Key Attributes File Clerks Need To Succeed In Their Career

by Michael Davis

Thursday, August 6, 2015

File clerks file correspondence, cards, invoices, receipts, and other records in alphabetical or numerical order or according to the filing system used. Locate and remove material from file when requested.

The core tasks that file clerks are likely to carry out include:

Keep records of materials filed or removed, using logbooks or computers.
Add new material to file records or create new records as necessary.
Perform general office duties such as typing, operating office machines, and sorting mail.
Gather materials to be filed from departments or employees.
Track materials removed from files to ensure that borrowed files are returned.
Sort or classify information according to guidelines, such as content, purpose, user criteria, or chronological, alphabetical, or numerical order.

In order to successfully forge ahead with their careers, analysts in a survey carried out by U.S. Department of Labor (via O*NET) have marked out the following as important attributes that file clerks would need. These attributes have been selected from characteristics and requirements strongly associated with the occupation. They are

Abilities: Enduring attributes of the individual that influence performance
Interests: Preferences for work environments. Occupational Interest Profiles (OIPs) are compatible with Holland's (1985, 1997) model of personality types and work environments. Six interest categories are used to describe the work environment of occupations: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional. An OIP consists of six numerical scores indicating how descriptive and characteristic each work environment (or interest area) is for an occupation
Knowledge: Organized sets of principles and facts applying in general domains
Skills: These include basic skills, which are developed capacities that facilitate learning or the more rapid acquisition of knowledge. Plus cross-functional skills, which are developed capacities that facilitate performance of activities that occur across jobs
Style: Personal characteristics that can affect how well someone performs a job

We have listed out attributes which were scored 80% or more in terms of importance by the analysts.

Having a strong preference for conventional work environments. Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Attribute Type: Interests Score: 100%

The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Attribute Type: Abilities Score: 90%

The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Attribute Type: Abilities Score: 90%

Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
Attribute Type: Knowledge Score: 88.4%

Being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 86.2%

The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
Attribute Type: Abilities Score: 85%

The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Attribute Type: Abilities Score: 80%