Definition of Clerical Skills
Clerical skills are a set of simple, practical but very vital skills that an individual needs to have. These skills help to keep an organization organized and up to date. This results in any information to be accessed quickly, as everything has been kept in its right place at the appropriate time. Besides organizing, there are other skills involved which an individual applying for a clerical job must possess. These skills are discussed below.
List of Clerical Skills
Following is a checklist of clerical skills which the employers can use to evaluate if the candidate is fit for the job. For candidates aspiring to get clerical jobs, this could serve as an important set of guidelines about the expectations of the employers from them.
Data Entry:
A clerical position involves a lot of data entry work. For this purpose, one needs to be familiar with computers as there are hardly any organizations who maintain hand written records. Thus, it’s vital that the person knows his/her way with computers. The company would provide some knowledge during the job training, but the individual must know how to use a computer effectively.
Computer Knowledge:
This isn’t completely the same as data entry as it’s one step higher. Basic computer knowledge implies that the applicant must know how to use the most commonly used office applications of Microsoft like Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Outlook. These are commonly used in all the organizations to preserve records, for communication, presentations, etc.
Communication Skills:
This is another very vital clerical skill that an individual must possess. Often, a clerical job description involves communicating with clients and customers. For this, it’s absolutely necessary that the person must be a good communicator. Communication involves both spoken and written.
Scheduling Skills:
Clerical jobs frequently require an individual to take care of scheduling of meetings, travel, important events, presentations, etc. For this, one needs to have the mental and physical ability to manage and assign proper time for the activities as per the level of importance. A small error in scheduling like overlapping of meetings, for instance, could lead to serious consequences for the person and substantial losses for the company. It requires good time management skills.
Accounting:
This is another vital clerical skill that a company expects. The person must be familiar with the accounting principles and concepts and must be able to carry out budgeting and accounting activities for the company. This involves paying proper attention to all the funds that come in and go out as well.
Other Skills:
Other skills which are significant for a clerical position are patience, dedication, hard work, elegance, reliability and the ability to take on vital responsibilities. These are some of the most essential clerical skills and duties required and expected to be fulfilled. A resume confirming clerical skills is a step which applicants could take to help them go through the clerical skills tests that most organizations conduct to evaluate the applicants.