The best clerical skills for a resume are data entry, typing speed and accuracy, filing and records management, spreadsheets, email and calendar management, scheduling, phone etiquette and customer service, plus soft skills such as organization and attention to detail. Pick six to eight you really have and show each with a number.
Below are 24 clerical skills with a resume bullet example for each, grouped by type, followed by a free builder that creates your skills section. Print it or copy it into your resume.
AdvertisementThe examples are fictional. Change the numbers to match your own true experience, and list only skills you can show.
24 Clerical Skills for Resume, With Examples
Quick jump: Data and recordsOffice and softwareCustomer and communicationProfessionalFree clerical skills builder
Data Entry and Records Skills
Entered about 300 records a day into the company database with 99% accuracy.
Typing speed and accuracy
Typed 65 words per minute with 98% accuracy on letters, forms and reports.
Filing and records management
Reorganized paper and digital files for a team of 12 and cut search time by 25%.
Document scanning
Scanned and indexed about 150 documents a week so staff could find them in under a minute.
Database updates
Updated customer and vendor records for 400 accounts and corrected 30 duplicates in one quarter.
Data checking
Proofread and checked about 50 documents a week against source records before they went out.
Office and Software Skills
Prepared about 40 letters, memos and forms a week using templates for a consistent look.
Spreadsheets
Built spreadsheets that tracked 200 monthly orders and saved 3 hours of manual work a week.
Email and calendar management
Managed email and calendars for 4 managers with no double-bookings in 2 years.
Scheduling
Scheduled about 25 meetings and appointments a week for a team of 10.
Office equipment
Operated copiers, scanners and printers and handled routine fixes that cut service calls by half.
Mail and supply handling
Sorted and routed about 100 pieces of mail a day and ordered office supplies within budget.
Customer and Communication Skills
Answered about 60 calls a day with a friendly, clear greeting and routed each call correctly.
Front desk service
Greeted about 40 visitors a day, signed them in and kept the front desk calm and tidy.
Customer service
Resolved most customer questions on the first contact and earned positive feedback from clients.
Written communication
Wrote clear emails and notices that cut follow-up questions from staff by 20%.
Report preparation
Prepared weekly reports on orders and requests for the office manager in under an hour.
Invoice and billing support
Prepared and checked about 80 invoices a month with 99% accuracy.
Professional Skills
Attention to detail
Caught date and amount errors in records before they were processed, which saved 3 corrections in one quarter.
Time management
Handled 15 daily tasks and met every deadline in a year.
Organization
Organized supply orders, files and mail for a 20-person office.
Confidentiality
Protected sensitive records and followed privacy rules with no breaches in 4 years.
Teamwork
Covered for 3 teammates during absences and met every deadline.
Adaptability
Learned a new records system in 3 weeks and trained 4 coworkers on it.
Free Clerical Skills Builder
Step 1. Which job are you applying for?
Step 2. How do you want your skills to look?
Step 3. Tap the skills you really have. Six to eight is plenty.
Step 4. Click any text in the resume and type to make it yours.
The proof lines are examples. Replace the numbers with your own true ones, and delete any skill you cannot show. List only tasks you really do, and match the words in the job posting.
BRIAN KELLER
Austin, TX | (555) 010-4482 | brian.keller@email.com
Summary
Office clerk who brings accurate data entry, organized files and friendly front-desk service to busy teams.
Administrative clerk who brings fast, accurate typing, clear communication and dependable scheduling to managers and teams.
Records clerk who brings careful data checking, organized filing systems and strong confidentiality to offices that handle sensitive records.
Skills
- Data entry
- Typing speed and accuracy
- Filing and records
- Spreadsheets
- Email and calendar
- Scheduling
- Phone etiquette
- Customer service
- Proofreading
- Organization
- Confidentiality
- Teamwork
- Data entry: Entered about 300 records a day with 99% accuracy
- Typing speed and accuracy: Typed 65 words per minute with 98% accuracy
- Filing and records: Filed and retrieved records for a team of 12 and cut search time by 25%
- Spreadsheets: Built spreadsheets that tracked 200 monthly orders and saved 3 hours of manual work a week
- Email and calendar: Managed email and calendars for 4 managers with no double-bookings
- Scheduling: Scheduled about 25 meetings and appointments a week for a team of 10
- Phone etiquette: Answered about 60 calls a day with a friendly, clear greeting
- Customer service: Helped about 40 customers and visitors a day and resolved most questions on the first contact
- Proofreading: Proofread and corrected about 50 documents a week before they went out
- Organization: Organized supply orders, files and mail for a 20-person office
- Confidentiality: Protected sensitive records and followed privacy rules with no breaches in 4 years
- Teamwork: Covered for 3 teammates during absences and met every deadline
To save your skills section: press Ctrl+P (Windows) or Cmd+P (Mac) and choose Save as PDF. Only the box prints. To copy it, select the text inside the box and press Ctrl+C or Cmd+C.
Where to Put Skills on Your Resume
| Resume section | How to use your skills there |
|---|---|
| Summary | Name your top two or three skills in one sentence |
| Skills section | List six to eight skills, strongest first |
| Job bullets | Show each skill in action with a number |
| Education and training | List your diploma, courses and any software training with dates |
| Certifications | Add any certificates you hold, with the date earned |
Match Your Skills to the Job Posting
Read the posting and use its words where they are true. Applicant tracking systems and hiring managers both look for them.
| The posting says | Skill to list (if true) |
|---|---|
| Enter and update records | Data entry and database updates |
| Maintain files | Filing and records management |
| Prepare documents and reports | Word processing and report preparation |
| Answer phones and greet visitors | Phone etiquette and front desk service |
| Schedule meetings | Scheduling and calendar management |
| Handle confidential information | Confidentiality |
Skills to Put First for Your Job Type
| Job type | Skills to put first |
|---|---|
| Office clerk | Data entry, filing, mail handling and office equipment |
| Administrative clerk | Typing, scheduling, email management and report preparation |
| Records clerk | Data checking, records management, confidentiality and attention to detail |
| Front desk clerk | Phone etiquette, customer service, scheduling and organization |
Stronger Wording for Your Skills
| Instead of | Try |
|---|---|
| Good with computers | Builds spreadsheets that track 200 monthly orders and save 3 hours a week |
| Organized | Organizes supplies, files and mail for a 20-person office |
| Fast typist | Types 65 words per minute with 98% accuracy |
| Good with people | Greets about 40 visitors a day and keeps the front desk calm |
Clerical Job Facts
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) groups many of these roles as general office clerks. It describes their work as performing a variety of administrative tasks such as answering phones, entering data and filing. Duties vary by employer. These are national figures.
| Fact (BLS, general office clerks) | Detail |
|---|---|
| Median pay (May 2025) | $45,010 a year ($21.64 an hour) |
| Typical entry-level education | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Jobs, 2025 | About 2.6 million |
| Job outlook, 2025 to 2035 | 6% decline (about 156,200 fewer jobs) |
| Openings each year, on average | About 249,000, mostly from workers who change occupations or leave the labor force |
Mistakes to Avoid
- Listing too many skills. Six to eight, strongest first, is enough.
- Listing skills you cannot show. Be ready to explain each one in an interview.
- Using vague words. Add a number or result to your top skills.
- Naming software you have not used. List only programs you can work in on day one.
- Typos. Proofread twice and read it aloud. Clerks are hired for accuracy.
Skills Checklist
Tick each item as you finish. Your skills section is ready when the counter reaches 10.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are clerical skills?
Clerical skills are the abilities used to keep an office running, such as data entry, typing, filing, record keeping, scheduling, communication and customer service.
What are the best clerical skills for a resume?
Data entry, typing speed and accuracy, filing and records management, spreadsheets, email and calendar management, scheduling, phone etiquette and customer service, plus soft skills such as organization and attention to detail. Match them to the posting and list only skills you have.
How many skills should I list on a clerical resume?
Six to eight, with your strongest first. A short, focused list reads faster, and you can back each skill up with a number in your job bullets.
Are clerical skills hard skills or soft skills?
Both. Hard skills such as data entry, typing and software are measurable. Soft skills such as organization, communication and attention to detail show how you work. A strong resume mixes the two.
How do I show my typing speed on a resume?
Add your speed and accuracy only if you can back it up, for example, 65 words per minute with 98% accuracy. If a test is part of the application, use your tested result.
Where should I put skills on my resume?
Put a short skills section after your summary, weave your top skills into your job bullets and list education and training in their own sections.
How do I show clerical skills with numbers?
Use counts you can explain, such as records entered, calls answered, meetings scheduled, files organized or accuracy rates. Leave out any figure you cannot back up.
Should I list software by name?
List only software you have really used. If the posting names a program and you know it, use that exact name. Otherwise, write word processing, spreadsheets or database software.
Do I need a degree for a clerical job?
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) says general office clerks typically need a high school diploma or equivalent. Employers look for skills, accuracy and dependability.
What is the job outlook for office clerks?
The BLS projects a 6% decline in employment of general office clerks from 2025 to 2035, but about 249,000 openings a year, mostly from workers who change occupations or leave the labor force.
Conclusion
A strong skills section is short, true and backed by numbers. Pick six to eight skills that match the posting, mix hard skills with soft skills and show your top ones in action. Then use the builder above to create yours.
Related Reading
- Clerical resume sample
- How to list data entry skills on a resume
- Clerical aide cover letter sample
- Clerical aide job description
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: General Office Clerks (May 2025 pay, 2025 jobs and 2025 to 2035 projections). All examples are fictional.