, grammar, punctuation, and format.
File and store completed documents on computer hard drive or disk, or maintain a computer filing system to store, retrieve, update, and delete documents.
Print and make copies of work.
Transmit work electronically to other locations.
Address envelopes or prepare envelope labels, using typewriter or computer.
Type correspondence, reports, text and other written material from rough drafts, corrected copies, voice recordings, dictation, or previous versions, using a computer, word processor, or typewriter.
Gather, register, and arrange the material to be typed, following instructions.
Compute and verify totals on report forms, requisitions, or bills, using adding machine or calculator.
Electronically sort and compile text and numerical data, retrieving, updating, and merging documents as required.
Keep records of work performed.
Search for specific sets of stored, typed characters to make changes.
Collate pages of reports and other documents.
Reformat documents, moving paragraphs or columns.
Adjust settings for format, page layout, line spacing, and other style requirements.
Use data entry devices, such as optical scanners, to input data into computers for revision or editing.
Operate and resupply printers and computers, changing print wheels or fluid cartridges, adding paper, and loading blank tapes, cards, or disks into equipment.

The above responsibilities are specific to Typists. More generally, Typists 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.
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.
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work		Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Performing Administrative Activities		Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.

Working with Computers

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

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.

Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work

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

Performing Administrative Activities

Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.

What is a Typist salary?

The median salary for a Typist is $41,050, and the average salary is $42,630. Both the median and average roughly describe the middle of the Typist salary range, but the average is more easily affected by extremely high or low salaries.

Many Typists earn significantly more or less than the average, due to several factors. About 10% of Typists earn less than $28,650 per year, 25% earn less than $34,570, 75% earn less than $49,640, and 90% earn less than $59,240.

Between the years of 2020 and 2030, the number of Typists is expected to change by -36.1%, and there should be roughly 2,600 open positions for Typists every year.

Median annual salary: $41,050
Typical salary range: $28,650 - $59,240
Projected growth (2020 - 2030): -36.1%

What personality traits are common among Typists?

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 Typist are usually higher in their Conventional interests.

Typists 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.

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 Typist tend to value Relationships, Support, and Independence.

Most importantly, Typists strongly 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.

Second, Typists moderately value Support. Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees.

Lastly, Typists moderately 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 Typists must consistently demonstrate qualities such as integrity, attention to detail, and cooperation.

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

Demands	Importance	Details
Integrity		Job requires being honest and ethical.
Attention to Detail		Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Cooperation		Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Dependability		Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
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.

Integrity

Job requires being honest and ethical.

Attention to Detail

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

Cooperation

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

Dependability

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

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 Typists need?

Working as a Typist usually requires a high school diploma.

Typists 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 Typists

3.3% did not complete high school or secondary school
27.0% completed high school or secondary school
29.5% completed some college coursework
13.7% earned a Associate's degree
20.9% earned a Bachelor's degree
4.5% earned a Master's degree
1.2% earned a doctorate or professional degree

Knowledge and expertise required by Typists

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

The list below shows several areas in which most Typists 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.
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.
Computers and Electronics		Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Law and Government		Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
Administration and Management		Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

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.

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.

Computers and Electronics

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

Law and Government

Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

Administration and Management

Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Important Abilities needed by Typists

Typists 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, Typists need abilities such as near vision, written comprehension, and speech recognition in order to perform their job at a high level. The list below shows several important abilities for Typists, ranked by their relative importance.

Abilities	Importance	Details
Near Vision		The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Written Comprehension		The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Speech Recognition		The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Oral Comprehension		The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Written Expression		The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

Near Vision

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

Written Comprehension

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

Speech Recognition

The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

Oral Comprehension

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

Written Expression

The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

Critical Skills needed by Typists

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.

Typists frequently use skills like reading comprehension, active listening, and writing to perform their job effectively. The list below shows several critical skills for Typists, 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.
Monitoring		Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

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.

Monitoring

Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

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.

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