Data Entry Clerk Job Description Example

By | August 28, 2023
Data Entry Clerk job description, duties, tasks, and responsibilities
Data Entry Clerks ensure company data is entered and updated correctly.

Data Entry Clerk Job Description Example

What Does a Data Entry Clerk Do?

The primary responsibility in the job description of the data entry clerk is entering and updating of data, and management of data for companies, individuals and government agencies.

While some data entry clerks work on freelance basis, most are employed by corporations and agencies to assist in the update, storage, and retrieval of data.

The clerk collaborates with the data base management team in managing an agency’s data base.

He/she also assists an agency or a corporation in the transfer of data from one system to another.

When employed by a company, the clerk may be required to perform other administrative duties apart from the traditional role of data management.

His/her work description may also include assisting the firm in preparing reports on spreadsheets.

Prior to the data entry process, he/she is expected to research and source for information.

He/she also classifies the data by sorting the assembled part into different batches for ease of entry and reference.

It is important to note that the data to be entered may be in paper or electronic file.

To ensure that information on the data base is free of errors, the clerk is expected to edit and proofread the data entered before storing it.

In carrying out his/her duties, the clerk is expected to comply with data entry procedures and techniques.

He/she may also be required to change, delete or correct data initially stored in the system.

This position offers lots of opportunities to computer savvies. So, to be employed as a data entry clerk, the first requirement is adequate knowledge of the computer.

Essentially, the person must be proficient in Microsoft Office applications, especially MS Excel, MS Word, and MS PowerPoint.

Knowledge of other spreadsheet packages is also very important because the need of each data entry work may vary.

Additionally, he/she must be very fast in typing, just as the ability to handle data professionally is equally required.

In terms of academic qualifications, a data entry clerk must be educated to at least the level of high school diploma.

To advance from this position to data entry specialist or database manager, the clerk must be ready to advance academically to the level of a degree holder.

He/she must have an impeccable spelling ability and good math skills.

He/she must also have the ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality since he/she is expected to handle a wide array of data, ranging from public to private data. Therefore, he/she must safeguard customers’ information except in extreme cases.

Also, for the fact that handling data requires courteousness, the clerk must be an individual with zero tolerance for error.

Data Entry Clerk Job Description Example

If you are aspiring to work as a data entry clerk or an hr manager trying to prepare a work description for your new data entry clerk hire, here is one you can use.

The data entry clerk job description example below presents the common tasks, duties, and responsibilities for the position:

  • Source for data and information to be entered into a spreadsheet
  • Prepare spread sheet to be used in entering data
  • Enter data and information into the company or customer’s database
  • Type data and reports in word or spreadsheet format
  • Update the data and information on a company’s database
  • Read and edit data and information contained in the company’s database
  • Sort and arrange data and information stored into batches for easy access and reference
  • Comply with the company’s data entry procedures and techniques
  • Review and verify the company’s data from time to time to ensure that data contained are up to date and relevant
  • Ensure the safety of stored files by creating a database back up
  • Ensure the confidentiality of data stored in the company’s database.

Data Entry Clerk Resume Preparation

To win employers’ heart for the job of data entry clerk, especially when an experienced person is needed, the job experience section of your resume must be well done to show that you really know what the job involves.

To be able to do this easily and effectively, you can use the duties and responsibilities presented in the sample job description above to make the work experience section, with some modification where necessary to properly reflect your actual experience on the job.

Requirements – Abilities, Skills, and Knowledge – for Data Entry Clerk Role

Certain skills and qualities will help you achieve success on the job as a data entry clerk, which are usually part of employers’ requirements during hiring process for the position, they include the following:

  • Computer skills: To get a job as a data entry clerk and succeed as one, strong computer skill is necessary. The clerk must be a computer savvy and must feel comfortable working on a computer for hours. Good typing speed is also very necessary. In addition, having a strong knowledge of other office applications and different kinds of spreadsheets is also necessary
  • Education: It is mandatory that a data entry clerk be educated to at least high school diploma level. However, having a more advanced certificate is always considered a plus for an applicant. Having a training certificate in desktop publishing may also be considered important. The clerk is expected to be fluent in the English language backed with good math skills
  • A data entry clerk must be very confidential. He/she should be able to protect customers’ private information and data
  • The role involves high degree of courteousness and focus. The clerk must be an individual with zero tolerance for error
  • Finally, a good sight is necessary since the clerk is expected to work on the computer system almost all the time.

Data Entry Clerk Skills for Resume

The skills and qualities shown above can also be effectively used in making the competence section of your resume, where you have to prove your ability to excel on the job by showing the skills that will enable you achieve excellent performance.

If you have acquired the above attributes, it will make a lot of sense to highlight them in your resume since those are what employers are already interested in.