One of the first things you should have is a high school diploma or a general equivalency degree if you want to work as a general office clerk (GED). This is typically the minimum educational requirement for office clerk positions. After that, obtaining a certificate from a clerical training program could help you get hired. Accurate typing and filing skills, as well as knowledge of basic computer software, are essential. If you want to work as a general office clerk, you’ll need to be good at both written and oral communication.
Because a receptionist’s job typically entails a lot of communication, having this type of work experience could help you advance to a clerical position. Another way to get a job as a general office clerk is to do some temporary work as an assistant doing overflow work. Even if it’s only for a short time, working as an office assistant will teach you skills in not only the work itself, but also in taking direction and handling a variety of tasks. The more types of office tasks you’re exposed to and capable of completing, the better these accomplishments will look on your resume, especially if you clearly state your goal of becoming a general office clerk. Whether you only have a high school diploma or a clerical certificate, don’t forget to mention any skills you have that are relevant to the job, such as computer software proficiency.
Even if you have to build your clerical resume piecemeal with temporary jobs, it’s important to emphasize your skills and achievements. Many businesses prefer to hire general office clerks who have experience doing work that is similar to what they require, such as data entry, report compilation, or dealing with customer orders. If you want to work as a general office clerk, you must be able to demonstrate that you can learn quickly and produce accurate work. If you can’t follow instructions clearly, you may end up degrading rather than improving the productivity of company projects.
Make a good first impression by being polite but assertive when applying for general office clerk jobs. Maintain eye contact and be able to explain why you’d be the best candidate for the job. Practice summarizing your skill set in a few sentences before the interview so you can easily repeat it when asked. You can also bring it up at the start or end of the interview. If you want to work as an office clerk, dress neatly for the interview in appropriate clothing, including shoes.