File clerk
Also known as: record filing clerk, records clerk, filing office helper, filing system clerk, technical records clerk, file keeper
About this occupation
File clerks are in charge of maintaining records of a company and managing forms and information. They organise and retrieve documents when necessary and ensure an efficient working system.
Essential skills and knowledge
- organise business documents
- ensure proper document management
- file documents
- facilitate access to information
- respect data protection principles
- carry out records management
- fill out forms
- use office systems
- perform clerical duties
- ensure information transparency
- information confidentiality
- keep task records
Typical tasks and preparation
From the related US occupation profile File Clerks (O*NET 43-4071.00). Linked by an official crosswalk: related, not identical; details vary by country.
- Perform general office activities, such as typing, answering telephones, operating office machines, processing mail, or securing confidential materials.
- Keep records of materials filed or removed, using logbooks or computers and generate computerized reports.
- Gather materials to be filed from departments or employees.
- Find, retrieve, and make copies of information from files in response to requests and deliver information to authorized users.
- Add new material to file records or create new records as necessary.
- Sort or classify information according to guidelines, such as content, purpose, user criteria, or chronological, alphabetical, or numerical order.
- Typical education (US)
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree
- Preparation
- Job Zone 2 of 5
- Interests
- Conventional, Realistic, Social
Top skills: Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Speaking, Writing, Monitoring, Service Orientation
US median pay: US$43,600 a year (2025), 73,440 employed. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Subjects this work relies on
How important each subject's knowledge is in the job itself, rated by people doing it (1 to 5).
- English or Literature in EnglishO*NET: English LanguageVery important (4.3)
- Government and PoliticsO*NET: Law and GovernmentImportant (3.4)
- Computer StudiesO*NET: Computers and ElectronicsImportant (3.3)
- Mathematics or StatisticsO*NET: MathematicsImportant (3.2)
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Preparation needed
Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Most common education (US)
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
- Training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Related occupations
Occupations O*NET links to this one by similar work, skills and knowledge.
- Data Entry Keyers
- Medical Records Specialists
- Office Clerks, General
- Correspondence Clerks
- Word Processors and Typists
- Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks
- Administrative Services Managers
- Billing and Posting Clerks
- Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators
- Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.