Are you looking for a job as an office clerk? Wondering how to write a winning clerical resume? Our professional resume writing services suggest on writing a great clerical resume, you should know what is expected from you as a job candidate and what employers pay attention to.
Read this comprehensive guide compiled by our experts and get a clerical resume sample and resume writing tips. With our guide, you’ll be confident about your clerical resume. Use our tips since writing a resume is a complicated work process.
In the article below, you’ll find how to:- choose a format for your clerical resume; - a free clerical resume sample; - how to compose resume sections.To increase your chances of getting a job, we advise you to check as many examples of a cover letter online as possible.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics, or BLS, pegs the average clerical’s salary at $32,490 per year and $15,62 per hour.
How to Format a Clerical Resume
There are various formats for a clerical resume. Choose whatever you like best. But we recommend that you opt for a reverse-chronological clerical resume format. Here are several reasons to use this format for your job application:
- This layout is preferred by most recruiters and HR managers during an interview.
- It is easy to review.
- It helps to skim through your work experience quickly.
- This format is the most popular clerical resume format in 2021.
A resume sample is provided below.
Skillhub premium info:
If you are not sure which format to choose, read on top best resume formats on Skillhub.
Clerical Resume: Sample
Here, you can find a great resume sample for clerical jobs that you can refer to while writing your own clerical resume. Look how it’s structured and organized. Focus on what requirements your employer is likely to pay attention to when hiring an office clerk. Also, highlight your work experience and necessary skills for the desired position.
Full Name
Contacts (email address, phone)
Location
Resume Summary
I’m a college graduate with experience in international internships. Seeking to use my knowledge and experience effectively by obtaining an office clerk position. I’m a dedicated and committed worker who likes to help companies achieve their goals.
Key Skills
- POS Systems
- MS Office Suite
- Spanish / English
- State-Recognized Debate Skills
- Problem Solving
- Team Leadership
Professional Experience
OFFICE CLERK INTERN
Gamma Corporations / Liverpool, UK
April 2016 - Present
- Assistance in document scanning (90+ per day) and logging them in the company’s computer system for future review by other offices.
- Assistance in typing and sending confidential letters daily.
JUNIOR ASSISTANT PAYROLL CLERK AND CUSTOMER SERVICE
Sema Copies / Concord, NH
February 2015 - March 2016
- Observing payroll activities for 300+ employees.
- Assistance in answering incoming calls (50+ per day) and helping the billing department resolve issues with customers.
- Assistance in analyzing corporate data-entry systems.
- Assistance in preparing recommendations for efficiency improvements.
Education
B.A. SOCIOLOGY, Southern New Hampshire University, Concord, NH, 2018
A.A. COMPUTER SCIENCE, Southern New Hampshire University, Concord, NH, 2015
Certifications
WORDPERFECT 5.1 / 2017
BASIC SIGN LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY / 2014
Granite State College
We encourage you to explore the following resume examples by:
We’ve developed them for dozens of professions in all kinds of industries: from customer service to engineering. And we will keep updating the list each week with new professions/examples.
Resume Objective & Resume Summary
As you see, the first block in your clerical resume is a resume summary. Sometimes, people confuse a resume summary with a resume objective during a job interview. Let’s look into the difference between the two.
Typically, a clerical resume objective simply states the objective of the job seeker. Here’s an example: To obtain a clerical office position.
A resume summary emphasizes the job applicant’s skills and highlights the ways they have used their skills to achieve the desired result. It may sound like this:
With 3+ years of experience, I’ve helped 5 companies achieve their goals.
Do some training to write a perfect objective and summary.
Resume Summary Examples
A resume summary should be concise and short. It should focus on your main work achievements. Remember that a well-written resume summary will help you to stand out in the job market. Below you can find two clerical resume samples with summaries of job seekers — a wrong one and a great one.
Wrong Example ❌
I have 5 years of experience and have the following skills: filling, dispatching, and entering data. I am committed and hard-working.
Right Example ✅
I’m a highly organized and skilled Office Clerk with 10+ years of experience performing general office duties to ensure seamless, efficient office operations.
Take the above mentioned resume sample as an example and write your own summary.
Resume Objective Examples
A well-written resume objective plays an important part for a job seeker. Look how these two clerical resume objective samples differ.
Wrong Examples ❌
Such statements as To get an opportunity to prove what I know or I want to earn $100,000+ a year at your company won’t do any good.
Right Example ✅
To obtain a position as a Civil Litigation Law Clerk, where my administrative
experience and training, my knowledge of the law, and my interpersonal skills will contribute to your firm.
The above mentioned resume example shows what an objective should look like.
Resume Examples: Experience
Your work experience is an important block of your clerical resume. It should focus on such data: where you worked and for how long, what position you held, what duties and responsibilities you had, and what business tasks you performed.
It is also preferable if you add a link to each company’s website you worked for. This will make recruiters’ work easier and save their time monitoring and researching companies.
In addition, we recommend avoiding generic phrases which you can find in a sample of a clerical resume. Below, you’ll find a clerical CV sample.
Entry Level Clerical Resume: Experience
If it’s your first time applying for a job and you have no experience yet, here’s what you should write in your resume for clerical positions with no experience.
If you don’t have experience, remember your responsibilities for the last few years. And write it all down on a piece of paper. Mind mapping will help you. Courses, internships, summer jobs, helping friends — remember everything you did and what results it brought. There’s no reason to list everything. Focus on experiences that are relevant to your industry and useful for the desired position.
Include examples of projects you worked on while studying or on a freelance basis. However, only include relevant experience, e.g. data automation.
Entry Level Clerical: Sample
Ensure your clerical resume experience section provides enough relevant information as it is an important acceptance criteria. Look at the clerical resume examples below and see how you should describe your experience and how you shouldn’t.
Wrong Example ❌
Work Experience
Office Clerk
ABC Corp
2010-2011
- Performed my duties
- Assisted the general manager
Right Example ✅
Work Experience
Office Clerk
ABC Corp
2010-2011
- Improved a filing system by removing inactive records
- Generated invoices and entered clint data using ManageOrders
- Trained new clerks on how to use corporate equipment and software
The given resume example is great as it provides enough relevant information.
Also don't forget about a cover letter to empower your resume. It will drastically enhance your chances of getting an interview.
If you are not sure if you need a cover letter, read on Skillhub premium info:
What is a cover letter
Cover letter for internal position
Google docs cover letter template
What an Education Section Should Look Like
A well-written block about your clerical education is one of the most clerical resume creation requirements.
Below, there are general guidelines to follow when writing about education on your clerical resume:
- Always list the following information: your degree, major, the name of your school, its location, and the year you graduated.
- Start with the highest position you took.
- List all other positions in reverse chronological order.
- Do not include your high school education if you have already graduated college.
Clerical Resume Examples: Education
When listing education in your clerical resume, be as specific as possible. Look at the clerical resume samples below and analyze them.
Wrong Example ❌
St. Thomas Aquinas College, Nyack
In this case, the information provided is not enough. The education block should specify what education institution you graduated from, the years of your studies, and the course you took. The example below is what a perfect education block in your resume should look like as it satisfies the clerical CV requirements. It is highly important for your career growth.
Right Example ✅
2007 - 2011
New York
St. Joseph’s College New York
Marketing, Public Relations and Advertising Certificate
If you have no experience, read on how to write a resume with no experience.
Skills on a Resume for a Clerical
Skills are what a job seeker needs for a particular position. This block of your clerical resume answers the question: What can I do and what have I been doing before? and presents the candidate.
The listed skills in your clerical resume must necessarily correspond to the desired position and your career field. If you present your skills correctly, the path to a new job can be shorter, and you will have an advantage over your competitors.
There are two types of skills — hard and soft skills.
Hard skills are professional skills that can be taught and measured. Examples of hard skills are:
- Knowledge of production procedures
- Foreign language skills
- Using computer programs, etc.
Examples of soft skills are:
- Sociability
- Ability to work in a team
- Punctuality
- Critical thinking
- Creativity
- Flexibility
- Amicability
- Leadership skills
- Ability to solve complex problems
- etc.
Learn more about resume skills examples to upgrade your chances of getting an interview.
See how wrong and right clerical resume samples look like.
Clerical Resume Examples: Skills
It is important that all individuals seeking a job understand the difference between hard and soft skills and list them properly in their clerical resume. Look at the clerical resume samples below.
Wrong Example ❌
Hard skills:
- Singing
- Car driving
- Knowledge of computer programs
Soft skills:
- Ability to work with documents
- English-German translation
The first two hard skills are not relevant, and a job applicant should specify those programs that are important for the planned occupations.
And here is what proper professional clerical resume examples look like.
Right Example ✅
Hard skills:
- Self-organization
- Problem-solving
- Attention to detail
- Proactiveness
Soft skills:
- Fluent in English and Spanish
- MS Office
- Data Entry
How to Make Your Resume Stand Out: Helpful Tips
To make your clerical resume stand out during an interview, you need to add extra clerical resume sections to interest an employer, especially if you have no work experience. However, you should remember that everything that you want to add should be relevant to the job position you’re recruited for.
You can include such extra resume sections as:
- Hobbies
- Training
- Interests
- Projects
- Extracurricular Activities
- Associations
- Awards
- Licenses
- Honors
- Volunteer Work
- Testimonials
- Recommendations
- Certifications
- Qualifications
- Conferences
- Accomplishments
- Publications
Clerical Resume Examples: Other Sections
As has already been mentioned above, everything that you want to add to your professional clerical resume should be relevant to the position requirements and work activities. There’s no need to simply emphasize your hobbies or interests.
You should highlight things that can be important for your future job. Additional information in your resume for clerical jobs is information that can give you an extra advantage when you’re hired for a job. Scan the examples below.
Wrong example ❌
- I enjoy reading books
- I am good at cooking
- I can play tennis
Right example ✅
Additional activities
- Volunteering at a Professional Business Association
- Interviewing emigrants for the survey
- Weekly classes of computer science
Learn more about resume action words to stand out among other candidates.
Wrapping up
If you want to have an effective resume, get it from our resume editing service experts. But for a start, you can follow the recommendations we provided to write your clerical resume.
In today’s world, everyone values their time. Recruiters and employers do not want to waste their time clarifying information and meeting with unpromising candidates. So if your resume doesn’t hook a recruiter right away, you’re unlikely to get a job offer.
To be able to choose from several employers and get an interesting and high-paying job, it makes sense to prepare your resume consciously and carefully. With our tips, now you know how to write a clerical resume.
Our resume writers near me suggest to check your resume and ensure it is:
- Informative
- Selling
- Memorable