Clerical Jobs Are Changing. Will You Be Ready?

Posted by in Administrative & Clerical Services


 



Clerical occupations are changing. In most cases, they’re outright disappearing. Companies are looking for ways to cut costs in these tough economic times and the biggest target is the clerical worker.


The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the need for fewer and fewer clerical jobs. More files are increasingly being stored and managed online as smaller, cheaper, faster computers take over many tasks. Cloud computing will replace silos of data and make it instantly retrievable.  Gone is the need for step-and-fetch-it clerks to label and bundle folders, memos and reports. 
 


In the last several years, nearly two million administrative and clerical workers lost their jobs. Many managers now handle their own calendars and set up travel arrangements online. Voice recognition will eventually replace the need for clerical workers to take dictation. And many managers now prepare and send out their own emails. 

 

Regrettably, many bosses still insist that their clerical workers (secretaries) make and serve them coffee. It’s the one thing computerization has been unable to take over. So is this the future of clerical work? Making coffee and emptying conference room ashtrays? What can you do to insulate yourself from this trend? What skill sets and knowledge should you acquire to ensure companies will hire you in a clerk’s position? Some basic minimums:

 

Computer skills. If you expect to make yourself employable as a clerical worker, you’ll need to familiarize yourself with today’s latest computers and their various systems. Ideally, you should know your way around both a PC and Mac. You should be proficient with the entire Microsoft Office suite of programs—including Word, Excel, and Power Point. Managers will rely on you to prepare letters, emails and reports, as well as creating and updating spreadsheets using Excel. 


Voice recognition technology. It’s already here in various forms and you can either get in front of it or lag behind. Letters, memos and other written material will be dumped into these systems and you’ll have to know how to run them and do final edits on the finished documents. 


The Web. So much research is being done on the web these days, that it’s almost impossible to land a clerical position without knowing how to navigate the Internet. You’ll have to know how to grab information from various sites. And you’ll have to be particularly adept at surfing the web using Microsoft Internet Explorer, Safari and Firefox. You may also need to familiarize yourself with programs like Skype if your boss wants to communicate face to face with staff in off-site offices. If compressed files come your way, you’ll need to know how to open and decompress these files. It’s best to take an online class in these areas or to spend some time with your IT people. 

 
The role of clerical workers is changing. If you want to land a job in this field, you’ll have to step up and keep up with the latest technology. As far as making coffee goes,  not to worry.  Many managers are increasingly stopping at Starbucks before they get to the office. 


 


 


 


 

 

 

 

 

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  • Dawn G
    Dawn G
    Companies are cutting out the "Administrative Assistant/Secretary" and putting the jobs on others or changing the name again from AA to Business Analyst.
  • Alex Kecskes
    Alex Kecskes
    Stacy: Junior college courses are about as "free" as you can get. Best of luck in your job search.
  • Martha M
    Martha M
    This article provides information that should alert office personel on the need for continuing education.  
  • Stacy J
    Stacy J
    Very disheartening to hear!!! Are there any free courses that teach the skills mentioned that i would need to take?
  • Kathy M
    Kathy M
    Thanks for the information but this clerical has been changing for over 10 years.
  • Vivian K
    Vivian K
    I liked this article.  I've been telling my family and friends (who don't believe me) about everything on this article.  They all think I'm crazy.  You proved I am not.
  • Asuntoja a
    Asuntoja a
    Wonderful post however , I was wondering if you could write a litte more on this topic? I'd be very grateful if you could elaborate a little bit more. Kudos!
  • Alex Kecskes
    Alex Kecskes
    Donna:  Try joining ASAP (American Society of Admin. Professionals). Check out their career corner: http://www.jobtarget.com/home/index.cfm?site_id=450
  • Donna C
    Donna C
    I was laid off from my Administrative Assistant position January 2009...I actively sought employment until April 2010 (even at this point, I continued to seek employment)...I then decided to pursue further education and attended college for over 2 years for Business Administrative Technology...since August of this year, I have been back tearing up the internet and going door to door to many companies (resume' in hand) trying desperately to get my foot in the door...ugh! It is truly depressing! I don't know what to do...
  • Brenda M
    Brenda M
    This is definitely the way of the future.  However, much of this should be able to be done off site, so many of us should be able to work out of our home offices.  I would like to think I could be employed by a major company even tho I live in small town Alberta.  Comments?
  • Alex Kecskes
    Alex Kecskes
    Thanks for all your kind comments.Alicia. You don't necessarily have to have "degrees" to get these jobs, but it helps. Certifications are equally useful. Also consider taking a business writing class, as I detect it might help you when writing cover letters.
  • Jim
    Jim
    As long as your health doesn't stand in the way of your sitting at a desk, you'll be fine. It's a good idea, too, since hospitals (who typically employ medical records clerks and administrators) generally have very comprehensive health coverage for their employees. Good luck!
  • alicia c
    alicia c
    i have read ur article in ur ad today,,,and i think to myself.... why is it that you have to have all these degrees to get into all these good jobs. I dont have them but i sure am a hard worker. i am a loyal yet hard working single mother that is gud with helping others.
  • Christine G
    Christine G
    a very insightful and informative article.
  • Veda S
    Veda S
    Excellent!
  • Alex Kecskes
    Alex Kecskes
    Carole/Cheryl:   The sectors that are growing include senior healthcare and software technology (specifically mobile tech).Good comments, Nathalie.Elizabeth: Going back to school never hurts. But don't forget to network.
  • Nathalie H
    Nathalie H
    Good advice at a time where you can still make the right move... I left my job last year, hoping to change careers (I'm 48) to realize that it was not a viable option. I have surfed hours for career exploration Dept of Labor & Stats sites. It's probably not very easy to seek new skills on your free time (and unpaid -that goes without saying). But these skills will probably turn to be our only tools for survival. Another thing: I think it's a good idea to get good at something that nobody else can do (besides making good coffee). Even if you're not the super efficient multi-talented person in the office, it shows that you're eager to make a difference and that I think can go a long way..Happy hunting! Nathalie
  • ricardo s
    ricardo s
    great advice
  • Carole G
    Carole G
    I am quite qualified as administrative assistant and have been looking for over 1 year.  I am stable,  reliable and flexible.  What sector should I be looking to for employment.
  • Cheryl S
    Cheryl S
    This article was very informative.  I was wondering why I can't find a clerical or secretarial job even though I have a lot of experience.  Maybe I should start looking in another direction.
  • Elizabeth M
    Elizabeth M
    This is so true!  I've been out of an administrative clerical assistant job for almost a year!  Every job that I see - you need MS office suite and you need to be somewhat proficient in it!  I will get some type of administrative job again and I will definitely need to go back to school for a business administration job, possibly Health admin.  Because when all of us older "baby boomers" hit 65, you know we will have to work till retirement of 75 and I don't think $ 9.00 - $10.00 per hour is going to cut it!

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