Administrative clerks are more commonly known as administrative assistants. They work under the direction of an executive or are assigned to work for a specific group. Their duties are normally a mix of secretarial and administrative functions.
As an administrative clerk, you may find yourself processing applications, permits and other related documents, usually with the help of a database system. You maintain contact with clients, advising them of their status. You are also responsible for issuing or paying invoices or for preparing budgets.
You will often handle requests for information from the public. This involves explaining policies and objectives over the telephone, as well as mailing brochures or other packages of information. Some of your duties are more secretarial in nature and include answering telephones, filing, updating mailing lists, maintaining an in-house library, typing and formatting correspondence or other reports. Often, it will be your responsibility to coordinate the work of the other support staff.
In some cases, your responsibilities will include making travel arrangements for the office staff. This is often expanded to include taking care of the many arrangements involved in organizing meetings and conferences. You may also be assigned independent projects to complete.
Administrative clerks are normally paid a salary. Bilingualism is a definite asset. Probation periods usually last three months. While administrative clerks on staff with the government are unionized, those in the private sector are not.
The specific duties of an administrative clerk differ from organization to organization. Not al employers expect the same things. Your role as an administrative clerk is shaped by your employer's requirements as well as by your own skills and capabilities. The range of your duties also depends on the size of the organization. If you work in a small office, you will have a wider variety of duties. In a larger office, your work will be confined to a few more narrowly defined tasks.
You will do well in this job if you are adaptable and work well under pressure. You must be able to handle emergencies in a professional manner, since you may occasionally find yourself in a position of representing your boss or the organization. This is especially true if you work in a smaller firm.
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills are also necessary since you often act as a liaison between boss and the client, handling all of the routine matters. A professional and pleasant manner also smooths over dealings with the public, your employer, and other members of the office staff.