Clerk Resume Samples

Being a clerk demands that you’re nearly a jack of all trades, but as multitalented as you may be, resume writing may not be your forte. Luckily, looking at a few clerk resume samples can help you immensely when it comes time to craft your own job application. The clerk resume samples on this site will not only provide you with ideas of how to format your resume, but also give you some insight into what to include in this pivotal document and what mistakes to avoid.

As you can see from the clerk resume samples provided, resumes can consist of numerous sections. What sections you need to include in your resume depends largely upon your specific career goals, your schooling, your past jobs, and skills. As you can also see from the clerk resume samples provided, the four sections you should include in any resume include the following:

• Summary Statement
• Education
• Work Experience
• Skills

Generally, resumes fall under the chronological format umbrella or the functional format umbrella. The chronological approach is used most often, and it mandates that everything is listed in reverse chronological order from the latest experiences to the earliest one. The functional one doesn’t have to be ordered by date; instead, it’s ordered by importance of events and applicableness to the career.

Whereas the chronological format is most ideal for those who specifically embarked ona clerk career path, the functional one is more ideal for those who didn’t necessary seek the position, but are transferring from another career field. The functional format could be called more flexible than the chronological one since it allows you to list experience and skills you’ve obtained by how important they are to the position you’re seeking.

The summary statement is the hook that should draw the employer in and entice him or her to want to learn more about you. It should clearly state the position that you’re applying for and highlight some of the most essential clerk skills clerks you possess. For instance, you might want to highlight your attention to detail or note any special achievement you’ve received, such as Employee of the Month. The following are examples of the types of summary statements you’ll find in good clerk resume samples:

Meticulous office clerk experienced with creating efficient and orderly filing systems. Adept at quickly and correctly filing documents for later reference. Dedicated to system maintenance and office administration.

Medical clerk familiar with medical terminology and databases. Experienced with patient check-in, admissions requirements, and referrals. Three time recipient of Employee of the Month award for attention to detail and dedication to excellence.

Financial clerk adept at processing and evaluating financial data.Familiar with report generation and providing consultation services. Dedicated to staying up on the latest industry news and honing skills through continuing education.

This is where you’ll list all education and training that you’ve received. Begin with the most recent achievements, and then create your list in descending order back to the earliest ones.

If you’ve completed a college degree, then there’s no need to list your high school diploma. However, if you’ve only attended some college or are still working towards the completion of your degree, list your career path as well as your anticipated graduation date followed by your high school information.

For each school listing, include the official title of the degree or diploma, the name of the issuing institution, and the year of issuance. If you received any vocational training, list it in this section as well. Any certifications or licenses you possess can be listed here too, unless you have several that warrant the creation of a separate heading within your resume.

Your approach to this section is concretely linked to the resume format you’ve selected. In both cases, however, for each job listing, include the title of the position you held, the name of your employer, the dates you were employed, and a description of the most essential job duties you performed.

When listing job duties, do more than simply describing the tasks you performed; try to connect value to your duties by letting the employer know what they accomplished and how they helped the employer.

If you don’t have any or much paid work experience to list, then list any internships, volunteer work, or other experiences you’ve completed that allowed you to acquire or demonstrate clerical skills. If much of your work experience is general experience that isn’t directly applicable to a clerical position, highlight skills you learned on the job that you can apply to the position. For instance, time management skills learned as a fast food crew member can be invaluable to a clerk.

Good clerk resume samples feature strong action verbs rather than passive ones. Some of the types of action verbs applicable to a clerk job position and that you should incorporate throughout your resume include the following:

• Calculate
• Admit
• File
• Order
• Manage
• Organize
• Tidy
• Systematize
• Arrange
• Classify
• Categorize
• Control
• Manage
• Sort
• Register
• Enroll
• Permit
• Welcome
• Assist

The skills section is an integral part of the resume since it lets the employer know the specific abilities you have. Good clerk resume samples usually include a mixture of both hard and soft skills. Hard skills are specific to the clerk position, while soft skills are more general skills that ideal employees possess.

Examples of hard skills clerks should have include experience with particular software, databases, or filing systems. Types of soft skills ideal clerical candidates possess are meticulousness, time management skills, and orderliness.

Check the job description and note any skills employers state they’re specifically looking for in a clerk. Then be sure to list those skills in your skills section if you possess them.

There’s been much discussion about whether or not to include references in resumes. Nowadays the general consensus seems to be to refrain from using references unless the employer specifically asks you to include them, or if your reference is an industry expert or other notable figure.

For instance, if you’re a member of a clerical association such as the Wisconsin Municipal Clerks Association and personally or professionally know the president of the organization or other notable member of the organization, then it’s permissible to write him or her down as a reference. Before writing anyone down as a reference, make sure you obtain his or her permission first.

Although there isn’t a guaranteed formula for writing the perfect resume, there are definitely a few mistakes you should avoid making. Good clerk resume samples won’t have these and neither should yours.

• Errors in contact information. The contact information section is arguably the most important section of your resume since it provides the employer with a way to get in contact with you to schedule an interview or hire you. Accidentally inputting the wrong numbers or transposing the numbers of a telephone number can result in the employer not being able to reach you.
• Too lengthy. Resumes are generally supposed to be relatively short documents that only span one or two pages. They’re designed to provide employers with the most essential information they need to know about you in a quick, easily scannable format. If you have enough content to span numerous pages, condense it down to just one or two pages of the most applicable education, work experience, and skills to the job position you’re applying for.
• Getting too personal. While it’s important for employers to get a well-rounded picture of you as an applicant, keep your resume professional. Adding links to your social media profiles or personal websites make your resume seem unprofessional unless your profiles are professional in nature and designed towards the enhancement of your career.
• Gaudy, distracting layout. The formatting of a resume should be clean and comfortable. Don’t utilize various font colors, sizes, and styles in an attempt to make your resume stand out. Check the spacing between words, phrases, and paragraphs to ensure the document’s uniform, and don’t utilize flashy graphics. Stick to common fonts like Arial or Times New Roman in font sizes of 10- or 12-point.
• Inaccurate information. It’s not uncommon for employers to call your previous employers and verify the dates of your employment and the position you held, so make sure that all information on your resume is as accurate as possible. If you can’t remember the exact dates of your employment, simply list what you do know even if it’s only the months and years.
• Typos and grammatical errors. While most spelling and grammar checkers will catch any mundane typos and other common errors, they don’t always catch all grammar errors. Therefore, make sure you always check your resume with a human eye to catch any errors in voice or tone, such as using passive voice instead of active voice and so on. You might want to consider printing out your resume and reviewing a physical copy of it or commissioning a friend to review it for you since your eyes can become accustomed to the document, causing you not to notice mistakes that others will.

The job prospects for clerks vary depending upon the specific type of clerical position you’re applying for. For instance, it’s projected the general office clerk positions will grow 6% from 2012 to 2002, but the projection for bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks for the same time frame is 11%.

Generally, though, clerical positions will grow at about the average rate for all occupations. As more clerks retire from their industries, new ones will be needed to fill their positions. Those who possess higher levels of education, more experience, and more technical skills will have an advantage over the competition because of the increasing integration of technology into the workplace. Additionally, bilingual applicants, most notably ones who speak English and Spanish, will also be favored due the increasing rise in the Hispanic population within the nation.