Job description

Correspondence clerks write letters, compose electronic correspondence and post immediate replies after sifting through company data. These correspondences will be performed pertaining to merchandise, credit information, incorrect billings, customer service disputes and delinquent accounts. A correspondence clerk can be found in a wide variety of industries and in all areas of the business.

Duties

    • Compile corporate data to read, verify and copy client information
    • Prepare documentation for transactions, contracts and regulatory filings
    • Share internal and external requests, information and correspondence with colleagues
    • Concoct and type professional correspondence on behalf of the business
    • Proofread all documents to ensure accuracy
    • Outline clear, coherent and correct explanations of corporate policies or public regulations
    • Gather records, package objects and organise paperwork for outgoing mail
    • Maintain files for future reference and correspondence
    • Ensure all money collected from clients is correct, recorded and stored
    • Communicate with enterprise personnel pertaining to requests
    • Obtain written authorisation to gain access to confidential information
    • Process orders for goods submitted in correspondence with the company

Skills and qualities

Communication
Attention to detail
Tech-savvy
Problem-solving
Decision-making
Independence
Active listening
Organisational
Numerical
Teamwork
Creativity
Negotiation

Job outlook

Projected growth
The projected growth rate of employment in the US from 2016 to 2026, based on data collected through the BLS Employment Projections (EP) programme. The national average growth rate for all professions is 7%.

2%

New jobs
The number of jobs projected to become available in the US between 2016 and 2026, based on data collected through the BLS Employment Projections (EP) programme.

200

Automation risk
The probability of computerisation, based on data published in ‘The Future of Employment’, a 2013 working paper by Carl Benedikt Frey and Michael Osborne.

86%

Career progression

Many information clerks are typically promoted to the role of office manager. That said, growth in this field is limited, as businesses are increasingly consolidating their administrative functions and instituting online practices to streamline operations, such as online applications or digital process orders.

Working conditions

Average hours

40h/ week

Typical schedule

Full Time

Standard business hours

Correspondence clerks typically perform their daily tasks in an office setting. They can work in about any industry, but most of these roles will be found in healthcare facilities, hotels and government departments.

Although most information clerks work on a full-time basis, many others work part time, particularly those employed in a hotel

Salary

Bottom 10%

$24k

Median

$37k

Top 10%

$57k

Annual salary estimates are based on percentile wage data collected through the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) survey of US workers.

Qualifications and training

Education level

High school

On-the-job training

Study time

2 weeks

To become an information clerk, you will typically need to possess a high school diploma, although college coursework – particularly if it is business or tech-related – is useful.

Training is typically provided on the job, while employers expect you to maintain a technology proficiency, high typing speed and impeccable organisational skills.

Last Updated: Wednesday, November 2, 2022

Perfect career wave

Search for jobs

Find correspondence clerk vacancies near you