Document control specialists are in charge of collecting, storing, and retrieving internal documents for a company. For entry-level jobs, a high school diploma is usually required, but for management positions, some college training may be required. You’ll also need good organizational, computer, and clerical skills to work as a document control specialist. The healthcare, legal, and manufacturing industries, as well as educational and governmental institutions, are all good places to look for work for this profession. A document control specialist’s typical responsibilities include filing, distributing, and recovering printed and electronic documents.
A high school diploma and extensive on-the-job training are required to work as a document control specialist. Most specialists begin their careers as entry-level positions and progress through the ranks as their knowledge and skills grow. To work in a management position, some employers may require you to have a two- or four-year degree. Others may be content to accept professional certification rather than a college diploma. Internationally recognized organizations such as the Knowledge Management Professional Society (KMPro) and the Association for Information and Image Management offer specialized training and certification (AIIM).
To work as a document control specialist, you must have excellent organizational and clerical skills in addition to a formal education. On a daily basis, these professionals must organize and track the use of hundreds of documents. To be successful in this field, you must be able to create and manage both printed and electronic filing systems. This job will also require excellent computer skills and familiarity with a variety of software applications. Management positions typically necessitate strong communication and leadership skills, as well as the ability to train others.
You can work as a document control specialist for a variety of companies once you’ve earned your certification. Healthcare, technology, and manufacturing, as well as the construction and technology industries, employ many of these professionals. Document control systems are also used government and educational institutions, as well as banks and other financial service providers. If traditional employment is unavailable, you might be able to find work with an independent document control service. Prior to employment, some employers in the biomedical or legal fields may require specialized training.
Typical tasks for these specialists include organizing and filing various printed and electronic documents. They ensure that the most recent version of a document is available and keep track of where it is and how it is used. Scanners are also used these professionals to create electronic copies of paper documents and filing systems for storage and retrieval. Employee training classes and the development and implementation of procedures and policies for document sharing may be required of management-level specialists.